Archived news articles

November

• New book explores Wallace's legacy - 21/11/2008

  A new book about Alfred Russel Wallace, Natural Selection and Beyond, is published this week.

• Earliest aquatic turtles found in Scotland - 19/11/2008

  Evidence of the earliest aquatic turtles living 160 million years ago is discovered in Scotland.

• Darwin exhibition opens with hair and other treasures - 14/11/2008

  Hairs, probably from Charles Darwin’s beard, and other family items are on show.

• Stringer's Homo britannicus book wins award - 13/11/2008

  Homo britannicus, by Chris Stringer, wins Best Archaeological Book 2008 this week.

• Darwin's mockingbirds knock finches off perch - 07/11/2008

  Galapagos mockingbirds, not finches, gave Darwin his evolution ideas. Watch the video.

October

• Winning wildlife images 2008 announced - 30/10/2008

  Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2008 winners are announced today.

• Big teeth for a tiny dinosaur - 24/10/2008

  A tiny dinosaur with big canine teeth shows for the first time how one of the earliest dinosaurs grew into an adult. Watch the video.

• Dino-bird from China gives clues to bird evolution - 23/10/2008

  A fossil of a ‘bizarre’ feathered dinosaur gives clues to how birds evolved.

• Rare hawkmoth collection appeal success - 20/10/2008

  The Museum's appeal for a collection of more than 200,000 hawkmoths has been a great success.

• World's longest insect revealed - 16/10/2008

  The world's longest insect is revealed at the Natural History Museum today. Watch the video.

• Missing Wallace letters donated - 16/10/2008

  Letters written by co-discoverer of theory of evolution are donated to Museum.

• Wallace, Darwin and Evolution exhibition at Tring - 13/10/2008

  See original specimens that helped two great British scientists conceive their theory of evolution.

• Museum scientists get blogging from Atlantic - 10/10/2008

  Two Museum scientists begin a blog this week of their expedition to the Atlantic to study tiny plant plankton.

September

• Highly commended wildlife images released - 29/09/2008

  The 44th annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition announces highly commended images.

• Neanderthal diet like early modern human's - 23/09/2008

  New evidence reveals Neanderthals ate seafood such as shellfish, mussels and even seal. Watch the video.

• First study of bumblebee colour patterns - 19/09/2008

  A study of bumblebee colour patterns covering all species around the world has been published.

• Darwin Centre cocoon countdown begins - 02/09/2008

  A 1-year countdown to the opening of the Museum's landmark building begins today. Watch the video.

August

• 250 years of naming living things - 25/08/2008

  This week scientists meet to celebrate this anniversary at the Systema Naturae 250 in Paris.

• Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2008 tickets on sale - 18/08/2008

  Tickets for the popular exhibition are on sale from today.

• Olympic swimsuit mimics shark skin - 15/08/2008

  A swimsuit worn by Olympic athletes in Beijing was developed using the science of shark skin at the Natural History Museum.

• Killer wasps of Saint Helena - 12/08/2008

  The common UK wasp settles in a South Atlantic island and threatens native wildlife.

• Animal Olympics - 11/08/2008

  Find out about the making of the BBC's Animal Games in this Nature Live event.

• Last chance for rare hawkmoth collection - 07/08/2008

  The Museum has 8 weeks left to raise money for a rare hawkmoth collection.

• Underwater paradise discovered in London - 01/08/2008

  Tropical lagoons teeming with unusual sea life covered London 50 million years ago.

July

• How butterfly wings shimmer revealed - 31/07/2008

  Museum scientists identify for the first time how these nanostructures work.

• Rare British shark fossil joins collection - 30/07/2008

  A rare 240-million-year-old shark fossil joins the Museum collections today.

• Live dinosaur dig online - 23/07/2008

  Two world-renowned dinosaur scientists take part in a live dinosaur dig online this week.

• Blaschka sea sculptures at Tring - 21/07/2008

  Blaschkas' Sculptures from the Sea exhibition opens at Tring today.

• Attenborough announces Butterfly Survival Zones - 17/07/2008

  Sir David Attenborough announces butterfly conservation campaign at Amazing Butterflies.

• Why are Chinese dinosaurs special? - 16/07/2008

  China is revealing more and more spectacular dinosaur fossils. Find out more.

• Mystery insect found in Museum garden - 15/07/2008

  An insect not seen in the UK before is discovered in the Wildlife Garden and is baffling insect experts. Watch the video.

• International Year of the Potato - 11/07/2008

  Chips, mash, roasted or baked, the humble potato is not just a versatile vegetable.

• Darwin Diary 2009 published - 03/07/2008

  Get your life in order next year with the Natural History Museum's new Darwin Diary 2009.

• International student summit begins - 02/07/2008

  Students from overseas and the UK will attend a 3-day summit to discuss Darwin and his ideas.

June

• Happy birthday natural selection - 30/06/2008

  A display marks the anniversary of the presentation of Wallace and Darwin's theory.

• Bug forum launches at Museum - 27/06/2008

  The Museum's first online forum is launched this week. It's all about insects and bugs.

• UK's largest insect department opens doors - 24/06/2008

  Visitors to the Museum this week can get a rare glimpse inside the insect department.

• Crime scene insect investigation boost - 23/06/2008

  Insect detectives at the Museum received a cash boost today.

• Meteorite flies into Museum - 20/06/2008

  A rare meteorite that could reveal the secrets of the birth of the solar system jetted in to the Natural History Museum's collection today.

• Darwin's Canopy artwork selected - 15/06/2008

  Tania Kovats TREE proposal is selected over 9 others for Darwin's Canopy.

• Dolphin mass stranding in Falmouth - 10/06/2008

  26 common dolphins have been stranded in the River Percuil in Cornwall.

• Museum achieves Investors in People standard - 06/06/2008

  The Natural History Museum achieves the prestigious Investors in People standard.

• Darwin's Canopy unveils  ceiling artwork proposals - 03/06/2008

  The 10 shortlisted artists reveal proposals for a permanent ceiling artwork at the Museum

• Fossil fish shows oldest live birth  - 02/06/2008

  A 380-million-year-old fossil fish that shows an unborn embryo and umbilical cord has been discovered.

May

• Biggest dog collection gets a clean - 30/05/2008

  The largest museum collection of domestic dogs in the UK are being prepared for a clean at the Museum at Tring today.

• Rare dual sex moth emerges at Museum - 26/05/2008

  Rare dual sex moth emerges in the pupae nursery of the Amazing Butterflies exhibition.

• Darwin's statue on the move - 23/05/2008

  A 2.2-tonne marble statue of Charles Darwin arrives in its new position today.

• World biodiversity drops more than a quarter - 16/05/2008

  More than a quarter of the world's wildlife has been lost in the last 35 years according to a report today.

• Lost Land of the Dodo book published - 15/05/2008

  The story of the devastating changes to the Mascarene islands is explored in this new book.

• Museum appoints new trustees - 12/05/2008

  The Natural History Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of three new trustees.

• Platypus genome sequenced - 08/05/2008

  Scientists have revealed the genetic information, or genome, of the platypus.

April

• Blaschka glass models go on display - 30/04/2008

  Museum Blaschka glass models go on display at the National Glass Centre.

• Few species key to Caribbean coral reefs - 29/04/2008

  A few key coral species of have been essential to the survival of Caribbean coral reefs.

• Few species key to Caribbean coral reefs - 29/04/2008

  A few key coral species of have been essential to the survival of Caribbean coral reefs.

• Book of caterpillar foods published - 25/04/2008

  The ultimate catalogue of the foods of caterpillars of Central and South America is published.

• Dragonfly survey launched - 24/04/2008

  A 5-year survey to monitor UK dragonflies is launched at the Natural History Museum today.

• Victorian fundraising dog comes to museum at Tring - 21/04/2008

  Victorian fundraising dog, London Jack, comes to the Natural History Museum at Tring today.

• Insect stamps launch - 15/04/2008

  Outstanding images of insects adorn a new set of 10 first class stamps, launched by the Royal Mail today.

• Rating system for best habitats - 10/04/2008

  A new technique means conservationists can identify the habitats to conserve in the world's richest wildlife areas.

• Harvestman trapped in amber donation - 07/04/2008

  A rare, spider-like harvestman in amber is donated to the Natural History Museum.

• Amazing Butterflies exhibition opens - 05/04/2008

  The Museum comes alive this summer with the opening of the Amazing Butterflies exhibition.

March

• Earliest humans in western Europe revealed - 26/03/2008

  Evidence of the earliest humans, living more than 1 million years ago in western Europe, is revealed.

• Tower of London lion origins revealed - 25/03/2008

  Lion remains found in the Tower of London come from north Africa, researchers reveal today.

• Catfish named after Museum scientist - 19/03/2008

  Museum scientist Ralf Britz, has new catfish named after him for his work on Myanmar fishes.

• Walter Rothschild makes a museum - 17/03/2008

• Stringer wins Kistler Book Award - 13/03/2008

  Britain's foremost expert on human origins and Museum palaeontologist, Chris Stringer, receives the Kistler Book Award.

• DNA study reveals more of the tree of life - 06/03/2008

  A genetic study answers some old debates about animal evolution, including what could be the new lowest animal form.

• Bluebells blooming early - 04/03/2008

  Bluebells have flowered in February for the first time in the UK.

• DNA technique and plant evolution - 03/03/2008

  Scientists use a DNA technique, originally developed for use in agriculture, to detect genetic diversity in wild plants.

February

• David Attenborough book signing - 29/02/2008

  Hundreds of fans queue for David Attenborough's book signing at the Museum.

• Biggest sea reptile discovered - 27/02/2008

  A 150-million-year-old sea reptile that grew to 15 metres in length is discovered.

• First pages of Encyclopedia of Life unveiled - 26/02/2008

  The first 30,000 pages of the Encyclopedia of Life website launch today.

• Butterfly mimic gene revealed - 20/02/2008

  Scientists identify a gene that gives a butterfly wing patterns like those of toxic species, helping it ward off predators.

• Good year for fish discoveries in Myanmar - 14/02/2008

  17 new fish species in Myanmar were described last year, 7 by a Natural History Museum scientist.

• Surprising Sharks opens at Tring - 11/02/2008

  Surprising Sharks, a free exhibition with plenty of bite, opens at the Natural History Museum at Tring today.

• Museum ceiling to get Darwin-inspired artwork - 09/02/2008

  Ten artists begin working on their proposals for Darwin's Canopy, a permanent artwork on a gallery ceiling the Museum.

• New Museum Dinosaur Dot-to-Dot book - 07/02/2008

  The new Natural History Museum Dinosaur Dot-to-Dot book is launched today.

January

• Top sites for algae revealed - 30/01/2008

  The top UK sites for algae are identified for the first time in a report published today.

• Hunt for real stardust continues - 25/01/2008

  The latest analysis of comet grains collected by NASA's Stardust mission is revealed.

• Farmer's Little Savages award nomination - 22/01/2008

  Tessa Farmer and her Little Savages art installation are nominated for the Breakthrough Award.

• Wildlife photo competition begins - 18/01/2008

  The search for the year's best wildlife photographer has begun.

• Threat to oldest human footprints - 16/01/2008

  Footprints, dating back to more than 3.5 million years ago, urgently need protection, according to experts.

• British dinosaur had crocodile-like skull - 14/01/2008

  An unusual British dinosaur has been shown to have a skull that functioned like that of a fish-eating crocodile.

• The secret life of the Natural History Museum - 10/01/2008

  Richard Fortey’s new book Dry Store Room Number 1 is published.

• Three new salamanders discovered - 04/01/2008

  Three new species of salamander have been discovered in a largely unexplored forest in Costa Rica.