News & Blogs

Research posts Scientists Digitally Reconstruct Skull of Extinct Great Ape Modeling skull of the 12-million-year-old Pierolapithecus catalaunicus helps place species within hominin family tree. October 17, 2023 Research posts Record-Setting Bug’s Diet Makes it a Super Vector for Plant Disease New study confirms that the meadow spittlebug feeds on 1,300 plants. The problem: it carries bacteria that are fatal to crops. October 4, 2023 Research posts Study Confirms Two Sea Star Species are Crossbreeding in the Wild Sea star hybrids are thriving, from Cape Cod to Nova Scotia, with implications for ecosystems in warming waters. September 21, 2023 Research posts Mimicry of Toxic Species May Encourage Predation in Long Run, Study Suggests Batesian mimicry may create a feedback loop that drives predation and mimicry, new study co-authored by Museum student finds. July 28, 2023 Research posts Dinosaur Ancestor’s Bony Plates Show Boomerang Trait A newly described 235-million-year-old archosaur had armored plates, a characteristic dinosaurs lost and regained. July 26, 2023 Research posts Apex Predator of the Cambrian Likely Had a Soft Diet Biomechanical research reveals that Anomalocaris canadensis wasn’t strong enough to crack trilobite shells as once thought. July 5, 2023 Research posts New Species of Extinct Bat Described From Oldest Bat Skeletons Researchers found that 52-million-year fossils recovered from Wyoming’s Green River Formation represented a new species. April 12, 2023 Research posts Worldwide Collections Database Maps 1 Billion Objects Initiative surveyed natural history museum collections in 73 museums as part of new approach to a global collection. March 23, 2023 Research posts Ancient “Marsupial Sabertooth” Likely Saw in 3D New study examines how Thylacosmilus, an extinct mammal with eyes positioned like a cow’s, managed to see in 3D anyway. March 21, 2023 Research posts New Atlas of Insect Respiratory Systems Produced Using CT Scanning Insect tracheal systems, which are too delicate to dissect and challenging to study, were mapped using micro-CT scanning of 29 species. March 17, 2023 Research posts Museum Researchers Describe New Species of Nocturnal Primate New study based on historic museum specimens formally recognizes a second species of pygmy loris. March 13, 2023 Research posts Catfish Described by Museum Researchers Highlighted in New Species Report The new freshwater catfish species was the first in its genus to be described from Africa in more than 40 years. March 3, 2023