Meet Masripithecus: Newly Described Ancient Ape Fills a Gap in Evolutionary History of Primates

An international team of researchers add a new chapter in the story of apes—including us humans—starting around 18 million years ago in North Africa
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For Ancient and Modern Seagrass Ecosystems, Having a (Sea)Cow Is Super Important

A new species of extinct dugong from the Persian Gulf highlights sea cows as underwater lawn mowers protecting biodiversity
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Dive Into the Weird Miocene World of Aquatic Sloths

A new paper by an international team of researchers, including NHM's Curator of Marine Mammals, Dr. Jorge Velez-Juarbe, uncovers more secrets of aquasloths with one of the most complete skeletons ever discovered
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Behind the Scenes With The Flesh-Eating Beetles Preparing Museum Specimens

Meet the smallest and possibly most gruesome members of NHM's collection staff: flesh-eating Dermestid beetles. CONTENT WARNING: Specimen preparation is metal. There are a lot of images of dead animals in different states of decay and preparation below.
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Digitized Mammals

How the new digitization project Ranges is unlocking the potential of NHM's Mammalogy Collection
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A Northern White Rhino Skeleton From the San Diego Zoo Comes to NHM

The new specimen highlights the crucial relationship zoos play in ensuring rare and endangered species are represented in museum collections.
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How To Build A Bat Box

When Southern California (or other bat-heavy areas) sees waves of extreme heat, the second-largest order of mammals can be put at significant risk. But with a little community assistance, our nocturnal neighbors like this Yuma myotis can sleep safely during hot days in a comfortable bat box — which you can easily build and install yourself.
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Sun’s Out, Bears Out!

We’re diving into the curious phenomenon of bears in pools with our bear experts and local observers to learn what to do when encountering a vibey bear in your backyard. 
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Shade, Then and Now

Discover the changing tree line of L.A. through the lens of La Brea Tar Pits fossils—and the evolving presence of shade in our warming climate
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The Tale of Piccolo the Polar Bear and Captain Jack Bonavita

The story of the most famous polar bear in our collections
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