Stories

Welcome to Stories, a place to explore—and be inspired by—the wonder of our natural and cultural worlds.

Fossil tree limb with a fossil bird on top of it framed by demolished wall

Research and Collections

Fossil Trees Help Grow Our Understanding of Ancient Climate

A new study reveals how ancient trees from La Brea Tar Pits helped warm the planet during the last ice age by coughing up CO2

Mountain lion next to rectangular-framed photographic portraits

Discover the Story of L.A.’s Big Cats

Scientists, biologists, and conservationists share their insights

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Sam Bearpaw Header with him, a Native an with sunglasses and long white hair pulled back, standing in his Redrum MC vest surrounded by other motorcyclist racing past.

Rumbling and Rolling for the People

Sam Bearpaw | Redrum MC

Jason Pereira holding up a checker-patterned woven mat with an attached painting of a white-outlined bird

Collections Revealed

Jason Pereira draws on his Pacific Island heritage and upbringing in L.A.

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Illustration of aquatic sloths chilling by the beach next to some penguins and sea lions during a sun set

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

Blue and black fuzzy tarantula next to a head and shoulders portrait of Rodrigo Monjaraz Ruedas wearing a gray button-down shirt with wood racks of shelving in the background

Don't Fear the Spider

Rodrigo Monjaraz Ruedas breaks down why spiders are amazing

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Dung beetle expedition Catalina Island crew

Join the Dung Beetle Hunt

Walk in the shoes of La Brea Tar Pits scientists who ventured to a less-trodden part of Catalina Island to scout for dung beetles in bison poop!

Coyote skull in the process of being cleaned by dermestid beetles

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.