NEWS

From Dr. Adrian Smith, Head of the Museum’s Evolutionary Biology & Behavior Lab: “Did you know that describing new species of aquatic insects, like stoneflies, can help monitor freshwater pollution levels? I didn’t. But I spent a few days with some researchers learning about their work and how the entomology has an extraordinary mix of… Read More >

A Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuge biologist feeds a Key Deer food laced with an anti-parasitic drug that combats flesh-eating screw worms, before marking it with non-toxic paint to indicate it’s been dosed. Photo: Chris Eggleston/FWS. Key deer have been in the news quite a bit lately due to questions about their long-term survival and… Read More >

“Ancient DNA: The Making of a Celebrity Science,” a new book from science historian Elizabeth Jones (pictured above), reveals the untold story of the rise of the new scientific field of ancient DNA research, and how “Jurassic Park” and popular media influenced its development over the past 30 years. Jones is the coordinator for Cretaceous… Read More >

Dwarf Waterdog (Necturus punctatus). Photo: Bryan Stuart/NCMNS. (Click to enlarge.) By Bryan Stuart, Research Curator of Herpetology Part of Reptile & Amphibian Month. Join us Thursday, March 31 for our final program, “Herp Workshop: Sing Along With Frogs“! The Dwarf Waterdog (Necturus punctatus) is a fully aquatic salamander that occurs in rivers and streams of… Read More >

A space-based animal tracking project followed mountain plovers tagged in Colorado. Photo: Nigel Bean/Minden Pictures. Scientists scramble to find new space-based receivers for animal tags after Russian-managed space station antenna goes silent The past 2 weeks have been very good—and very bad—for Martin Wikelski and Walter Jetz. In a key proof of principle of their… Read More >