NEWS

Cayo Santiago pre-hurricane. Aerial photo by Joyce Cohen. Cayo Santiago post-hurricane. Aerial photo by Joyce Cohen. When Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico in September 2017 as a high-end Category 4 storm, it left in its wake the largest catastrophe in the history of the island. The storm killed more than 3,000 people in its… Read More >

RALEIGH, N.C. — Venus is Earth’s closest planetary neighbor and has a similar size and density to Earth, leading many to refer to the two planets as sisters or twins. But since Venus is perpetually shrouded in thick, yellowish clouds of sulfuric acid that trap heat, its surface temperatures are hot enough to melt lead… Read More >

Laemophloeus biguttatus larvae at various stages of their jump (top three images); motion-capture of a jump (bottom image). Image credit: Matt Bertone. A team of researchers has discovered a jumping behavior that is entirely new to insect larvae, and there is evidence that it is occurring in a range of species – we just haven’t noticed it before. The previously… Read More >

The state record snapping turtle on exhibit in 2015. Photo: Karen Swain/NCMNS. After a lengthy battle with myriad health issues, the largest specimen of Chelydra serpentina (Common Snapping Turtle) known from North Carolina was humanely euthanized by the Museum’s Veterinary Sciences team on January 4, 2022. The specimen, a large (69.8 pounds) and probably very… Read More >

Panoramic view from the top of Rich Mountain Bald (within Tater Hill Plant Preserve). Grandfather Mountain and the ski slopes can be seen in the background. Photo: Matt C. Estep. By Sophia Kirn, Senior at Appalachian State University and Naturalist Center Intern As a student at Appalachian State University, one of the biggest pastimes I… Read More >