RACE exhibit

N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Acquires “RACE: Are We So Different?” Exhibit

December 16, 2020

Raleigh, N.C. – The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is pleased to announce the acquisition of “RACE: Are We So Different?,” an award-winning exhibit that debuted in North Carolina as a feature exhibition at the museum in 2017. Thanks to the generosity of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, the… Read More >


Carolina Sandhills Salamander

Carolina Sandhills Salamander: New species added to species-rich North Carolina

December 11, 2020

Carolina Sandhills Salamander (Eurycea arenicola) in life, from North Carolina. Photo: Todd Pusser. Click to enlarge. [RALEIGH, NC] – Already possessing more salamander species than any other state in the country with 63, North Carolina has just added one more to make it 64. The aptly named Carolina Sandhills Salamander (Eurycea arenicola) is found in… Read More >


Males of the Cambodian Fanged Frog (Limnonectes fastigatus) have long pointed “fangs”. Image: Jodi Rowley

Welcome new fanged friend: A new species of Fanged Frog discovered in Cambodia

December 10, 2020

From the forests of northeastern Cambodia, another frog species new to science is scientifically named! Males of the Cambodian Fanged Frog (Limnonectes fastigatus) have long pointed ‘fangs’. Photo © Jodi Rowley. Click to enlarge. The Fanged Frogs of Southeast Asia are truly remarkable beasts. Males have a particularly large, muscular head and sport “fangs” (actually… Read More >


Dr. Lindsay Zanno

Dueling Dinosaurs: A Q&A With Lindsay Zanno

December 3, 2020

Dueling Dinosaurs. Copyright NCMNS. Illustration: Julius Csotonyi. Museum Head of Paleontology and associate research professor at NC State Dr. Lindsay Zanno discussed the recent Dueling Dinosaurs announcement with The Abstract this week. She discusses what excites her most about this project and why these fossils are creating a rumble in the global science community. Read… Read More >


barrel sponge

Ask a Naturalist: Sponge Blog

December 2, 2020

What image comes to mind when you hear the word “sponge”? A brightly-colored rectangle used to clean dirty dishes? An adorable, yellow cube-shaped, pants-wearing cartoon character? A beautiful, living animal found attached to a tropical coral reef? Frankly, none of those options popped into my head when I saw the greyish blob in the photos… Read More >