A myriad of different mosses and plants cover a granite ground.

Nature Now! Taken for Granite

June 11, 2020

I’m not a geologist but I don’t take for granted how important geology is to life on Earth. Present day North Carolina is the result of a long history of geologic events involving erupting volcanoes, continental collisions and sedimentation along with lots of weathering and erosion! The diversity of life in natural areas is the… Read More >


What To Do If You Spot A Fawn

June 4, 2020

Spring is the time for renewal and (re)birth. This is true for many of our native mammals, including white-tailed deer. Mating occurs in the fall. And after a gestation period of about 200 days, fawns begin to be born across North Carolina. As early as mid-May fawns start showing up in the eastern part of… Read More >


Sawfish rostrum

NC Museum week at NCMNS

May 27, 2020

North Carolina Museum Week is a celebration of North Carolina museums. The purpose is to raise awareness of North Carolina museums as centers of education, community anchors, economic engines, employers, stewards of culture and history, and more! The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is the state’s most visited museum, the largest institution of its… Read More >


Crescent Moon Spadefoot Frog

A closer look at spectacular red-eyed forest frogs reveals a new species

May 21, 2020

Crescent Moon Spadefoot Frog. Photo: Jodi Rowley. The Asian Spadefoot Frogs (Leptobrachium) are large frogs that inhabit evergreen forests throughout Asia. Although their bodies are usually brown or grey, their large eyes are often splashed with bright blue, green, red or white. During expeditions in search of frogs in the region, herpetologists from the Australian… Read More >


Nature Now! Popular, but Not Poplar

May 20, 2020

Yes, you read that right! One of our most popular trees is not a poplar tree, although that is a popular name for one that is not a poplar! Liriodendron tulipifera is commonly called a tulip poplar, yellow poplar or tulip tree among other names. Tulip tree would be a more correct common name as… Read More >