A scientific institution housing natural history collections and research.
Museums and collectors are pushing fossils into national-treasure status, arguing for new protections as private collections and high prices intensify the fossil trade. Britain’s export rules lag behind the scale of the market, raising questions about ownership, public access and scientific value.
Researchers reveal a vast whale graveyard in the southeastern Indian Ocean, extending to depths of 7,000 metres and spanning hundreds of kilometres. The site hosts hundreds of fossil skeletons and five modern whale falls, highlighting a thriving deep-sea ecosystem that feeds on whale carcasses. The findings, published in Nature, deepen understanding of deep-sea life and whale evolution.
A long-forgotten tail vertebra from James Ross Island has been confirmed as belonging to a Titanosaur, dating from about 82 million years ago. The bone had been stored in a BAS drawer since 1985 and is the first dinosaur fossil identified on Antarctica. Scientists say the find reshapes understanding of the continent’s prehistoric ecosystems and suggests a forested, hospitable Antarctica.
Sotheby’s has sold a 67‑million‑year‑old Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed “Gus” for $50.1 million, the highest price ever paid for a dinosaur at auction. The specimen, about 61–63% complete, was excavated in South Dakota from 2021–23; scientists are warning that private ownership will restrict research access.
UK institutions are accelerating digitisation of herbarium and insect collections to enhance accessibility for research, bolster biodiversity records, and track climate-change effects. The projects connect major Scottish and English collections into national and UK-wide digital networks, enabling historical data to inform modern science.
A study from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust shows UK bumblebees struggle to fly and forage as heatwaves push body temperatures toward lethal levels. Data from 2022 reveals declines in red-tailed, buff-tailed and common carder bumblebees, with concerns about ongoing drought and climate trends. Some species are faring better this spring, but the year remains uncertain.