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National Museum of Natural History

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Who Has Opposable Thumbs and a Prehensile Tail? This Tree Rat That Few Have Ever Seen

After sequencing the DNA of the world’s only Emmons’s tree rat specimen, museum scientists have returned to the Bornean forest to learn more about the mysterious rodent

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An Oyster With Teeth Reveals When Mollusks Covered the Chesapeake Bay

Celebrate National Oyster Day by learning about the most bizarre oyster specimens in the National Museum of Natural History’s collection

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Meet the Researcher Studying How Ancient Human Migrations Shaped a Hotbed of Avocado Diversity in Central America

While collecting avocado leaf samples in Nicaragua, archaeobotanist Kevin Wann finally tasted the fruit he has spent years studying

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Hailing From Glaciers, Geysers and Volcanoes, These Iconic Rocks Provide a Glimpse Into How America Was Formed and Built

In celebration of National Rock Day, learn how several rock specimens in the new exhibition “From These Lands” shed light on the nation’s geological heritage

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Discover Seven Stories of America in the National Museum of Natural History’s New Exhibition

From a bird prepared by a president to a monumental cave carved by water over millions of years, “From These Lands” reveals how America’s history is etched in nature itself

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For National Pollinator Week, Learn Why the National Museum of Natural History is Using a State-of-the-Art Conveyor Belt System to Digitize Thousands of Insect Specimens

The ongoing effort captures high-quality images and collection data in seconds, creating an online database of bees, beetles, butterflies and flies

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Oregon But Not Forgotten: How Sea Otters Once Protected the State's Kelp Forests

For Sea Otter Day, learn how a suite of specimens featured in the museum’s upcoming “From These Lands” exhibition illustrate the intertwined nature of sea otters and giant kelp in the Pacific Northwest

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The Buffalo is Life: Inside the Symbiotic Relationship Between Bison and Native Communities

The National Museum of Natural History worked with Indigenous experts to spotlight the enduring cultural significance of buffalo in the exhibition “Bison: Standing Strong”

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Here’s How the Smithsonian’s 70-Year-Old Bull Bison Got a Blow-Out

Conservators at the National Museum of Natural History recently spruced up a bison specimen for the new exhibition “Bison: Standing Strong”

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This May at the National Museum of Natural History, Learn How Scientists Investigate Volcanic Eruptions

The museum is hosting events throughout the month ranging from an exploration of human evolutionary history to a celebration of all things amphibian

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