Margaret Osborne

Margaret Osborne is an intern in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Office of Communications and Public Affairs. Her journalism has appeared in the Sag Harbor Express and aired on WSHU public radio. Margaret is an undergraduate at Stony Brook University, where she majors in journalism and German language and literature and minors in environmental studies. She’s spending her last semester in Washington, D.C. and will graduate in May.

Stories from this author

There are about 160,000 species of moths and butterflies worldwide, each with unique characteristics. (Smithsonian)

Seven Bizarre Moths to Celebrate National Moth Week

These are the coolest and most unusual moths in the Smithsonian’s collections.

“Unsettled Nature” features artworks by Bethany Taylor and six other contemporary artists that show how humans have changed nature. (James Di Loreto, Smithsonian)

Artists Show Human Impact on the Planet in New Exhibit

The exhibition raises the question of what is “natural” in a world dominated by humans.

Collections at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History that are similar to objects in the show “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” (Smithsonian)

Six Avatar-Themed Items in the Smithsonian Collections

Check out six specimens and artifacts in our collection that are similar to fictional objects in "Avatar: The Last Airbender."

Kay Behrensmeyer pioneered the field of taphonomy, or the study of how organisms become fossils. (Smithsonian)

Meet the Scientist Studying How Organisms Become Fossils

In the latest iteration of "Meet a SI-entist," get to know the scientist who pioneered a new scientific field - taphonomy.

Pressed flowers can be used in journals, plant identification booklets and other projects. (Erika Gardner, Smithsonian Institution)

How to Press Plants from Your Backyard

Here’s a guide to help you press plants from your backyard.

Mount St. Helens in 2018. (USGS)

40 Years After Mount St. Helens, Scientists Make Tiny Eruptions to Study Volcanoes

Meet the scientist who makes and studies tiny volcanic eruptions at the Smithsonian.

Mangroves line a channel connecting the Belize River to the coastal lagoon system. These trees are hundreds of years old and provide important habitat to both terrestrial and marine species. (Steve Canty, Smithsonian Marine Station)

Together, We Can Save the Mangroves

Scientists hope to save mangroves with global collaboration.

Sabrina Sholts is the curator of biological anthropology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. (Paul Fetters, Smithsonian)

Get to Know the Scientist Studying Ancient Pathogens at the Smithsonian

Check out what an ancient pathogen expert does at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

The National Museum of Natural History’s new Chief Scientist, Dr. Rebecca Johnson (James D. Tiller, Smithsonian Institution)

Meet the Smithsonian’s Newest Chief Scientist

Get to know the woman leading science at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Insect expert Dan Babbitt talks about the Chilean Rose Tarantula on “Smithsonian Science How,” a video series for students. (Smithsonian Institution)

Seven Ways to Learn About Natural History From Home

Deepen your understanding of the natural world from home with these free resources.

Invasive species like lionfish can harm natural, human, and economic health. (Barry Brown)

Five Species to Wrap Up Invasive Species Week

Check out some of the most destructive and interesting species in the U.S.

These bumblebees were part of a mass digitization project at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Pinned underneath each bee is important information about where the bees were collected, when and by whom. (Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Institution)

Digitization Allows Public Access to Smithsonian’s Hidden Collections

2.8 millions items in the National Museum of Natural History's collections went open access on Feb. 25.

An illustration of the new coronavirus. Coronaviruses are named for the spikes on their outer surface, which look like points on a crown. (CDC)

‘One Health’ Could Prevent the Next Coronavirus Outbreak

An exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History puts the new coronavirus outbreak into context, showing how and why new viruses emerge and what we can do to stop them from spreading.