American Museum of Natural History

What the heck is a nudibranch? Join marine biologist and Museum Curator Jessica Goodheart for a deep dive into the wild world of nudibranchs, including her research on the fascinating ways they defend themselves! Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/4bz0ftv #marinebiology #research #museums #nudibranch #STEM

Thanks to AMNH PRIDE, a resource group for LQBTQ+ individuals and allies at the American Museum of Natural History, for representing our museum community at the NYC Pride March this past weekend! About 35 of our museum colleagues marched with a total of close to 60 participants, including friends and family. #MuseumsAreForEveryone

What exactly IS a fossil? Can a fossil be a plant, or a footprint? Does a fossil have to be a dinosaur? From beautiful amber to ancient DNA, the fossil record of Earth stretches back hundreds of millions of years. In this video, Macauley Curator Roger Benson explains how a fossil is different from a skeleton, and shows many of the types of fossils that have helped paleontologists to understand the history of life on our planet. Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/eXCe8YgF #fossils #paleontology #museum #naturalhistory #dinosaurs

The iconic frog-eating bat (Trachops cirrhosus), best known for hunting amphibians in the Neotropics, is one of the most easily recognizable bat species. But new research, led by Angelo Soto-Centeno, who is joining the Museum as an assistant curator in the Department of Mammalogy next month, along with Museum Curator Nancy Simmons and colleagues at the Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Oficial) in Brazil, suggests that these bats actually comprise three separate species across their range—knowledge that’s vital for future conservation efforts. “Frog-eating bats are very iconic and easy to identify, with long woolly fur, large ears, and wartlike protrusions on its chin and snout that make it very recognizable,” Soto-Centeno said. “But that has led to underestimation of its diversity. Detailed taxonomic accounts like this are the first step for making effective conservation decisions concerning these animals.” Read more about their results, published today in the journal American Museum Novitates, in our latest blog post: https://bit.ly/3zpZC8r Photo: © Sherri and Brock Fenton #bats #research #mammalogy #conservation #biodiversity

Mark your calendars for Friday, July 12! Manhattanhenge returns for a lecture and block party celebrating the last opportunity to see the Manhattanhenge Effect this year. Join Museum Senior Scientist Jackie Faherty for a 3D presentation about the science and history behind the phenomenon when the setting Sun perfectly aligns with the cross streets of the grid of Manhattan. After the program, join us for a spectacular Manhattanhenge viewing event outdoors! For more details and to reserve tickets, visit: https://bit.ly/3z96ZB8 #museums #nyc #thingstodoinnyc

Leaping leeches! While explorers have documented personal accounts of jumping leeches for more than a century, leech biologists have often argued against these claims, saying it was more likely that the bloodsuckers climbed on their prey unnoticed or dropped onto them from vegetation above. But a new study led by Mai Fahmy, PhD, a visiting scientist at the Museum and a postdoctoral researcher at Fordham University, provides evidence that at least one species of terrestrial leech in Madagascar actually can jump. Published in the journal Biotropica today, the study features video evidence, including footage of a Chtonobdella leech moving like a “backbending cobra”—like a spring being pulled back—and jumping to the ground. In addition to capturing this never-before-documented phenomenon, leech biology is also important to conservation efforts. Leeches are increasingly being collected to survey vertebrate biodiversity, with researchers analyzing leech gut contents—their blood meals—to identify which other animals live nearby, from wildcats to frogs to ground-dwelling birds. To learn more, and to see the leaping leeches in action, visit: https://bit.ly/3VuMaaN #leeches #research #museums

Teachers: Earn graduate credit and advance your career in six weeks with our flexible online courses! Connect with the Museum’s scientists, labs, exhibitions, and specimens. You can choose from a variety of courses ranging from Marine Biology and the Solar System to Climate Change and Virology. The courses are asynchronous, providing participants with the flexibility to complete weekly activities at their own pace—and can be taken anywhere at any time! Subject to school/district approval, courses may be used toward professional development, salary advancement, and recertification.   Sign up for our summer session today! Classes start July 8: https://bit.ly/3P5Owec Photo: A. Keding / © AMNH #museums #STEM #teachers

Yesterday was Pride Night at the Museum! Hundreds of attendees celebrated LGBTQ+ contributions to science, culture, and the natural world. Visitors explored the Museum’s Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, mingled over drinks and food, participated in STEM trivia, and enjoyed an after-hours party with music and visualizations from OpenSpace. Photo: A. Keding / © AMNH #museums #pride #nyc

Thank you The New York Climate Exchange. American Museum of Natural History is proud (and excited) to partner with you on this critical work! #climateaction #NewYorkClimateExchange

Act like Megalochelys atlas and smile, because it’s Fossil Friday! One of the largest known land turtles, scientists think this massive reptile could reach heights of 5.9 ft (1.8 m)—tall enough to look a grown human in the eye. This specimen’s shell measures some 7.4 ft (2.3 m) long and in life, it may have weighed more than 2,000 lbs (907 kg). Megalochelys lived during the Late Pliocene about 2 million years ago. The fossil on display in the Museum’s Hall of Vertebrate Origins was found in 1922 in Chandigarh, India. We're open daily from 10 am-5:30 pm! Plan your visit: https://bit.ly/3NAH2hh Photo: © AMNH #museums #paleontology #turtles #fossils