Stories

Welcome to Stories, a place to explore—and be inspired by—the wonder of our natural and cultural worlds.

Fossil tree limb with a fossil bird on top of it framed by demolished wall

Research and Collections

Fossil Trees Help Grow Our Understanding of Ancient Climate

A new study reveals how ancient trees from La Brea Tar Pits helped warm the planet during the last ice age by coughing up CO2

Mountain lion next to rectangular-framed photographic portraits

Discover the Story of L.A.’s Big Cats

Scientists, biologists, and conservationists share their insights

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Sam Bearpaw Header with him, a Native an with sunglasses and long white hair pulled back, standing in his Redrum MC vest surrounded by other motorcyclist racing past.

Rumbling and Rolling for the People

Sam Bearpaw | Redrum MC

Jason Pereira holding up a checker-patterned woven mat with an attached painting of a white-outlined bird

Collections Revealed

Jason Pereira draws on his Pacific Island heritage and upbringing in L.A.

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Illustration of aquatic sloths chilling by the beach next to some penguins and sea lions during a sun set

Dive Into the Weird Miocene World of Aquatic Sloths

A new paper by an international team of researchers, including NHM's Curator of Marine Mammals, Dr. Jorge Velez-Juarbe, uncovers more secrets of aquasloths with one of the most complete skeletons ever discovered

Dung beetle expedition Catalina Island crew

Join the Dung Beetle Hunt

Walk in the shoes of La Brea Tar Pits scientists who ventured to a less-trodden part of Catalina Island to scout for dung beetles in bison poop!

Coyote skull in the process of being cleaned by dermestid beetles

Behind the Scenes With The Flesh-Eating Beetles Preparing Museum Specimens

Meet the smallest and possibly most gruesome members of NHM's collection staff: flesh-eating Dermestid beetles. CONTENT WARNING: Specimen preparation is metal. There are a lot of images of dead animals in different states of decay and preparation below.