Yellow-bellied sea snake

NHM Scientists Brace for Unlikely Visitors and Strange Creatures During the Super El Niño

It's the strongest El Niño in more than a hundred years, and far-flung creatures are already arriving in Southern California, with more expected in the coming months. Studying them will help NHM researchers better understand the impacts of the massive climate event.
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Diorama of a family of black bears in Yosemite Valley

Black Bears in Your Los Angeles Backyard

We asked our Curator of Mammalogy and Curator of Community Science what to do about big, hairy nosy neighbors
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Reconstruction of Spea labreae, a black toad with orange spots in front of a tar pit, flanked by three other toads
Research and Collections

Meet Spea labreae, a New Species of Ice Age Toad Discovered at La Brea Tar Pits

The first new extinct toad species and the first description of the Mexican burrowing toad at the Tar Pits help us understand the impacts of climate change on species distributions, past, present, and future.
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An elephant, tapir, saber-toothed cat, llama, and pecarry face off with a pair of giant sloths, a pair of armadillos, a big rodent, and a terror bird, the former on the North American side and the latter on the South America; a globe is in the top left
Research and Collections

10-million-year-long Mammal Layover in Mexico Primed the Pump for the Great American Biotic Interchange Between North and South America

Published in the journal Science, a new study by NHM researchers shows that Mexico acted as a biodiversity "holding pen" for 10 million years ahead of the Great American Biotic Interchange that opened the floodgates between North and South America 2.8 million years ago.
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A woman with short gray hair and glasses next to a model orca

Keiko’s Tooth: A Killer Whale, a Movie Star, and the Hidden Power of Museum Collections

Assistant Mammalogy Collections Manager Amanda Killian on finding the Free Willy star's tooth and the ever-growing value of natural history museum collections
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A high school building with the words 'San Pedro Pirates' surrounding an image of a pirate mascot on the building. Signs of construction surround the building

Fossils Under San Pedro High School Reveal a Pleistocene Beach in a Miocene Sea

Discover some of the last fossils and the lasting impact of the bone beds beneath San Pedro High School
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Two people pose behind a long counter inside The Ruby Fruit. One wears a green top and dark pants, while the other wears a bright yellow jumpsuit. In the foreground, a lime green graphic banner features the bar's name next to an image of a red cocktail garnished with a dehydrated citrus wheel.

More Than a Bar: Preserving a Sapphic Sanctuary

Mara Herbkersman & Emily Bielagus | The Ruby Fruit
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An orca jumping out of the water

Orcas: Culture Beneath the Surface
Dive into the matriarchal culture of orcas
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Two mem standing with a colorful drink in hand and in the forefront, again wall with graphic design

The ABC's of Identity

Philip Wang & Eric Wang | BOPOMOFO Cafe
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A man in a black vest and gloves smiles while pouring spiced tea from a glass teapot at Sana’a Cafe. The background features a patterned menu of Yemeni coffee and tea, with a red promotional banner in the foreground.

A Haven of Hospitality

Sadeq Alaqel | Sana’a Cafe
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