Category Archives: Research

Discovering species on the shelves

Posted on February 21, 2018 by

What’s the best place for a paleontologist to discover a new species: Alberta; Mongolia; or the collections at the Canadian Museum of Nature? Museum paleontologist Danielle Fraser writes that there’s beauty, mystery and lots of scientific discoveries to be made on the shelves, and in the drawers and boxes, of the museum’s collection. Continue reading →

Posted in Collections, Fossils, Research, Species Discovery and Change | Tagged | Leave a comment

Going digital: Putting the museum’s impressive library collection online

Posted on January 24, 2018 by

These beautiful books are scientific gems, and now they’re just a click away. The Canadian Museum of Nature’s library staff are digitizing the museum’s rare and unique publications to make them available online to Canadians, and visitors from around the world. Now you can check out amazing, colourful hand-drawings of Newfoundland insects, and the diversity of Churchill, Manitoba’s flowers, all from the comfort of your home (or on the bus on the way to work, or in a café, or….) Continue reading →

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Back into shape nature in 2018!

Posted on December 27, 2017 by

What’s your back-to-nature resolution for 2018? In the holiday instalment of the museum’s research and collections blog, the editorial staff share their New Year’s back-to-nature resolutions. From taking a dog’s lead and learning to love winter, to dreaming of new beautiful gems for the museum, staff share their boundless passion for nature. Read the resolutions here, and share yours! Continue reading →

Posted in Collections, Nature Inspiration, Research | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Two Rare Species, One Big Trip

Posted on December 13, 2017 by

As a member of the historic C3 voyage that circumnavigated Canada’s coastline in summer 2017, Paul Sokoloff writes about the search for two very special species of plants that exist only in one small area of the vast Canadian Arctic. Continue reading →

Posted in Arctic, Botany, Collections, Plants and Algae, Research, Species Discovery and Change | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Cracking the mystery of crystal structure

Posted on October 17, 2017 by

Canadian Museum of Nature intern Joachim de Fourestier explores one of hardest mineral questions: The mystery of internal crystal structure. Continue reading →

Posted in Research, Rocks and minerals, Species Discovery and Change, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

New Mural Tells a Thousand Collecting Stories

Posted on October 4, 2017 by

A striking new mural captures the grand social network of collectors whose effort and passion has helped build the Canadian Museum of Nature’s world-class collections. Continue reading →

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Plants 2 Papers: The Sequel

Posted on February 17, 2017 by

Our botanists have found that 300 species of vascular plants in the lower Coppermine River region of Nunavut. Fourteen species were observed for the first time in Nunavut. By publishing the results of this research, our botanists promote the advancement of Arctic knowledge. Continue reading →

Posted in Arctic, Plants and Algae, Research | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Pilgrim’s Progress: Sampling Diatoms in the Holy Land

Posted on February 9, 2017 by

A museum volunteer shares diatoms that he collected while travelling in Israel, Palestine and Egypt last autumn. Continue reading →

Posted in Fieldwork, Plants and Algae, Research | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Co-Extinction and the Case of American Chestnut and the Greater Chestnut Weevil (Curculio caryatrypes)

Posted on February 2, 2017 by

A problem to take seriously. Continue reading →

Posted in Research, Species Discovery and Change | Tagged , | 3 Comments

“Skeletons Out of the Closet” at the Museum’s Research and Collections Facility

Posted on November 14, 2016 by

See what amazing things are stored and revealed in the Canadian Museum of Nature’s research and collections facility in Gatineau, Quebec. Continue reading →

Posted in Collections, Education, Fossils, Mammals, Museum Visitors, Our visitors, Research | Tagged , | Leave a comment