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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tar pits, microfossil, 1mm, insect

The Bugs of La Brea Tar Swamp

Meet some of the insects found at La Brea Tar Pits and discover how these microfauna can tell big stories about our climate, past, present, and future
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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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Person on one knee looking at a taxidermy coyote
Research and Collections

From the David Attenborough of Queens to the First-ever Curator of Community Science, Meet Dr. Christine Wilkinson

Explore some of the common misconceptions about coyotes with our new Curator of Community Science
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two garden snails, one left-spiraling, one right-spiraling, held in a person's palm

The SNERCH for True Love: A Sinistral Snail Tale

This Snail Search season, be on the lookout for snails with counter-clockwise shells
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