The Latest Breaking News from the Australian Museum

Meet ‘platypus man’ Harry Burrell. He transformed Australian science – and put on quite a show

Harry and Susan Burrell were a remarkable 20th century couple. They were Australian vaudeville performers, self-taught naturalists, animal traders and collectors of specimens.

The Conversation · Sep 28

In 1950, a 20-year-old photographer dying after a deadly snakebite made one final request: He begged doctors to spare the snake, and 5 years later, its venom helped save a child’s life

Taipan snake bite: A young Australian snake handler asked that the deadly taipan that bit him not be killed. The snake provided crucial venom for scientists working to develop a specific antivenom. Five years later, the antivenom helped save 10-year-old Bruce Stringer in Cairns, who was reportedly the first person…

The Economic Times · Sep 1

In 2021, scientists reported that Sydney cockatoos had learned to pry open garbage bins; by the end of 2019, the trick had spread across 44 suburbs

In Sydney, cockatoos have mastered the art of opening garbage bins, sharing this clever skill across various neighborhoods. Individual birds have crafted distinct methods, suggesting the emergence of local foraging cultures among the parrots. In turn, residents have implemented strategies to secure their bins, creating a fascinating feedback loop where…

The Times of India · Aug 23

79 Times People Found Interesting Fossils And Asked Others To Identify Them

Our planet has been around for several billion years, a number so huge it is hard to fully understand. In all those years, countless creatures and organisms have lived and vanished, and a few left behind pieces of their existence. Those eventually became fossils, giving us a rare chance to…

Bored Panda · Apr 5

They suck your blood: nature's vampires at museum show

From mosquitoes to giant leeches, the Bloodsuckers exhibition at the Australian Museum explores creatures that live off blood.

AAP · Apr 1

Jane Ward Tost was a trailblazer in natural sciences – until history forgot her

In the 19th century, natural history was a field dominated by men: collectors, curators and naturalists. Names such as John Gould and John James Audubon are well known for their contributions to ornithology.

The Conversation · Mar 31

Deepwater discoveries: scientists find more than 110 new fish and invertebrate species in the Coral Sea

Brittlestars, sea anemones and a catshark among new-to-science species collected during expedition off the Queensland coast

The Guardian - AU · Mar 31

Retired Australian teacher discovers the oldest fossil of its kind in southern hemisphere – and a new species

Robert Beattie, 82, has found specimens of a 151m-year-old midge that challenge what we know about how the insects evolved

The Guardian - AU · Nov 8, 2025

Theft, lies and butterflies: the Englishman who stole thousands of specimens from our museums

In August 2025, there was a plague of Monarch butterflies near Nannup in Western Australia. Thousands of winged creatures arrived – attracted to two invasive weeds, cotton bush and milkweed. In a time of a bitter loss of bees and butterflies in our ecologies, the multitude of fluttering wings was…

The Conversation · Oct 14, 2025

The great butterfly heist: how a gentleman collector stole thousands of butterflies from Australian museums

Scientists are still unravelling the thefts of Colin Wyatt, an English adventurer, artist and naturalist who charmed the entomological community

The Guardian - AU · Oct 4, 2025