Science Navigator | Museum für Naturkunde

SP1 Dynamics of Nature Solar System, Impacts & Meteorites Research Impact Earth Sciences From a Ball of Magma to the Blue Planet Impacts of cosmic bodies probably melted the young Earth completely. Researchers are investigating how a habitable planet has evolved from this hot phase.
SP1 Dynamics of Nature Evolutionary Morphology Research Morphology Database Mammals Biodiversity Evolution Lifestyles of mammals Mammals have adapted to occupy various environments, including the land, the air and the water. But not all evolutionary adaptations are as clearly recognizable as legs, wings or flippers.
Evolutionary Diversity Dynamics Research Protection of Species Biodiversity Evolution Darwin Finches 2.0 Computer models show how species evolve in isolated habitats and how many thousands of years of evolutionary history can be lost if humans arrive.
SP2 Collection Future A Window on Nature and Art The natural and man-made objects collected in the Brandenburg-Prussian Kunstkammer are among the oldest surviving items of Berlin’s current museum collections.
SP1 Dynamics of Nature Evolutionary Morphology Research Morphology Evolution Genetics Laboratories Brachiopods can see the light Already in the 19th century, zoologists noticed up to 16 pigment spots in the front part of certain brachiopod larvae. Since these larvae react to light their pigment spots were assumed to represent eye-like photoreceptors.
Evolutionary Diversity Dynamics Research Genomics Morphology Mammals Collection Society Evolution From pig to pig Domestic pigs were bred from wild boars. Researchers are investigating how they have been genetically and physically altered over the past 100 years, including aspects of contemporary taste.
Exhibition Transfer Open Museum Knowledge Transfer Science Communication Society Opinion Boxes Between September 2017 and May 2018, visitors found boxes in front of various objects in the permanent exhibitions, asking for their opinions on ethical issues. The opinion boxes are temporary exhibition elements in the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and were conceived as part of a co-design process as part of the third-party funding project Visitor Participation. The construction and development (production of the boxes, programming, insertion and card output module) was carried out in cooperation with the interaction designer Michael Jurisch.
SP3 Society and Nature Transfer Open Museum Knowledge Transfer Biodiversity Society Wasp named after magical wand from Harry Potter In January we presented this new wasp species of the genus Dolichurus to our visitors. It lives in Papua New Guinea and belongs to the family of cockroach wasps. We received numerous name suggestions - from visitors to the exhibitions, but also by e-mail - and selected the 10 most suitable names with a jury. In a second round, our visitors chose the most popular name in the exhibitions: elderus, named after the Elder Wand from the Harry Potter books.
SP2 Collection Future Collection Evolution Fossils Fossil echinoderms The fossil echinoderm collection comprises 36,000 specimens
SP2 Collection Future Collection Digitalization Fossils Fossil bivalves, snails, brachiopods, and sponges The extensive collection of fossil bivalves, snails, brachiopods and sponges comprises over 340,000 specimens
SP2 Collection Future Collection Evolution Fossils Fossil arthropods and the amber collection More than 90,000 specimens make up the systematic collection of fossil arthropods and the adjoined amber collection of the Museum für Naturkunde
SP1 Dynamics of Nature Evolutionary Morphology Research Morphology Amphibians Evolution Fossils Deep time evolution and development of the tetrapod body bauplan The Integration of paleontological and developmental approaches allows for a study of the interplay of ontogeny and macroevolutionary processes over geologic times scales and tehreby offers new insights and perspectives.
SP2 Collection Future Research Transfer Open Museum Mammals Knowledge Transfer Science Communication Society Cultural Heritage Animals as Objects “Animals as Objects. Zoological Gardens and Natural History Museum Berlin, 1810 to 2020” is a cooperative research project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research between the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, the Humboldt-University of Berlin and the Berlin Zoo plc.
SP1 Dynamics of Nature Evolutionary Morphology Research Morphology Mammals Evolution Climbing, Digging, and Swimming Limbs: A Story of Evolving Bone and Muscle My research uses the mustelids - badgers, martens, otters, and weasels – to under the evolution of adaptations for different locomotor habits.
SP3 Society and Nature Social Innovation Unit Research Transfer Open Museum Knowledge Transfer Society Deep Impact - Assessing the societal impact of the MfN Knowledge transfer has always been a core competence of museums. Current research at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin explores ways to make it even more effective.
Evolutionary Morphology Research Morphology Evolution The role of muscles in the evolutionary transformation of limbs and body axis: a case study on Australian lizards Different reduction types of the lizard genus Lerista are analysed using soft tissue staining (dice-CT) and µ-CT scans. Investigations are focussed on the muscles of the pectoral- and pelvic region.
SP2 Collection Future Research Morphology Protection of Species Evolution Hearing in Penguins In a co-operative project with the Deutsches Meeresmuseum Stralsund, we study the hearing of penguins. The MfN is responsible for establishing a database containing audiograms, managing the data, as well as providing environmental education and multimedia material to support the project.
Evolutionary Diversity Dynamics SP2 Collection Future Research Research Infrastructure Open Museum Database Mammals Research Data Management Protection of Species Collection Open Science Digitalization Reference library for bat calls Bats are usually detected via their echolocation sounds. In our project, we establish a freely accessible library of calls of European bats to support acoustic species identification and the development of pattern recognition algorithms.
Evolutionary Diversity Dynamics SP2 Collection Future Research Research Infrastructure Open Museum Collections Management Database Research Data Management Collection Digitalization Developing the animal sound archive as a digital research collection The animal sound archive at the MfN is a unique resource of acoustic records that is now digitally converted to become an effective tool for biodiversity research.
Evolutionary Diversity Dynamics Research Research Data Management Protection of Species Biodiversity Automated acoustic detection und acoustic pattern recognition Bioacoustic methods are well suited to record the occurrence, distribution and behavioural patterns in individual animals or populations, thus making a synchronised and continuous record of aspects of biodiversity dynamics over long periods of time, using standardised methods.

Museum für Naturkunde Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung