Cuddle up to the naked mole rat! Native to eastern Africa, it inhabits underground burrows & can sometimes be found in colonies of nearly 300 individuals. To keep warm, these critters rely on heat from the Sun and huddling together for body heat!

Have you ever spotted the Spanish dancer? This marine gastropod swirls in the water when threatened—with its appendages flailing, reminiscent of the movements of a flamenco dancer’s skirts! It can be found in tropical waters like those off of Australia and Hawaii.💃

Today is the official start of #manhattanhenge season! Get your cameras ready as the day is looking gorgeous. The sun will set far enough north today that it just kisses the grid of the city before setting. It lights up the concrete jungle in perfect golden hour colors. American Museum of Natural History

Happy Trilobite Tuesday! In recent years, the process of trilobite preparation has risen to new heights thanks to technological advancements. The detailed preparation of this pair of 500-million-year-old Olenoides superbus—featuring a row of free-standing spines running along the

DYK? Fireflies use a system of flashes in some of the ways we use words: to attract, to say, “Here I am,” even to deceive. They emit light from a tiny organ, called a lantern, on the underside of their abdomen, where a biochemical reaction releases energy in the form of light.

Meet the gray mouse lemur! It’s one of the smallest primates alive today, with a body size of ~5 in (13 cm) long & an average weight of ~2 oz (28 g). This member of the Microcebus genus inhabits Madagascar. The nocturnal critter feeds on plants, insects, & small invertebrates.

Meet the yellow-throated marten! Unlike other mustelids, this critter often travels with two to three other individuals. Hunting as a group helps it take down large prey, like musk deer, on occasion. Its typical meals include small mammals, reptiles, fruit, insects, & birds.

Here’s an African land snail to brighten your day! 🐌 Found in parts of eastern Africa, this jumbo gastropod can grow ~5.9 in (15 cm) in size—making it one of the world’s largest snails! It’s a member of the Achatinidae family, which includes a number of similarly sized species.

What makes the swift fox so swift? 🦊 It’s able to reach speeds of more than 30 mph (48km/h), which comes in handy when hunting—or being hunted! The fox’s agility helps it snatch up prairie dogs and evade the jaws of hungry coyotes. It inhabits North America’s Great Plains.

That's no swimming pastry: It's the purple-edged nudibranch! This tiny sea slug grows up to 1.2 in (30 mm) long. Found off the coast of Hawaii, this nocturnal critter rests under rocks during the day. Over 2,000 nudibranch species exist and new ones are discovered constantly!

While it’s commonly called a “civet cat,” the Malay civet is actually more closely related to mongooses! This nocturnal critter hunts for small mammals, birds, and snakes—it also occasionally snacks on fruits and eggs.

It’s #FossilFriday , and I’m in the mood for some American Museum of Natural History #pterosaurs .

Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, Velociraptor—what’s in a dinosaur name? Join Museum paleontologist Roger Benson as he explains the process for naming a dinosaur species, and the different sources of inspiration scientists draw on to come up with memorable names for the fossils

Have you ever seen the eastern quoll? This cat-sized marsupial, which can be found in Tasmania, is a nocturnal predator that spends its day sleeping in its nest. But at night, this formidable predator hunts for prey including rabbits, skinks, and rodents.

It's World Turtle Day! 🐢 Emerging in the Triassic some 230 million years ago, turtles now inhabit a wide range of environments. Green sea turtles, which can weigh up to 350 lbs (159 kg), can be found around the planet, migrating thousands of miles to their nesting sites!

Research alert! The evolutionary origins of mammalian headgear—from the velvet-covered growing antlers of a deer to the curled keratin-sheathed horns of a ram—have long puzzled scientists.

However, a new study led by Museum Research Associate Zachary Calamari, using

Congratulations to Dr. Ernesto Vargas-Parra on a successful Ph.D. dissertation defense (#46, 05/22/2024)!

Tomorrow (May 23) at 5:30 pm EDT: American Museum of Natural History welcomes Father Time author Sarah Blaffer Hrdy for their 93rd James Arthur Lecture, where she will be discussing the emergence of emotionally modern minds.

To learn more about this free in-person event, visit: hubs.ly/Q02xXCcs0

The noggin of a hammerhead shark does more than just enhance its good looks. This shark’s uniquely-shaped head improves its sense of smell & electroreception. Widely spaced nostrils & enlarged scent organs enable it to detect where a scent is coming from. Its wide-set eyes also

Legendary Sarah Hrdy will be giving the 2024 James Arthur Lecture 'The Emergence of Emotionally Modern Minds.' This Thursday American Museum of Natural History

amnh.org/calendar/james…