The Day of Promotion: Vicky Beckers
The wood of every tree is different, and promovenda Vicky Beckers worked on ways to better distinguish between different wood species. This is important for our understanding of plant evolution, but customs authorities also benefit from it: "This research…
Vincent Merckx Appointed Professor of Biodiversity and Symbiosis
Biologist Vincent Merckx has been appointed as a special professor of Biodiversity and Symbiosis at the University of Amsterdam. His work focuses on the interaction between plants and fungi, and the development of techniques to measure and monitor…
First mammals show their true colors and it’s all dark
For a long time, we didn’t know, but now they must finally show their true colors: early mammals had dark brown fur. This discovery was made by an international team of researchers, including Liliana D’alba from Naturalis Biodiversity Center. By studying…
Birds' nests reveal history of the plastic age
Nest researcher Auke-Florian Hiemstra stumbled upon a bird nest that appeared to go back 30 years in time – filled with historical plastics. His discovery of successive layers of plastic in birds’ nests, from different periods, has now been published in…
Robert-Jan Smits new chairman Supervisory Board Naturalis
On 1 February 2025, Robert-Jan Smits will take up the position of chairman of the Supervisory Board (BoS) of Naturalis. He has already been a valuable asset as a member of Naturalis' Supervisory Board since mid-2021 and now succeeds Arjen Dorland, who is…
Butterflies come to life with new interactive artwork at Naturalis
Starting November 27, you can engage with the interactive artwork Origins of Imagination at Naturalis. Visitors who scan a butterfly drawing they've colored themselves can watch as the installation transforms it into a realistic, moving butterfly. All the…
Frank Wesselingh Appointed Professor of Paleobiology
Paleontologist Frank Wesselingh has been appointed Special Professor of Conservation Paleobiology at Maastricht University. His work bridges the gap between the past and the future of biodiversity.
The thin-beak curlew is now officially extinct
Leiden, 18 November 2024 – Birdwatchers had long suspected it, but now it's official: the slender-billed curlew is extinct. This waterbird, once found in Europe, West Asia, and North Africa, can now only be seen in museums.
A birdsong AI joins the world's biggest bird sound forum
A birdsong recognition AI algorithm is now running live online, in Xeno-canto, the world's largest open access collection of animal sounds. When "mystery" bird recordings are uploaded from anywhere in Europe, the algorithm - developed at Naturalis - gives…