Colossal crystal for Naturalis
A gigantic rock crystal of approximately 1750 kilos can be seen in Naturalis from Saturday. The giant crystallized quartz cluster is on display in the “Earth” room. A cluster of rock crystal measuring 2 by 1 by 1.5 meters and weighing approximately 1750…
The science of color Liliana D'Alba is now a professor
Evolutionary biologist Liliana D’Alba wants to understand why animals are so colorful. She works at Naturalis, but is also appointed as a professor at Ghent University.
Endangered mammals of Madagascar: over 20 million years of evolution under threat
A new study reveals that it would take 3 million years to recover the number of species that went extinct due to humans on Madagascar. However, if currently threatened species go extinct, recovering them would take more than 20 million years, much longer…
New species named after former Naturalis general director
Naturalis researcher Kees van Achterberg named a new species of parasitoid wasp after Ronald van Hengstum. He was the former general director of Naturalis, and died suddenly in 2007.
Scientists list extinct plants we may be able to "bring back to life"
If a dried specimen of an extinct plant species still has seeds in a herbarium, is the plant really extinct? A global team of scientists toyed with that question. To arrive at the answer, they made a survey of all extinct plants in herbariums that (may)…
Day of the PhD defense: Roderick Bouman
On Tuesday december 6th 2022 at 01.45 PM, Roderick Bouman will defend his thesis Systematics, biogeography and bioactivity of the genus Phyllanthus L. and related genera of tribe Phyllantheae (Phyllanthaceae) . With this, he finishes his PhD research at…
Tree frogs exposed
Biology students from Leiden University have discovered two tree frog species in the Dutch coastal dunes that do not occur there naturally. A special DNA technique revealed these potentially harmful tree frogs. Remarkable, but these are not the only exotic…
The yardstick for nature-inclusive building
Grass tiles, a nature dam and fauna sensors; on the basis of a number of guidelines, small structures can be transformed into a green oasis. But how? Knowledge Naturally! Has developed a table for nature-inclusive construction on behalf of telecom provider…
Hans ter Steege made professor at Utrecht University
Naturalis ecologist Prof. Dr. Hans ter Steege has been appointed professor (by special appointment) of community ecology of tropical trees at Utrecht University. He has been studying rainforest diversity for over 35 years.