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Science

Our knowledge contributes to biodiversity preservation

National
research institute

Naturalis is the Dutch national research institute for biodiversity. With one of the largest natural history collections in the world, our labs and our biodiversity data, we offer a unique scientific infrastructure: a veritable time machine that enables scientists to map the biological and geological diversity of the past, present and future. Scientific biodiversity research is fundamental to the protection of the natural riches of our Earth.

Naturalis helps talented biodiversity researchers get their scientific careers off to a flying start. Our PhD students and postdocs have access to unique tools in our collection and research facilities, and our close collaboration with academic institutions ensures that they will have good career prospects in the long term. Interested?

Research Coordination Office

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Research
and scientific infrastructure

At Naturalis, over 120 researchers (40 FTE permanent academic staff, among them 10 professors, 1 lector and dozens of PhD students and postdocs) are working on scientific issues in the field of biodiversity on land and at sea worldwide: mapping species and their cohesion, the changing living environment and the influence of climate change. Our natural history collection, the labs and data specialists offer valuable scientific resources and infrastructure.

Researchers and specialists

Expanding
frontiers of knowledge

Continually expanding the frontiers of knowledge is vital, including by documenting plant and animal species and the relationships between them over millions of years of evolution. Over 120 scientists at Naturalis are constantly working towards this aim. We develop new technologies that allow researchers to identify and monitor species much faster. In doing so, we make a major contribution to the fundamental knowledge that is crucial to preserving biodiversity.

waterkevers
Planten en schimmels

News
from Naturalis

Cepaea nemoralis in different shapes and colours
July 23rd, 2019

Invasive coral is old acquaintance

A presumed invasive coral species that was discovered in the reefs around Curaçao is not invasive after all. The coral is in fact a native species that normally resides in deeper water, but has migrated to more shallow waters. That is the conclusion of of…
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Cepaea nemoralis in different shapes and colours
July 23rd, 2019

Hot cities shape snail evolution

Citizen science project in Communications Biology The living conditions in cities influence the evolution of urban-dwelling plant and animal species. So-called urban heat islands – pockets of higher temperatures in the city center resulting from a…
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Bachelor
and Master

The research groups at Naturalis offer  bachelor- and master courses at Dutch universities and applied universities. We also offer many projects for Bachelor and Master internships.

Education:  bachelor- and mastercourses
Research: bachelor- and master projects

Academisch onderwijs
Nederlandse paddestoelen

Services
we offer

Laboratories

Naturalis laboratories

The Naturalis laboratories offer a wide range of opportunities to perform biological or geological scientific analyses. A group of 8 research technicians with specialist knowledge annually support 80 students, 60 internal research projects, 10PhDs, 40…
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Saffier uit Sri Lanka

Nederlands Edelsteen Laboratorium (NEL)

Iedereen met vragen over de aard van edelstenen (echt, synthetisch, imitatie), hun herkomst en eventuele behandeling, kan terecht bij het Nederlands Edelsteen Laboratorium. Ook testen wij hier diamanten op hun kwaliteit en verzorgen we internationaal…
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Online access
to our collection and collection data

Catalogue of Life 
One worldwide name list of all animals, plants and fungi that have been described by scientists.
Linnaeus
Are you  a species specialist working to make taxonomic knowledge and type information available online? Please consider the software-as-a-service package Linnaeus.
BioPortal 
As a researcher or collection manager, you can quickly browse the Naturalis digital collection.
Netherlands Biodiversity API/Data Services
For software developers or bio-computer scientists, we built an API to provide access the digital collection information from Naturalis.

Bio Portal