Charles Darwin was unimpressed with the south coast of Western Australia when he visited in March 1836 calling it ‘dull and uninteresting’. If, however, he had visited during the spring wildflower season its likely he would have come to the opposite conclusion. These days botanically-inclined tourists, such as myself, flock toRead more
Over 380,000 viewers tuned in over the past 24 hours to watch the examination of our most recent colossal squid. If you missed it, you can still watch it on YouTube here: Watch Te Papa’s colossal squid examination What did scientists find? Digested stomach contents and jelly-filled eyes might notRead more
A key principle in the scientific classification of animals, plants, and other living things is that the system of scientific names reflects their relationships. This is because there is only a single evolutionary history, and it provides an objective basis by which to name life. As we learn more aboutRead more
Today we’ve been hearing about the most recent addition to Te Papa’s scientific collections, a new colossal squid Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni. We’re playing host to a dozen or so media representatives as well as our own live-streaming film crew, who are following intently the activity of five visiting squid scientists fromRead more
It takes a forklift, a hosepipe and several dedicated scientists to get the colossal squid from the freezer to the tank. Scientists from Te Papa and Auckland University of Technology have assembled at Te Papa to begin defrosting the colossal squid. As the squid is such a large animal, it’sRead more
On Tuesday 16th September Te Papa will be hosting a very special event. A colossal squid, recently caught in the Ross Sea, will be examined by scientists and you can watch as we live stream the action on YouTube from 11am. Our presenter will be Veronika Meduna, from Radio NewRead more
Have you heard the roars yet? We’ve had an overwhelming response to our visiting T.rex puppet Scotty! We are really lucky that Scotty has been able to visit us to help promote our forthcoming exhibition, Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family, which opens at Te Papa on September 27! We’reRead more
Colossal squid are the heaviest invertebrates on Earth, with specimens reported weighing in at 495kg – that’s nearly eight times as heavy as the average human! Despite their size, large colossal squid specimens in good condition are rarely available to scientists. That’s why scientists from Auckland University of Technology (AUT)Read more
Te Papa is excited to announce that there’s something big – extremely big – in our freezer. It’s got eight arms and two tentacles, with some rather fearsome looking hooks. It’s got eyes the size of a soccer ball. It’s got a doughnut-shaped brain. Can you guess what it isRead more
Back in July, students from Makara Model School had the chance to meet some Te Papa curators and get a ‘behind the scenes’ look at part of our Natural History collection store. This opportunity came about as part of Science Live: Expedition Snares Island that was broadcast earlier in the year. ByRead more
Peek into wild landscapes. Hear Dame Suzie Moncrieff talk about the secrets behind the creative spectacle that is a World of WearableArt™ show. See Matariki performances from the stars of tomorrow. Te Papa’s Channel, launched this week, brings you into the heart of Te Papa’s multimedia collection. Now you canRead more
Portrait of a man, circa 1855, Boulogne. Photographer unknown. Gift of E E M Anderson estate, 1971. Te Papa At 3pm on the 19th August 1839, a joint meeting of the Academie des Sciences and the Academie des Beaux-Arts, heard from the politician and scientist, François Arago, about the details ofRead more
For many of New Zealand’s indigenous plants, the Māori name is the ‘common’ name, and English names are rarely, if ever, used; think rimu, tōtara, kauri, pōhutukawa, and mamaku. Other species have both Māori and English names, but it is the latter that is predominant, at least in my experience.Read more
On 20 March 2014, Helen Smith and Gwenda Pulham had nearly completed bird surveys for the day when they saw a bird that was unfamiliar to them. The two members of Birds New Zealand (a.k.a. the Ornithological Society of New Zealand) had been counting New Zealand dotterels at the bombingRead more
I suspect that this is a question that few people have given much thought to. The answer should be as much a part of our conservation heritage as our first national park (Tongariro, 1887). The national park answer can be found in many conservation reference books and websites, but fewRead more
