In the News: Parts of a Whole

Fig.1. Whole specimens like these in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History are important for continued biodiversity and conservation research (Credit: net_efekt, Flickr)

With the advent of new technologies, maintaining whole specimens becomes even more important for research. Read about this, a resurgence of the plague, and how to track the rise of languages through ancient DNA for this week's #FollowFriday.

• Collecting and curating specimens forms a “library” for the use of current and future scientists: “Libraries Of Life,” New York Times (27 February 2015)

• These fossils can predict how current climate problems may affect ecosystem change: “Fossils Used To Predict Impact Of Global Warming On Marine Life,” Natural History Museum, London (1 March 2015)

• How do you find the origin of a language? These scientists used ancient DNA to understand ancient languages and human migration: “Mysterious Indo-European Homeland May Have Been In The Steppes Of Ukraine And Russia,” Science (13 February 2015)

• The plague is not just a thing of a past, but a current health concern. Understanding the disease’s movement on land is necessary for public health efforts: “Study: Rats Pose Plague Risk In Croplands,” Voice of America (24 February 2015)

• Complete museum specimens allow for continued research with the advent of new technologies: “Don’t Stop Collecting Full-Body Animal Specimens, Scientists Told,” Sydney Morning Herald (21 February 2015)

• Scientific collections are essential for studying the origin of an emerging disease, such as this Bourbon virus:“New Virus Kills One Man In USA,” IFL Science (23 February 2015)