Dear Supporter,
We are excited to announce that we're planning our first fundraiser since 2018!
Biodiversity Bash is a celebration dedicated to raising funds to support the next generation of biodiversity researchers. This vibrant evening will bring together community members, scientists, and graduate students for a night inspired by the wonders of the natural world. Biodiversity Bash will be held on September 25th, 2026 at the new KU Conference Center at the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.Â
Proceeds from Biodiversity Bash will directly support the training of our exceptional graduate students who conduct research with the museum's collections, providing critical support for their career advancement. Our students are future biodiversity science leaders, and play an essential role in building and maintaining our collections, advancing scientific knowledge, and uncovering stories about Earth’s past and present life.
Stay tuned for more information about ticket sales, event details, and more. Want to be involved now? Become a Biodiversity Bash sponsor today!
Sincerely,Â
Natalie Vondrak
Communications CoordinatorÂ
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World Oceans Day: Gallery Activity
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June 7 | 12:00-4:00 p.m.
KU Natural History Museum
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Ask for an activity guide at the front desk, then go on an adventure searching for sea creatures in the galleries. Those who complete the activity will earn a fun ocean-themed prize! Read the full event description »
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June 28 | 1:30-3:30 p.m.
KU Natural History Museum
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Learn about the wonders of water with members of the Kansas Postdoctoral Outreach Project. Explore the water cycle, conduct experiments, and more at this family-friendly, drop-in style event. Read the full event description »
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Curating Collections:
Invertebrate Paleontology
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The Biodiversity Institute houses over 11 million biological specimens and 2 million archaeological artifacts from around the world—each with a story just waiting to be shared!
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KU holotype reveals origins of spiders, scorpions and more
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Specimen KUMIP.314091, Megachelicerax cousteaui
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A study published in Nature traced the origins of chelicerates, the major group of arthropods that includes spiders, ticks, mites and horseshoe crabs, to the Cambrian Period using a holotype specimen from the University of Kansas Invertebrate Paleontology collection. The fossil, Megachelicerax cousteaui, was a a large soft-bodied arthropod from the middle Cambrian and found in Utah.
Donated to KU in 1981, the fossil measures less than 3.5 inches long and represents the oldest known chelicerate ever discovered, dating to approximately 507 million years ago. The discovery provides the first clear evidence that large predatory chelicerates existed during the Cambrian Explosion and sheds light on how the anatomical features of spiders, scorpions and their relatives first evolved. Read The New York Times article »
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See a full list of recent publications at the end of this newsletter.
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Temporary exhibit celebrates global biodiversity during soccer tournament
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Curated by a team of museum staff, researchers and students, the exhibit Collections from Around the World features dozens of specimens from countries competing in the international soccer tournament happening this summer, many of which have never been displayed publicly. The exhibit will remain on display at the KU Natural History Museum through July 27. Read the full article »
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KU Herpetology incorporates more than 25,000 specimens into the collection
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It will be a record-breaking summer for KU Herpetology as the team incorporates orphaned collections from four major universities: Washburn University, University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Kentucky, and Iowa State University. Over the last week, staff and student researchers were busy tying tags on specimens collected by the late Dean E. Metter, a MU professor of biology. The first cataloged batch includes 2,882 specimens of turtles and snakes. See the full visual summary.
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New puzzle hunt is perfect for families and friends — and FREE
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Looking for a new and engaging way to explore the museum? Try our free Panorama Puzzle: Amazing Adaptations available to the public starting June 16. Explore our exhibits to find mustelids, a carnivorous weasel-like mammal, in need of conservation. Enter all the correct codes to unlock a top-secret prize! Pick up the Panorama Puzzle during your next visit by asking for it at the front desk.
This puzzle was created by Jenna Benzing, BI/NHM's Graduate Assistant for Biodiversity Outreach and a recent graduate of the KU Museum Studies program. Watch the video »
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We're proud to be a Blue Star Museum
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This summer, we are proudly participating in the Blue Star Museums program, which offers free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families over the summer. The program began on Armed Forces Day (May 16, 2026) and will run through through Labor Day (September 7, 2026). Review the program's frequently asked questions to learn how you qualify as a participant.Â
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| New temporary exhibit — From Specimen to Data: The History of a Flatfish
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Learn how digitized data plays a big role in answering research questions from around the world. Curated by Ichthyology Collection Manager Andy Bentley, this display features a voucher specimen Ancylopsetta quadrocellata – the Gulf of Mexico ocellated flounder – while highlighting the connection between physical specimens, digital information, and the infrastructure needed to make it available.
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Staff & Student Spotlights
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Stay up-to-date with current activities and events by following us
on your favorite social media channels.
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No hill is too high for the Invertebrate Paleontology Division! Collection manager Natalia LĂłpez Carranza and students Kyra Copp and Aidan Tydings spent time in the field collecting fossils in Iola, Kansas this spring. Their fieldwork is part of the BI/NHM's contribution to the new welcome center at Lehigh Portland State Park. Fossils along with a cast of a Pteranodon will go on display at the welcome center later this year.
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Congratulations to Kathleen Rust for successfully defending her dissertation this May! Kat’s research on Paleogene primates is just one highlight of her impressive career in paleontology. At KU, Kat has been a leader in the graduate student community, a Self Graduate Fellowship recipient, and an excellent mentor to undergraduates pursuing paleontology. Now, with her Ph.D. in hand, she will join Rockhurst University in Kansas City as an assistant teaching professor.
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Over a dozen KU undergraduate students presented posters and projects at the BI/NHM Student Showcase Member Event last month, with three students earning awards. From left to right: Alexa Lee, Most Engaging; Hayden Cannon, Most Informative; Mira Rausch: Best Visuals
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Smiling is our favorite, especially on May 22, also known as International Day for Biological Diversity! Our team of educators, archaeologists, scientists, students, software engineers, administrators, collection managers, and many others work every day to study past and present life on Earth with the hope to engage, inspire, and educate the public. For us, every day is Biodiversity Day!Â
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Can you spot the copperhead? This dedicated group of KU students did! In May, Herpetology Curator Rich Glor led his popular field course, teaching students how to conduct basic scientific field research with reptiles and amphibians. They searched sites from Fort Riley to Clinton Lake to the KU Field Station and beyond, documenting every snake, lizard, and turtle species they could find.Â
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Congratulations to Associate Curator of Mammalogy Jocelyn Colella on her successful tenure promotion! Her dedication to holistic scientific collecting and the use of natural history collections to support pandemic preparedness makes her an invaluable member of our team.Â
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From Synapses to Circuits: Exploring Brain-Inspired Computing
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Friday, July 24 | 1:00-3:30 p.m.Â
KU Natural History Museum
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Join us as we explore the fascinating world of “neuromorphic computing” and the future of semiconductors! At this drop-in event, visitors will try fun hands-on activities examining different aspects of brain-inspired computing, from making your own circuit to testing your brain’s memory abilities to modeling memristor materials and more! You can even try to stump scientists from KU’s Department of Physics & Astronomy with your burning questions about next-gen computers.
Note: Activities are suitable for ages 7 and up. This grant-funded event is in connection with The FuSe2 project funded by the National Science Foundation. 
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The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university’s programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and procedures and is the Title IX Coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY. Reports can be submitted by contacting the Title IX Coordinator as provided herein or online and complaints can be submitted with the Title IX Coordinator or online.
©2026 The University of Kansas
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