Natural History

Image of The Nature Museum Feejee Mermaid | The Nature Museum's Feejee Mermaid

The Nature Museum Feejee Mermaid

Antique gaffe kept in the basement of a small Vermont natural history museum

The Nature Museum in Grafton, VT, is a small natural history museum in a converted house that is dedicated to Vermont flora, fauna, and geology. It houses quite a few treasures in its handful of... »

Museums and Collections, Natural History, Hunting and Taxidermy | Edited by JWOcker

Image of Coconino Lava River Cave located in Flagstaff, Arizona, US | Holes leading to the surface sometimes punctuate this Lava River Cave, creating a beautiful effect below
Flagstaff, Arizona, US

Coconino Lava River Cave

Eons ago, a rushing lava river formed this pristine passage through solid rock

Lava does weird things. When it flows from a volcano or some other fiery leak in the earth's crust, its surface cools and hardens in the open air, but a viscous molten core continues to flow... »

Fiery Wonders, Martian Landscapes, Geological Oddities, Curious Caves, Natural History, Subterranean Sites | Edited by Mark_Casey and Rachel

Image of Spirit Mound Historic Prairie located in Township of Vermillion (inactive), South Dakota, US | A shot of the Spirit Mound taken on July 2nd, 2011
Township of Vermillion (inactive), South Dakota, US

Spirit Mound Historic Prairie

Known as "The Hill of the Little Devils"

Spirit Mound Historic Prairie is a state park in Clay County, South Dakota, featuring a prominent hill on the Great Plains (the highest elevation for a radius of scores of miles; probably over... »

Geological Oddities, Natural History, Lost Tribes | Edited by KevinRiley and Rachel

Image of Indianapolis Moon Tree located in Indianapolis, Indiana, US | The Moon Sycamore stands tall in front of the iconic Indiana Statehouse
Indianapolis, Indiana, US

Indianapolis Moon Tree

A 30-year-old Sycamore tree grown from a seed taken to the moon and back

The front lawn arboretum of the Indiana Statehouse counts several commemorative and interesting trees among its display, and it's up to visitors to decide just how special they actually are.... »

Extraordinary Flora, Strange Science, Natural History, Unique Collections | Edited by Mark_Casey and Dylan

Image of Palais de Rumine located in Lausanne, Switzerland
Lausanne, Switzerland

Palais de Rumine

Florentine Renaissance style building in Switzerland, home to the world's largest taxidermy Great White Shark

This lavish building, situated in the equally beautiful city of Lausanne, owes its construction and namesake to Gabriel de Rumine, the son of Russian nobility. Upon his death bed Gabriel... »

Museums and Collections, Natural History, Unique Collections, Architectural Oddities, Repositories of Knowledge | Edited by TrevorShawnElia, Rachel and others

Image of Berlin Botanical Garden located in Berlin, Germany
Berlin, Germany

Berlin Botanical Garden

Started as a kitchen garden, now the second largest botanical garden in the world

Established as a kitchen garden in 1679, the Botanical Garden in Berlin is the second largest botanical garden in the world, second only to Kew Gardens, located in England. The garden evolved... »

Extraordinary Flora, Natural History, Horticultural Marvels | Edited by Rachel and Dylan

Image of Los Angeles Zoo Botanical Gardens located in Los Angeles, California, US
Los Angeles, California, US

Los Angeles Zoo Botanical Gardens

The L.A. Zoo has a secret garden of rare bootleg cycads, a palm specimen dating back 280 million years

Most zoos have some sort of native botanical landscape that for flora fans can sometimes rival the fauna, the L.A. Zoo is no exception. While the landscape is covered with strange succulents and... »

Natural Wonders, Extraordinary Flora, Natural History | Edited by Rachel

Image of California Academy of Sciences Herpetology Department located in San Francisco, California, US | Frog specimens at the California Academy of Sciences. Creative Commons image by kqedquest
San Francisco, California, US

California Academy of Sciences Herpetology Department

Over 300,000 preserved amphibians and reptiles in jars

While most visitors to the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park are ogling the albino alligator, those in the know are looking through the over 300,000 specimens from 166 countries... »

Fascinating Fauna, Natural History | Edited by Tre, Annetta and others

Image of Archie the Giant Squid located in London, United Kingdom | Archie's tentacle up close. Creative Commons photo by Steve Sparshott
London, United Kingdom

Archie the Giant Squid

The monster at the center of the Darwin Center Spirit Collection

Held in a custom-made acrylic tank filled with a 10% solution of formol-saline, the giant squid at the center of the London Natural History Museum Spirit Collection was caught off the coast of the... »

Watery Wonders, Fascinating Fauna, Natural History | Edited by Annetta, Rachel and others

Image of Eram Garden located in Shiraz, Iran
Shiraz, Iran

Eram Garden

Named after a legendary garden called Eram in southern Arabia, built by order of Shaddad, an Arab king who wanted to compete with Paradise.

Eram Garden (Bagh-e Eram), located along the northern shore of the Khoshk River in Shiraz, is one of the most famous and beautiful Persian gardens in all of Iran. It should be noted that the word... »

Natural History, Cultures and Civilizations , Architectural Oddities, Horticultural Marvels | Edited by TrevorShawnElia and Rachel