Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

What do you associate with birds? 🦤 That’s what we asked more than 350 people to develop "ZUGvögel – A Collection in Motion". We have taken up their questions, ideas and stories and will be showing the result in a new special exhibition starting tomorrow. Because knowledge is not only found in science, but is spread throughout society. It is in all of us. And it takes all of us to master the challenges of the present and the future! 🪶 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eXJ6giTv ⬅️ Credits: Thomas Rosenthal (2-4) 📸

How do we use our Earth’s resources? 🌏 The energy sources coal and uraninite are symbolic of the industrial revolution and the atomic age – and this week they are the focus of an artistic intervention in our Mineral Hall! ⚛️ For "Petrified Times", the artists Susanne Kriemann and Ulrike Mohr have worked with objects from our mineral and paleobotany collection. Every day from 13:30 to 17:30 the hall is transformed into a laboratory and studio, where you can talk to the artists, among others. 🗣️ Both are part of our Netzwerk Naturwissen, which brings people with a wide variety of perspectives from #Berlin and #Brandenburg together to handle topics such as #biodiversity loss and extinction. "Petrified Times" was initiated by Friederike Schäfer (Freie Universität Berlin), Elisabeth Heyne (#mfnberlin) and Maike Weisspflug (Bundesamt für die Sicherheit der nuklearen Entsorgung (BASE)). 🤝 On Monday, 2 September, at 17:00 there will be a round table on "Petrified Times" with experts from #science, #politics and #art. Participation is free, but places are limited – so register quickly at NetzwerkNaturwissen[at]mfn[dot]berlin! 🗯

A treasure trove for science, education and tourism! 🌟 This year's excavation at the world-renowned #Bromacker fossil site in Thuringia has been exceptionally fruitful, uncovering ancient vertebrate bones, micro-skeletons, trace fossils, crustaceans, plant imprints, and insect wings. These discoveries will deepen our understanding of the ecosystem that existed 290 million years ago – long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth! 🦖 A small skull fragment with long, slender teeth stands out among the highlights, while microfossils like conchostracans and plant roots are set to reveal insights into the climate of the time. 🌍 With over 2,300 visitors this season, public interest in Bromacker is growing. Looking ahead, we’re developing strategies to continue our research and educational efforts beyond 2025. Recent discussions with stakeholders have sparked exciting ideas to sustain and expand the project! 💡 #Thüringen #science #tourism #education

Art meets science in "Petrified Times"! 🎨🔬 Next week, the artists Ulrike Mohr and Susanne Kriemann will present their work on coal and uraninite in our Mineral Hall. The intervention shows how closely both energy sources are linked to the history of our planet. 🌍 On Monday, 2 September, at 17:00 there will be a round table with experts from #science, #politics and #art. Participation is free, but places are limited – so register quickly at NetzwerkNaturwissen[at]mfn[dot]berlin! 🗯 The project was developed as part of Netzwerk Naturwissen, an initiative of #mfnberlin and its partners from #Berlin and #Brandenburg. The challenges of the present obviously cannot be met alone. Join us now! 🤝 #NetzwerkNaturwissen

How can #science truly make a difference in society? By engaging with it directly! 💡 Over the next two years, a new #PublicEngagement initiative will bring together 40 Fellows from #SouthAfrica and #Germany in a #leadership and innovation programme, developing skills and strategies to boost the societal impact of #research. 🇿🇦🤝🇩🇪 In the German-South African Public Engagement Exchange (PEX), Fellows will engage in an annual online leadership academy to deepen their skills in Public Engagement, exploring both theory and practice. They will also co-create the agenda for an annual conference focused on national and international strategies, innovation, and policy in Public Engagement. 🗣 Collaborating with Stellenbosch University in South Africa and the Hasso Plattner Institute, we aim to drive innovation in how Public Engagement is practiced globally. Engaging the public is key to building trust in science and fostering informed decision-making! 🌍

🌊 Join Us at #WRHC2024 in Leipzig! 🌍 Meet Sabrina Kirschke from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung) at the #WaterResearchHorizonConference2024, taking place in #Leipzig from #September 26-27, 2024, in collaboration with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). Register Now! 📅 Visit: https://lnkd.in/eSECXvMg Join us in shaping the future of water security and management! 💦 #WRHC2024 #WaterSecurity #ClimateChange #WaterManagement

What’s in a definition? Some years ago someone in our sector who I greatly respect, and consider one of the best mentors I have ever had, told me they don’t care what people call it (#PublicEngagement), as long as they do it. As an early career PE practitioner I somewhat disagreed them at the time. Now, with the benefit of years of practitioner and research experience – I wholeheartedly disagree! 😐 There are plenty of really good definitions out there. Two I particularly like are from the Public Engagement Kodex published by the Berlin School of Public Engagement and Open Science and the definition from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) (links in the comments). However, over the years I’ve developed my own ideas. I don’t think either quite describe the full range of what PE is. It is not a collection of methodologies. Nor is it a collection of expertise in enabling best practice. It is both. For me, public engagement is a FRAMEWORK that includes methods of communication and dialogue, institutional support structures, innovation, ethical practice, practitioner knowledge, and is also a very inter-and transdisciplinary field of research. Why does this matter? It matters because I’m repeatedly ‘told’ that public engagement is the same as #ScienceCommunication, or #Participation in research, or #Transdisciplinarity. But I disagree. These terms are generally used to describe a collection of methodologies. They might bring mutual benefits, but they don’t generally deal with strategic needs or embedding a culture of engagement in research. If they do, then they are part of the public engagement framework. Like most things, there is a spectrum in terms of what any one project or activity delivers, and definitions can blend along that spectrum. Public engagement is however, for me, an umbrella term covering the full spectrum including methods, strategies, and policies. By the way. The person I disagree with? They are still one of the people I most admire in the sector and a good friend. I believe that, if they recognise themselves here, they will put on a grin and look forward to having a deep discussion over a drink at the next conference we run into each other at! And I would welcome that discussion with anyone reading this. 😊 Please comment on my definition. Feel free to disagree. Maybe we can team up and write a paper sometime? 📄

Have you ever seen one of these species in #Berlin? 🤔 Well, unfortunately they are among the 1,433 species that have been lost in Berlin since the end of the 17th century. But they are also possible returnees, as none of the species are extinct worldwide! Some species find refuge in #Brandenburg, for example, which is practically on the city's doorstep. Suitable #conservation measures could help at least some species to become native in Berlin again. However, numerous species are also considered endangered throughout Germany. 🦋 Berlin has a long history of #urbanization. The associated study by our researchers shows that the proportion of lost species in Berlin is almost six times higher than in Germany and more than 45 times higher than in Europe! On average, the highest annual species loss was documented in the 20th century, which was characterized by rapid population growth and rapid and large-scale expansion of the city. 🏙 #science #sciencenews 📸 Credits: Jörg Freyhof

When feathers look greener elsewhere... 🪶 Birds-of-paradise, known for their stunning plumage and captivating dances, have fascinated both nature documentary fans and social media followers! However, scientists have long been puzzled by males exhibiting mixed traits from different species. 🧩 An international team, including researchers from #mfnberlin, has delved into this mystery by comparing the genomes of nearly all birds-of-paradise species, including museum specimens. They uncovered that these unique males are hybrids resulting from cross-species breeding, and surprisingly, these hybrids can sometimes reproduce! 🧬 The findings reveal that hybridization has played a significant role in the evolutionary history of these birds, adding a crucial piece to the puzzle of our understanding of life's evolution on Earth and underscoring the complexity of evolutionary processes! 💡 📸 Credits: Carola Radke #science #sciencenews

New early vertebrate at #Bromacker! ✨ Our researchers have taken a closer look at some early vertebrates ("Ursaurier") from the Thuringian Forest: CT scans show adaptations in the lower jaw that made grinding plants more efficient. On top of that, they found enough differences to describe a new species: 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴. 🦷 This "early vegetarian" is named after the UNESCO Global Geopark Thuringia Inselsberg – Drei Gleichen, where the Bromacker is located. The next excavations have been taking place there since this week! We look forward to your visit on-site or in our live streams on Instagram or TikTok. 👋 Information about tours and events: https://bromacker.net/ ⬅ Credits: Carola Radke 📸 #science #sciencenews