Top Discoveries at the National Museum of Natural History in 2024

Highlights of 2024 Research from the National Museum of Natural History

In 2024, scientists at the National Museum of Natural History were involved in a remarkable number of scientific publications, contributing to hundreds of papers that introduced new species, detailed geological phenomena, and explored the interactions among early human species.

Here’s a look at some of the most significant discoveries by NMNH scientists that made headlines throughout the year.

Shifts in Earth’s Global Temperature Over 485 Million Years

Throughout the Phanerozoic Eon, which began around 540 million years ago, life on Earth diversified, adapted to land, and weathered several mass extinction events—all while experiencing significant climate changes. However, deciphering the precise variations in Earth’s temperature over this extensive period has been challenging due to the incomplete fossil record.

Paleobiologists Scott Wing and Brian Huber collaborated with an international team to construct a comprehensive curve depicting the global surface temperature across the last 485 million years. Their findings, published in Science, demonstrate that Earth’s average surface temperatures have fluctuated more than previously estimated and are closely linked to atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

Emily Judd, who led the research as a former postdoctoral fellow at the museum, utilized a technique called data assimilation to merge geological data with climate model predictions. “This method was initially developed for weather forecasting; however, we adapted it to reconstruct ancient climate scenarios,” Judd explained.

The resulting climate curve indicates that today’s global temperature is cooler than much of the Phanerozoic, yet current greenhouse gas emissions are causing rapid warming at an unprecedented rate, threatening ecosystems and species worldwide.

Ancient Corals Exhibited Bioluminescence 540 Million Years Ago

Bioluminescence, the ability of organisms to produce light through chemical reactions, is found in various species, including glow worms, squids, and anglerfish. This fascinating phenomenon has evolved independently nearly 100 times, making it difficult to pinpoint the origins of this trait.

A research team, including Andrea Quattrini, curator of corals at the museum, and Danielle DeLeo, a research associate and former postdoctoral fellow, recently investigated the evolution of octocorals, a group that encompasses soft corals and sea fans, many of which emit bioluminescent light when disturbed.

By analyzing octocoral fossils and genetic data, the team constructed an evolutionary tree for these organisms. Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B in April, indicated that octocorals began exhibiting bioluminescence at least 540 million years ago—nearly 300 million years earlier than prior estimates.

Footprints Provide Evidence of Early Hominid Interactions

An international team that included Kay Behrensmeyer, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the museum, recently analyzed these fossilized footprints. The differing characteristics led researchers to conclude that they belonged to two distinct species of ancient hominids. The flat-footed tracks were made by Paranthropus boisei, while the arched prints were attributed to Homo erectus, a close relative of modern humans. This groundbreaking discovery, published in Science in November, offers the first evidence that two different hominid species coexisted in the same region.

To address biodiversity preservation, researchers are contemplating the moon as a potential site for a biorepository. They are investigating cryopreservation techniques for diverse species, such as starry gobies, in preparation for possible storage on the lunar surface. This initiative draws inspiration from the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, which faces threats from climate change.

Research into ant agriculture reveals that it emerged following an asteroid impact, with ants and fungi evolving in tandem over millions of years. Leafcutter ants, in particular, have developed sophisticated agricultural techniques due to their long-standing coevolution with fungi. This study was shared in the journal Science in October.

In another significant development, an international research team analyzed DNA from over 9,500 flowering plant species to construct an intricate tree of life for angiosperms. Published in Nature in April, this study enhances our understanding of the evolution and relationships among various botanical lineages, including those of extinct species preserved within museum herbariums.

A newly identified proto-amphibian species, named Kermitops gratus after the beloved Muppet character Kermit the Frog, was discovered in Texas. The fossilized skull exhibits traits of both ancient tetrapods and more modern amphibians, with the findings published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society in March.

Fossilized grape seeds from the Western Hemisphere represent the earliest known relative of grapes, identified as Lithouva susmanii. These seeds provide evidence that fruit thrived following a mass extinction event, highlighting the resilience of plant species through time. The original fossil, CT scan, and artistic reconstruction showcasing both sides of the seed are illustrated above. The fossil was discovered by Fabiany Herrera, while the reconstruction was crafted by Pollyanna von Knorring.

The asteroid impact 66 million years ago led to a mass extinction event that eradicated nearly half of all plant species but also cleared the way for new flowering plants to flourish, including those that produce grapes.

Led by USDA botanist Gregory Stull, a team of scientists uncovered fossilized grape seeds across Colombia, Panama, and Peru, describing nine ancient grape species, four of which were newly identified. One of the new species, Ampelocissus wenae, was named in honor of botanist Jun Wen.

In September 2023, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission successfully delivered a capsule containing rock and dust samples from the asteroid Bennu. Weighing just over four ounces, these samples have the potential to provide valuable insights into the origins of water and life on Earth.

An international team, including Tim McCoy, published an initial overview of the Bennu samples in June, laying the foundation for future investigations into the asteroid’s mineralogical and chemical properties.

Research zoologist Gary Graves collaborated with a diverse group of scientists to compare the genomes of 363 bird species. Their findings, published in Nature in April, offered significant insights into avian evolution.