Our biggest seabird has an unlucky reputation, despite being one of our most graceful animals. But why does Te Papa need a collection of 2,000 dried albatross? more>
Whale specialist Anton Van Helden uncovers the mystery of the rare and mysterious Spade-toothed whale. A scientific detective story with a twist. more>
One of New Zealand's largest fossils is on permanent display in Te Papa. Riria Hotere goes back to the time of dinosaurs to meet an enormous, armoured squid-like creature. more>
There are thousands of spiders waiting to be discovered in NZ. Riria Hotere dares to have an eight legged experience in Te Papa's arachnid collection. more>
Simon Morton discovers something more than fishy at Te Papa's Tory Street stores. It's a giant morgue for more than 200,000 preserved fish, sharks and sea creatures. more>
Two hundred and fifty years ago the iconic silver fern first represented our country. However it wasn't on any sports shirt or flag. more>
High tech photography brings the natural world's tiniest creatures into focus. It's a complex process involving hundreds of images per animal. If only they'd sit still for the camera! more>
Simon Morton discovers some of the deep sea's most bizarre creatures. It's as close to science fiction as we'll get without special effects. more>
Just what is ambergris? Whale specialist Anton Van Helden dismisses the fakes and uncovers the real deal. more>
While most of us want to avoid lice, lice expert Ricardo Palma wants to add them to Te Papa's collection! more>
Rira tries her hand at scientific fish illustration, guided by Te Papa's expert, Michelle Freeborn. more>
Te Papa's Alan Tennyson shows us some intriguing fossils from St Bathans in Otago that point to a scientific discovery about the first mammals in New Zealand. more>
Just how does a museum clean all those icky bits from a skeleton? With some very industrious Dermestid beetles of course! more>
Learn all about the fascinating world of lobster larvae with Rick Webber. more>
Just what is in your chocolate milk? Simon finds out from Te Papa botanist, Jennifer Dalen. more>
Echinoderms are known as the tight five of the ocean. Rick Webber explains why. more>
There was no TV to watch when George Gibbs went to visit his Grandad. Instead he played with several thousand dead insects. This fascinating collection was the life's work of his Grandad George Hudson more>
Sadly you'll never get to see a live huia - they mysteriously died out, a hundred years ago. But how? Riria discovers why bird fanatic Walter Buller was a prime suspect. more>
The ocean is a deep dark place with many secrets. But researchers at Te Papa are discovering more and more of them. Riria follows cameras a kilometre underwater to see what's lurking there. more>
Half the world's species of whales come to play around New Zealand's coast. Sadly, some get stranded and never leave, but there's a silver lining for scientists. The remains of stranded whales give them clues about the private life of the ocean's heavyweights. more>
Tales of the giant and terrifying eagle, Te Hokioi were well-known to ancient Maori through myths and legends. Scientists combined these stories with fossil remains to identify the creature. But what of another legendary bird that scared muttonbirders with its fearsome cry as recently as the 1960s? more>
Anyone who has arrived in New Zealand through an airport knows they must not bring in any items that contain harmful pests. In the 1930s, though, one man brought a lot of dangerous insects into the country - through the post. more>
All vertebrates need red blood cells, don't they? Yes, but there's one exception: a fish that lives in water so deep and so cold it has adapted for survival without any red cells at all. more>
We think of corals as the colourful outgrowths that you'd see if you were snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef, or in the lagoons of a Pacific island. They're actually the skeletons of animals, and they can grow to amazing sizes and shapes. more>