Author(s): Steve Parker; Mark Carwardine (Foreword by)

History

Unique insight into life at one of the world's favorite museums

How can the growth of insects help to solve crimes? What did the world look like in the time of the dinosaurs? How do shark experts help Olympic athletes swim faster? Based on the major six-part BBC TV series, this book offers a unique insight into the innovative, dramatic, and often surprising work of this world renowned institution. Many aspects of Museum life are investigated as vaults are opened, world-leading scientists observed, and the public spaces explored. The book also reveals how the Museum maintains, studies, and adds to the ever-growing collections, and why they are such a valuable resource. The book follows Museum scientists in the laboratory and out into the field to find out how they are trying to conserve and catalogue the natural world, and help solve global problems in agriculture, medical, and forensic science. Join botanists in the hunt for the original British bluebell in Spain, discover how Museum experts are tackling disease in Uganda, find out how to spring clean a 100-year-old, 80 foot dinosaur model, and get a glimpse of many of the Museum's amazing treasures along the way.