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This Fossil Friday, behold the Irish Elk (Megaloceros giganteus). It was originally discovered in bog deposits in Ireland. It was one of the largest known species of deer, weighing up to 1,500 lbs (680 kg). Its antlers, which could reach an incredible 13-ft- (4-m-) spread, were used in ritualized combat between males. Once ranging from western Europe to China, this animal died out some 10,000 years ago. However, at least one population, living in the Ural Mountains, managed to survive until about 7,770 years ago, long after the end of the Pleistocene. See this prehistoric animal and more at the Museum! Plan your visit.

Have you ever seen a turtle frog (Myobatrachus gouldii)? Named for its uniquely shaped body—which resembles a turtle without a shell—this amphibian inhabits arid parts of southwestern Australia. It can grow up to 1.9 in (5 cm) long. The turtle frog uses its muscular forelimbs and unwebbed feet to tunnel through the sand headfirst, digging burrows as far as 3.9 ft (1.2 m) underground.

𝟷𝟿𝟼𝟿 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙼𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚐 𝙱𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝟺𝟸𝟿

A sole surviving Hawker Nimrod II fighter parked on the grass flight line at Duxford

Meet the velvet mite! Topsoil, the thin uppermost layer of Earth’s crust, is enriched by innumerable species of invertebrates, like this velvet mite of the family Trombidiidae. This arachnid lives in topsoil and breaks down dead plant and animal matter. Human agriculture, and the survival of virtually all plant species, depends on continuous renewal of topsoil by billions of tiny organisms like mites, roundworms, and termites.

Behold the rufous and black and rufous elephant shrew (Rhynchocyon petersi)! Despite its diminutive size, this critter is more closely related to elephants than it is to shrews. It’s also distantly related to manatees, dugongs, and hyraxes. It uses its long snout to scoop up worms, ants, termites, roots, berries, and shoots to eat. To move around its territory, this fast-moving mammal creates networks of foraging trails, which also serve as escape routes from predators. 

U.S. Marines, Cpl. Harold "Pie" Keller (right), shakes hands with Sgt. Howard Snyder (left), as they stand on the rim of Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima between the first and second flag raisings on February 23, 1945.

Keller, would later be identified in 2019, as one of the men in Joe Rosenthal's famous photo of the second flag raising on top of Mt. Suribachi. Snyder would be killed in action later during the battle.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the battle (1945 - 2025).

Krak Des Chevaliers

Krak des Chevaliers (also spelt Cracs des Chevaliers, and known in Arabic as Hisn al-Akrad) is a castle in Syria originally built for the Emir of Aleppo in 1031 CE but acquired and extensively rebuilt by the Knights Hospitaller in 1144 CE. Considered virtually impregnable, it was the largest Crusader castle in the Middle East and a bulwark against the expansion of the Muslim states during the 12th and 13th centuries CE. The castle is today listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Location & Function

The castle, located on a natural citadel near the coast of southern Syria between Tartus and Tripoli, was originally built by the Emir of Aleppo in 1031 CE on the site of a much earlier fortification. After the defeat of the Emir, the stronghold was given to the medieval military order the Knights Hospitaller in 1144 CE by Raymond II of Tripoli (r. 1137-1152 CE), probably so that it could be sufficiently manned and thus provide a useful cover to the eastern frontier of the County of Tripoli, one of the Crusader-created states which comprised the Latin East in the Levant. The castle, one of around 25, was one of the most important held by the Hospitallers, whose headquarters was at Jerusalem and then from 1191 CE at Acre.

Extended and with a new outer defensive wall, Krak des Chevaliers became one of the region’s major strongholds. Perched on a steep-sided ravine above a vital pass giving access from the coast to the inland plains of Syria, the castle helped control the surrounding region. As the castle provided a permanent home to a garrison of Hospitaller knights, it posed a military threat to any army passing through the area. In addition, the territory under the protection of Krak des Chevaliers included that of the Muslim sect the Assassins, who, accordingly, paid an annual tribute to the Hospitallers.

At its peak, the castle housed some 2,000 people including infantry, crossbow specialists, and mercenaries, although the actual number of brother knights was as few as 60 according to records dating to 1255 CE. The imposing castle was crucial to the general defence of the Latin East in the 12th and 13th century CE. Krak des Chevaliers was not far from the Muslim-held cities of Hims and Hama, against which cities several raids were launched during the first half of the 13th century CE. The power of the Hospitallers to disrupt Muslim expansionist plans is exhibited in a description by the Muslim historian Ibn al-Athir of the castle’s commander or castellan in 1170 CE as:

A man who, through his bravery, occupied an eminent position and who was like a bone stuck in the throat of the Muslims.

(quoted in Nicolle, 21)

With a duck-like bill, beaver-like tail, and the ability to lay eggs, the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) has… a lot going on. This mammal can be found in Australia, where it inhabits freshwater systems like rivers, creeks, and ponds. It can spend 12 hours a day in the water hunting for food. What’s on the menu? Insects, shellfish, and worms. 

The platypus is one of the world’s only monotremes, a mammal that lays eggs and nurses its young. But avoid the urge to get too close—this critter is also venomous! Hollow spurs on the hind legs of male platypuses connect to a venom-secreting gland in their bodies. Its venom contains more than 80 different toxins. Though it isn’t fatal for humans, it can induce excruciating pain.