American Museum of Natural History

Happy birthday to Vera Rubin! Born on this day in 1928, Rubin is perhaps best known for establishing the presence of dark matter in galaxies. While working at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, she teamed up with Kent Ford, an astronomer who had developed an extremely sensitive spectrometer. Their observations allowed Rubin to calculate that galaxies must contain about 10 times as much “dark” mass as can be accounted for by visible stars. At least 90 percent of the mass in galaxies, and therefore in the observable universe, is invisible and unidentified—compelling evidence for dark matter. In recognition of her many achievements, Vera Rubin was elected to the National Academy of Sciences and in 1993 was awarded the National Medal of Science.

Behold the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). This robust reptile, found throughout the eastern and central United States, as well as certain regions of southern Canada, can grow to exceed 70 lbs (31.8 kg) in weight. Its diet includes nearly anything it can catch: Birds, small mammals, fish, and aquatic vegetation are all on the menu. The common snapping turtle is also relatively long- lived, with some individuals surviving for 30 years in the wild, and even longer in captivity.

Cheetahs don’t have stripes… or do they? 🤔 Meet the “king cheetah” (Acinonyx jubatus)—note the pattern on its back. When scientists first observed this animal in 1926, it was thought to be a new species. Today, we know that “king cheetahs” are the same species as spotted cheetahs, and their unusual patterning is actually the result of a genetic mutation. These individuals are rare: Only a handful of striped cheetahs have ever been seen in the wild.

On this day in 1969, the Apollo 11 mission landed on the Moon. 🌙 And back on Earth, an estimated 600 million people watched this historic moment live on television—roughly one-fifth of the world’s population at that time! The mission had three crew members: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Collins piloted the craft that would return them to Earth, while Armstrong and Aldrin became the first two people ever to walk the Moon’s surface.

Heads up… it’s Fossil Friday! 🦕 The Museum's Apatosaurus, collected at the turn of the 20th century, was the first sauropod ever mounted. But did you know that for years, this mighty dinosaur was displayed with the wrong skull? Using incomplete remains, scientists speculated that Apatosaurus was closely related to another sauropod: Camarasaurus. As a result, a similar skull to Camarasaurus was sculpted and placed atop Apatosaurus’ body (pictured), where it remained for decades. As new research emerged, this reconstruction was updated. To this day, only one Apatosaurus has ever been found with its skull attached!   You can visit Apatosaurus in the Museum’s Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs. We’re open daily from 10 am–5:30 pm. Plan your visit.

Photo: Image no. 45615 / AMNH Library

Surprise! Scientifically described in 1898—and last spotted in 1913—the red-crested tree rat (Santamartamys rufodorsalis) was thought to be extinct for more than a century. That changed in 2011, when two observers in a Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta nature reserve in Colombia stumbled upon this critter. This long-whiskered rodent can grow up to 17 in (45.7 cm) long. It’s nocturnal and arboreal, though little is known about this species’ behavior. The red-crested tree rat is listed as Critically Endangered, due to loss of habitat. 

Meet Davy’s naked-backed bat (Pteronotus davyi)! This species, which can be found in parts of Central and South America, preys mostly on moths and flies. It uses echolocation to hunt by night, and can detect prey as small as 0.08 in (0.2 cm) in size from nearly 2.46 ft (0.75 m) away in darkness. Often feeding above water, this bat also has the ability to drink on the go—a phenomenon known as “drinking on the wing.”

Watch it buddy, my eyes are up here! And… down there? 👀Meet the bee fly (Geminaria canalis). This insect inhabits parts of the southwestern United States and Mexico, using its long proboscis to feed on nectar. Notice the “eyes” on its back? They aren’t eyes at all: They’re actually part of this critter’s scutellum—the shield-like structure between its wings. Scientists think the extra set of “eyes” are a defense mechanism, giving the bee fly the appearance of less desirable prey like jumping spiders.  

Na-Na-Na-Na-Na Bat Hawk (Macheiramphus alcinus)! Named after its favorite snack, and not to be confused with your favorite superhero, this raptor mainly feeds on small bats. It has a wide but fragmented range and might be seen in parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, and Papua New Guinea. It lives in a variety of habitats, such as forests, wetlands, and savannas, where it spends most of its day roosting on a perch. But when the Sun starts to set and bats come out, this bird is quick to strike. Within about a 20-minute timespan, it can catch and gulp down as many as 11 bats!

Meet The Titanosaur!  🦕 At 122 ft (37.2 m) long, Patagotitan mayorum is the Museum’s largest dinosaur on display and one of the largest animals to have ever walked the Earth! This gigantic herbivore, which lived some 95 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous, was heavier than 10 African elephants—tipping the scales at roughly 70 tons. In fact, The Titanosaur is so big that it barely fits in the Museum’s halls: It’s longer than the gallery it sits in—and its head, which would graze the ceiling, extends outwards toward the elevator banks! Spot this sauropod, and so much more, at the Museum. Plan your visit.

Rabbit or squirrel? Neither: It's the southern viscacha (Lagidium viscacia)! This gregarious rodent lives in colonies of up to 70 individuals and inhabits mountainous areas in South America. It’s an agile climber that can be found at altitudes as high as 16,000 ft (5,000 m). Because its habitat is sparsely vegetated, this herbivorous critter dines on whatever it can find, including mosses, lichens, and grasses.

Another day, another doggy you can’t pet. Meet the dhole (Cuon alpinus). Found widely across parts of Asia from India to China to Indonesia, this social canid typically lives in groups of up to 12 individuals. Sometimes it even socializes with other groups of dholes to form “super packs” of more than 30 members! Teamwork enables these hunters to take down prey ten times their size. And unlike many other species of canid, dholes allow their pups to feed first on kills. Their diet includes pigs, deer, and buffalo.

The titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) flower rarely blooms, but when it does, the sight—and smell—can be utterly breathtaking. This plant’s giant bloom can grow up to 9 ft (2.7 m) tall and emits a powerful perfume that resembles the stench of rotting flesh. Why? To some insects, it’s a seductive scent, luring potential pollinators toward the female parts of the flower, where they can pick up pollen and carry it off to fertilize other flowers. This spectacular display is short lived, occurring for only about three days once every two or three years.

Have you ever seen one of these critters at the beach? Also known as “sand crabs” or “sand fleas,” Pacific mole crabs (Emerita analoga) can be found across the western coasts of North and South America. East Coast residents might encounter their relatives, the Atlantic sand crabs (Emerita talpoida), during summertime beach trips. Mole crabs migrate with the tides, keeping up with breaking waves to filter feed on plankton brought in by the crashing waters. These critters use their back legs to get around, and they burrow backwards, too.