Conferences and Workshops

Interest in our October Natural materials workshop has boomed and there are only a few places left. If you would like to book a place, do so now before they’re all gone.

We’re also really looking forward to seeing you all at our Osteology workshop in Cambridge in September. It too has received tons of interest and is bound to be excellent.

The subject and speaker’s list for Tetzoocon is coming along nicely – with possible book launch too! All very exciting. Check out the Facebook group for all the latest info.

Former NHM Tring curator and fine artist Katrina Van Grouw will be reprising her avian anatomy art course this year at ZSL London Zoo. I went last year and enjoyed it so much I’m going again. You can find full details and book tickets here.

News from the Blogosphere

The RVC’s John Hutchinson has written a lovely piece on museums from a researcher’s perspective. Delight in the Museum is well worth checking out.

The inimitable Jan Freedman has written a great post on public engagement for Open Quaternary. Read about how an unusual museum enquiry turned into a travel through time and space.

Highlights from the Journals

Poisonous frogs are nothing new. People have been using the toxins in amphibian skin for many purposes. Now though, it appears that at least two species of Brazilian frog need to be classified as venomous. Aparasphenodon brunoi and Corythomantis greeningi both raise interesting questions. Why does A. brunoi need venom 25 times more potent than a pit viper? Why does C. greeningi employ camouflage and venom – an unusual combination? Further research into these species will be most enlightening. You can find the paper here and a very detailed news item here.

It’s a bit of a short one this week as I’m still catching up after the holidays. If you have any items you’d like us to know about, get in touch.