Austria

The Natural History Museum Vienna houses approximately 30 million specimens and the number is growing, as research activities still yield discoveries and as a national isntitutions we constantyly receive materials. Out of 49 staff scientists 41 curate at least one collection together with 28 collection managers in 10 departments. Covering life-, earth-sciences, prehistory, anthropology and central research laboratories as well as a scientific archive.

The composition of the earth and the origins of the universe are current research topics at the NHM Vienna. Biodiversity research is a focus in three zoological and one botany department including molecular research. The Museum also carries out research into the earliest manifestations and prehistory of man.

Research highlights at the NHM Vienna include:

• Changes and trends of Eurasian climate across the last 40 million years
• Photogrammetry meets taphonomy – deciphering the depositional history of oyster reefs
• Palaeopathological and demographic studies on human remains of prehistoric and historic populations
• Investigations on drill cores from the 66 million year-old Chicxulub impact crater, Gulf of Mexico
• Dispersal of environmental pathogens in amphibians
• Research focus on world heritage site Hallstatt: mining, textiles, environment and burial archaeology
• Comprehensive digitisation for the Virtual Herbaria JACQ
• ABOL – the Austrian barcode of Life Initiative
• Biodiversity of freshwater invertebrates
• Genetic diversity of Austrian wild bees
• Phylogeny and evolution of the Myriapod genus Lithobius