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Stories

  • Article

Hunting lost plants in botanical collections

A bark specimen at Kew recalls the story of a South American man who harvested the most potent source of the only effective malaria treatment available in the late 1800s. Killed for his work and forgotten by history, Manuel Mamani was a victim of the colonial juggernaut.

  • Article

Conflicted and confused about lithium

Covid-19 left Laura Grace Simpkins out of work and living back with her parents. She now had time to restart her research into her medication, but was she mad to continue?

  • Article

Bubbles of history

Since the 1960s, scientists have been able to study the air from past centuries by analysing particles in Arctic ice samples. But as the polar ice melts, the future of this research is changing.

  • Book extract

What the wind can bring

In this extract from ‘This Book is a Plant’, Amanda Thomson shares a newfound fascination with flowers, and reveals why our relationship with plants can also be complicated.

All stories (5)

Images

  • Rain charms- DOIOM from Expeditions to the Torres Straits
  • Colonial Studies, expeditions and drugs. Copy prepared by Dr. F. Guerra.
  • Nepal; Sherpa porters in the Khumbu, 1986. Well-dressed Sherpa porters prepare for a trekking expedition organised for a party of western vacationists. They will guide, bring up the rear, cook and strike camp. Such expeditions pay cash wages far in excess of anything Sherpas could hope to earn elsewhere and such income is invested in loans, cattle, land, tradeable articles and jewellery. Until the influx of mountaineering expeditions following Hillary's Everest climb (1953), western medicine was unknown in the Khumbu. Distribution of mainly analgesic and antibiotic drugs has led to misuse.
  • Geological atlas projected to illustrate geographic explorations and surveys west of the 100th meridian of longitude : prosecuted in accordance with Acts of Congress under the authority of the Honorable the Secretary of War, and the direction of A.A. Humphreys, embracing results of the different expeditions under Geo. M. Wheeler.
  • Geological atlas projected to illustrate geographic explorations and surveys west of the 100th meridian of longitude : prosecuted in accordance with Acts of Congress under the authority of the Honorable the Secretary of War, and the direction of A.A. Humphreys, embracing results of the different expeditions under Geo. M. Wheeler.
  • Geological atlas projected to illustrate geographic explorations and surveys west of the 100th meridian of longitude : prosecuted in accordance with Acts of Congress under the authority of the Honorable the Secretary of War, and the direction of A.A. Humphreys, embracing results of the different expeditions under Geo. M. Wheeler.
  • Geological atlas projected to illustrate geographic explorations and surveys west of the 100th meridian of longitude : prosecuted in accordance with Acts of Congress under the authority of the Honorable the Secretary of War, and the direction of A.A. Humphreys, embracing results of the different expeditions under Geo. M. Wheeler.
  • Geological atlas projected to illustrate geographic explorations and surveys west of the 100th meridian of longitude : prosecuted in accordance with Acts of Congress under the authority of the Honorable the Secretary of War, and the direction of A.A. Humphreys, embracing results of the different expeditions under Geo. M. Wheeler.
  • Geological atlas projected to illustrate geographic explorations and surveys west of the 100th meridian of longitude : prosecuted in accordance with Acts of Congress under the authority of the Honorable the Secretary of War, and the direction of A.A. Humphreys, embracing results of the different expeditions under Geo. M. Wheeler.
  • Manuscript map of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) drawn using black, blue and red ink, contained in a journal by Barton mainly written while a medical officer in the service of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. Journal record the completion of the expedition to China, return to Shanhai and subsequent embarkation on the P and O steamer Aden (3 August) for Ceylon, via Singapore, with later entries on hunting expeditions in Ceylon.
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Events

  • Gallery tour

Inside the Medicine Chests

Medicine Man gallery
Past

Part of Beyond Medicine Man

  • British Sign Language
  • Discussion

Walking with Ghosts

Henry Wellcome Auditorium
Past
  • Speech-to-text
All events (2)