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The 'Perfect' Specimen

The 'Perfect' Specimen

By: The Natural History Museum London
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 Does the perfect museum specimen exist? What's the squishiest? The most exuberant? Or even the most noxious? We're taking a look through 80 million specimens to find the 'perfect' examples for you. Join us each episode as Josh and Natalie try to surprise each other with their choices from the collections, their only prompt? A single word.©The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • Did witches ride broomsticks? Our guest explains why we might think so

    Did witches ride broomsticks? Our guest explains why we might think so
    Feb 17 2026
    Why would an insect gather a lethal pesticide and an analysis of how flat a flatworm is, are just two of the topics from this weeks episode. Join us for another episode of The 'Perfect' Specimen, this week Josh and Natalie are joined by curator Beulah Garner with three specimens relating to the word 'seductive'. Whilst Beulah also get's to talk about her 'perfect' specimen. Does the perfect museum specimen exist? What's the squishiest? The most exuberant? Or even the most noxious? Each episode, our hosts take their pick from 80 million specimens at the Natural History Museum to find the 'perfect' specimen. Their only prompt? A single word. #NaturalHistoryMuseum #Podcast #Perfect  ----------------   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NaturalHistoryMuseumLondon  Website: http://www.nhm.ac.uk  Instagram: http://instagram.com/natural_history_museum  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@its_nhm  Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nhm-london.bsky.social  X: https://x.com/nhm_london  Facebook: http://fb.com/naturalhistorymuseum  Browse our shop: https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/ 
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    41 mins
  • Why can no-one remember the time they used fish as candles?

    Why can no-one remember the time they used fish as candles?
    Feb 3 2026

    Is it fat catfish or fatcat fish? Josh and Natalie debate the important issues in this episode, and do not go down any rabbit holes... With two of the specimens, stories of nefarious ichthyology abound!

    Join us for another episode of The 'Perfect' Specimen, this week Josh and Natalie have brought four specimens all relating to the word 'elusive'. Does the perfect museum specimen exist? What's the squishiest? The most exuberant? Or even the most noxious?

    Each episode, our hosts take their pick from 80 million specimens at the Natural History Museum to find the 'perfect' specimen. Their only prompt? A single word.

    #NaturalHistoryMuseum #Podcast #Perfect 

    ----------------  

    YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/NaturalHistoryMuseumLondon⁠ 

    Website: ⁠http://www.nhm.ac.uk⁠ 

    Instagram: ⁠http://instagram.com/natural_history_museum⁠ 

    TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@its_nhm⁠ 

    Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/nhm-london.bsky.social⁠ 

    X: ⁠https://x.com/nhm_london⁠ 

    Facebook: ⁠http://fb.com/naturalhistorymuseum⁠ 

    Browse our shop: ⁠https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/⁠ 

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    46 mins
  • Natalie finds herself doing an impression of a pufferfish

    Natalie finds herself doing an impression of a pufferfish
    Jan 20 2026

    Josh brings the podcast's first mineral specimen and our second guest shares a look at some very special books.

    Join us for another episode of The 'Perfect' Specimen, this week Josh and Natalie have brought four specimens all relating to the word 'artistic'.

    Does the perfect museum specimen exist? What's the squishiest? The most exuberant? Or even the most noxious?

    Each episode, our hosts take their pick from 80 million specimens at the Natural History Museum to find the 'perfect' specimen. Their only prompt? A single word.

    #NaturalHistoryMuseum #Podcast #Perfect

    ----------------

    YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/NaturalHistoryMuseumLondon⁠

    Website: ⁠http://www.nhm.ac.uk⁠

    Instagram: ⁠http://instagram.com/natural_history_museum⁠

    TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@its_nhm⁠

    Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/nhm-london.bsky.social⁠

    X: ⁠https://x.com/nhm_london⁠

    Facebook: ⁠http://fb.com/naturalhistorymuseum⁠

    Browse our shop: ⁠https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/⁠

    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
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