Tag Archives for mystery object

Friday mystery object #19 answer

On Friday I presented you with this delightful looking creature’s skull:

Total length 2.5cm

and asked you what it was. SmallCasserole and Jim vied to reach the correct answer, with the physicist narrowly beating the biologist to the solution using brute force of reasoning (rather than attempting a comparative approach). However, Jim did step up and suggest a more specific answer – which despite some research over the weekend I am still not able to confirm. I need access to some more comparative material.

We know it is a Continue reading →

Friday mystery object #19

Last week’s mystery object turned out to be very easy for most of you, so this week I have decided to give you something a bit more taxing:

Total length 2.5cm

What do you think this freaky looking skull belongs to? As usual, suggestions and any questions below in the comments section – I will try to provide useful responses.

Good luck!

Friday mystery object #18 answer

Happy Monday one and all! Last Friday was a busy day for me as it was the day of the prize-giving event for the winners of the photographic competition that was part of the series of Darwin bicentenary events I have been heading up at the Horniman. I expect I will blog about that in the very near future, but for now I will drop links to the BBC news and Guardian websites which are hosting slideshows of the winning and commended entries. As a result of all my busyness I had little time to field questions, but thankfully I didn’t really need to, since most people worked it out without much trouble.

This little fella is indeed a Continue reading →

Friday mystery object #17

I can’t believe it’s Friday again – it’s all a bit hectic at the moment, so apologies for the late posting of this week’s mystery object.

 Here’s a rather odd object from the Horniman’s collections – any idea what it might be?

 mystery17

As usual, post your answers below and if you have any questions I’ll do my best to answer them!

Friday mystery object #15 answer

On Friday I gave you a palaeontological mystery object and asked you to choose what you thought it was from a poll:

mystery15.jpg

As it turns out, you did pretty well, with 60% of you selecting the correct category (with a couple of you making comments which went into greater detail). The object in indeed a piece of fossil  Continue reading →

Friday mystery object #14 answer

On Friday I gave you a bit of a change from museum specimens and presented you with this:

mystery14bEveryone managed to get the identification to at least within the Order level (it’s in the Orthoptera), which is good going when dealing with insects. The hard bit came down to whether it was a cricket or grasshopper. Now, the photo does not show the most important feature for distinguish between these two types of orthopteran: it’s the antennae length that gives it away (grasshoppers have short antennae, crickets have long antennae). Colour is not really important (sorry KateKatV).

That said, the vivid green colour, speckled appearance, lack of wings and characteristics shape of the ovipositor (curved bit at the back which means this is a female) are a give-away for those who are familiar with this particular beastie (and for those who use Google image to help with their identifications). It is in fact a Continue reading →

Friday mystery object #14

Last week I let Harrison pick an object that proved a bit too difficult (although perhaps I could have been more generous with the clues I gave…). This week I am giving you something that is actually alive and commonly found in gardens in the UK – so it should be a doddle to identify:

mystery14b

Simple questions – what species is it (binomial name gets you kudos) and what sex is it?

Answers in the comments section below – but I’m afraid I won’t be able to respond to comments this week. Good luck!

Friday mystery object #13 answer

Crumbs, it appears that last Friday’s object stumped everyone! Harrison certainly chose a difficult one…

mystery13aSmallCasserole came closest, asking:

Is it antler or horn?

but my response:

Antler or horn that thick?

was perhaps too ambiguous – because there is a horn out there that is this thick, that of a Continue reading →

Friday mystery object #13

Today’s mystery object has been selected by a very helpful work experience volunteer who was assisting me in the collections yesterday, so my thanks to Harrison! He is rather more cruel than me, so there’s no multiple choice on this – we just want you to see if you can work out what it is. I will attempt to answer any questions (time permitting) since our broadband seems to have been sorted out at home.

So here it is:

mystery13a

Continue reading →

Friday mystery object #12

I am still without internet at home, so apologies for slow responses to comments and the lower quality of my recent posts.

This Friday’s mystery object is pretty straight-forward, a simple case of ‘what is it?’

mystery12amystery12b

If you think you know what this is just leave a comment below – I will attempt to respond to any questions when (and if) I am able, but I can’t make any guarantees I’m afraid.

Good luck!

Friday mystery object #10 answer

On Friday I presented two mystery objects after a frantic search through the photos on my phone whilst at the SVP conference in Bristol:

Name the source of this leather seat cover

Name the source of this leather seat cover

2009-09-04 10.21.29

 As it is you performed remarkably well, SmallCasserole spotted that the leather was Continue reading →

Friday mystery object #10

Currently in my apartment in Bristol frantically searching for a suitable mystery object whilst also trying to plan the talks I want to attend at SVP.

I get the feeling skulls are getting boring for some of you, so perhaps it’s time I introduced an object that isn’t directly related to what I’m doing at work. In the pub yesterday, a natural history curator friend  of mine (David Waterhouse from Norwich Castle Museum) queried the type of leather on the seat of his chair (it’s the kind of thing we do). We think we know, but can you work it out?

Name the source of this leather seat cover

Name the source of this leather seat cover

Not an easy one, particularly without any clues, but I will attempt to answer any questions go help you on your way – just post them below in the comments section.

Good luck! Continue reading →

Friday mystery object #9

It’s Friday again, we all know what that means – Mystery Object time!

Last week I gave you a really tricky one, that you managed to work out with some clues. I liked the Q&A format, but unfortunately I am between ISP’s at the moment, so I don’t think I will have the chance to have as much input this week. Instead there is a poll (although comments are always welcome!) and I will return to my favourite objects – skulls.

mystery9a

So, what is this the skull of? Choose an answer from the poll below (don’t forget to hit “vote”): Continue reading →

Friday mystery object #7 answer

Here’s what I said on Friday, just before 7am:

Just posted the Friday Mystery Object. Not a skull, no options and just one clue (for now): http://wp.me/pvJGH-6M You’ll never get it! #FMO

[PaoloViscardi on Twitter, Friday 4th September]

Of course, I was hoping to be proved wrong, but Gimpy managed to prove me wrong in record time (about an hour). So well done to Gimpy, although I now can’t help but hate you just a little bit for ruining my fun… (is this how the woo merchants feel?). Clearly the clue I left was far too much of a give-away (I should have listened to Melissa).

The question was “what is it and what’s it made of?” and it referred to this:

Scale in cm

Scale in cm

If you read the comments you probably worked out that it is indeed a Continue reading →

Friday mystery object #7

Since there have been calls for some variety (skulls not good enough for you eh?) and there have even been accusations of the FMO being “too easy” I have decided to unleash a tricky one for you this week.

Scale in cm

Scale in cm

Simple questions, what is it and what’s it made of?

No poll this week, just leave your thoughts in the comments section below. I will give you a clue however – it’s supposed to be magical (even Harry Potter’s used one).

More clues to follow if they’re needed!