Embedded Files
Bat-tastic Story Time in the PlayLab!
Amanda Grunwald and Beatrice Natividade hosted a spooky, bat-themed storytime in the Field Museum's Crown Family PlayLab. They led a read-aloud session followed by hands-on exploration of real bat specimens from the museum’s collections. The event invited young learners to hear from real scientists, discover their research, and get inspired through storytelling!
Meet a Scientist at the Field Museum’s Grainger Science Hub
Bats in the Andes: Life in a Changing Climate
In October 2025, Amanda Grunwald, Beatriz Natividade, Jiale (Jess) Zhang, and Marcela Oliveira shared their passion for bats. Focusing on the incredible diversity of species in the tropical Andes, they discussed their past and current research, highlighting why these often-misunderstood mammals are vital to ecosystems and how they are being impacted by human activities.
Visitors got a hands-on look at bat biodiversity through interactive activities, including a 3D-printed bat skull matching game that illustrated their wide range of diets and morphological adaptations. The event also featured a fun bat fact quiz, images and videos of fieldwork with some truly remarkable tropical bats, and the chance to examine real museum specimens, from bats found in Chicago to fascinating species from around the world!
The key to rodents’ world domination? Thumbnails.
Nearly half of all known mammal species are rodents. But in seeing one of the many squirrels around Museum Campus, have you ever considered whether or not they have thumbs—or thumbnails? This week, a team led by Gordon Shepherd (Northwestern University), Rafaela Missagia (University of São Paulo) and Anderson Feijó (Assistant Curator at Field Museum) published a study in Science, featured on the journal’s cover. They analyzed hundreds of rodent specimens in the Field Museum’s collections to trace which rodents have thumbs and/or thumbnails rather than claws. Their study concludes that many rodents probably descended from one ancestor, millions of years ago, which had thumbnails. These rodents (like squirrels) likely handle food with their hands; rodents without thumbnails (like guinea pigs) likely eat directly with their mouths. The researchers also concluded that thumbnails may provide rodents with the manual dexterity necessary to open and eat nuts.
Read more from Science Adviser, The Wall Street Journal, El País, Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, Popular Science, Science News, Science News Today, Natural History Museum, Science Magazine, Cosmos, Discover, and many others
The thumbnail and hand of a kangaroo rat, an example of a rodent with thumbnails that uses its hands to manipulate its food.
A close-up of the nails of two species. Above, those of the African pygmy squirrel. Below, those of a striped Luzon rat.
Researchers (left to right) Gordon Shepherd, Anderson Feijó, Lauren Johnson, and Rafaela Missagia, working in the Field Museum’s mammal collections. Credit: Field Museum
The Indian giant squirrel, grasps food with the help of its thumbnails. Credit: Albin Thomas
Meet a Scientist: Caribbean Fossils!
In September 2025, Lazaro Viñola-López, Alexandra Dubé, and Beatriz Natividade showcase to Field visitors their work on Caribbean fossils, talking about how life in the Caribbean changed over time and learn about the earliest animals, from sebecids to gharials and more, who roamed these lands.
They discussed their work and shared real items from the museum’s collection of nearly 40 million objects. From collections care to field work, and dinosaurs to ecology, there’s a world of science to explore.
Anderson Feijó (Assistant Curator, Mammals) spoke with WTTW this week about armadillos—specifically, why we might see them in Chicago within the next five to ten years.
Chicago chipmunks are evolving fast — and our food may be why, Field Museum says
Chicago chipmunks are evolving fast — and our food may be why, Field Museum says
By Dane Placko | Published July 10, 2025 4:55pm CDT | Chicago |
Our new paper was featured in a great range of recent press coverage, including on the front page of Chicago's Tribune. Anderson Feijó and Stephanie Smith (Research Scientist; XCT Lab Manager of the Field Museum) worked with Women in Science interns, Alyssa Stringer and Luna Bian, to examine hundreds of chipmunk and vole skulls dating back to the 1890s to find out how these animals might have changed over the last century.
Our new paper was featured in a great range of recent press coverage, including on the front page of Chicago's Tribune. Anderson Feijó and Stephanie Smith (Research Scientist; XCT Lab Manager of the Field Museum) worked with Women in Science interns, Alyssa Stringer and Luna Bian, to examine hundreds of chipmunk and vole skulls dating back to the 1890s to find out how these animals might have changed over the last century.
The paper appeared in 248 news outlets, including from the New York Times, Popular Science, Earth.com, Popular Mechanics, Discover Wildlife, FOX32, and Chicago Tribune. Stephanie and Anderson also spoke with NPR’s All Things Considered.
Meet a Scientist at the Field Museum’s Grainger Science Hub, celebrating the theme Armored Wonders!
In spring 2025, Anderson Feijó and Ali Dubé joined the “Meet a Scientist” program at the Field Museum’s Grainger Science Hub, celebrating the theme Armored Wonders! A hands-on exploration of the fascinating world of armadillos.
In just two hours, 324 curious guests stopped by to meet the scientists and discover these incredible creatures.
As part of this event, Ali created playful coloring pages featuring two amazing creatures—the giant armadillo and the three-banded armadillo. Download them, grab your favorite colors, and bring these animals to life! Send us your finished masterpieces, and we’ll proudly share them here for everyone to enjoy.
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