The seven wonders of the Natural History Museum

Our prehistoric ancestors weren’t cannibals on purpose. Scientists believe that it was more a case of ‘eating the evidence’; what more effective way of clearing away human remains than having them for tea? It cut down on the time and energy it took to hunt other protein sources and kept dangerous scavengers away from the camp, too. The specimen here, found in Gough’s cave, Somerset, is roughly 14,700 years old and likely to be from an immigrant from south-west Europe. The skull’s soft tissue was removed shortly after death and the bone shows signs of a thorough cleaning. Its condition means that it can now be used as a cup – handy for your most bloodthirsty moments.

Gold still accounts for a huge amount of Australia’s exports, earning close to an estimated £7 billion last year. This little beauty is a cast of the largest single nugget ever to have been found. Discovered in 1869, it was widely named the ‘Welcome Stranger’ and weighed approximately 71.4 kg, of which 64.8 kg could be harvested for gold. The largest actual nugget surviving today is displayed on a rotating platform in the Golden Nugget Casino, Las Vegas. It weighs 27.4 kg and is worth about $1.5 million.

This first edition of Darwin’s monumental ‘On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection’ is incredibly rare. Published on November 24, 1859, it is the most influential book on biological theory ever written. While the theory of evolution was generally accepted, many challenged the idea of natural selection being a significant part of the process. It also created huge debate within theological groups who believed that humans could not be descended from animals as they did not share the same spiritual qualities.

In 79AD Vesuvius erupted so violently that it covered the Bay of Naples in layers of lava and ash, completely wiping out towns including Pompeii and Herculaneum. The compressed layers of ash acted as a perfect preservative, leaving us with a creepily pristine snapshot of the cultures and customs of Ancient Roman life. The hardened ash also preserved the town’s unlucky residents, who were suffocated by the toxic, volcanic clouds. Their corpses eventually rotted away, leaving perfect impressions of the agonising positions in which people died. These casts show the twisted silhouettes of a man and a dog.