The mission of the Natural History Museum (UK) is to maintain and develop its collections and to use them to promote discovery, understanding, responsible use and enjoyment of the natural world. Working in 72 countries, the 250-year old museum is renowned for its pioneering approach to exhibitions, its role as an expert voice on the natural world, and the excellence and importance of scientific research. The Natural History Museum has approximately 300 scientists, and attracts more than 5.5 million virtual and physical visitors each year.
Primitive fishes resembling sharks were swimming in the oceans over 450 million years ago. Their descendants survived successive mass extinctions, including the catastrophe at the end of the Permian period (245 million years ago) when 96 percent of all marine life was extinguished. They saw the dinosaurs come and go, and were still thriving when the mammals returned to the sea. Their long evolutionary history has refined sharks to the rank of near-perfect predators.
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Analysis of the human genome has revealed information about our evolution, patterns of migration, and the relationships between humans and other primates. Recent developments have allowed the extraction of Neanderthal DNA from fossils for the first time.
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The mission of 
