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Revolutionary Technique Unlocks Secrets of Darwin's Preserved Specimens

2/9/2026

Summary

Story summary

Scientists used spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) to analyze jars from Charles Darwin's Galapagos voyage, unopened for 200 years at London's Natural History Museum.
The technique identifies preservation fluids without opening jars.
The study found 80% of mammals and reptiles were stored in formalin and ethanol, while invertebrates were in formaldehyde or buffered formaldehyde.
The method could help museums, with over 100 million specimens, by enabling care without compromising integrity.

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Story summary

Scientists used spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) to analyze jars from Charles Darwin's Galapagos voyage, unopened for 200 years at London's Natural History Museum.
The technique identifies preservation fluids without opening jars.
The study found 80% of mammals and reptiles were stored in formalin and ethanol, while invertebrates were in formaldehyde or buffered formaldehyde.
The method could help museums, with over 100 million specimens, by enabling care without compromising integrity.