Invertebrates and Plants Palaeobiology — Combined minor collections (6 sections)

Overview

Invertebrates and Plants Palaeobiology — Combined minor collections (6 sections) groups 17 collection units from 6 sections within the ES Invertebrates and Plants Palaeobiology division (Earth Sciences), covering an estimated 1,146,059 individual items held across 104,053 curatorial/storage units. Material is predominantly macrofossils (15 of 17 collection units), microfossils (1 of 17 collection units), and rocks minerals (1 of 17 collection units). Preservation is mainly hand specimens, oversize specimens, and microscope slide. Named taxa represented in this product include Bryozoa, Graptolithina, and Mollusca, among others.

Value

Curatorial assessment rates this product highly on Strategy/mission/research, Scope and depth, and Significance by comparison (avg. 3.7/5 across its top three scored dimensions), indicating it is well positioned for external licensing relative to other NHM holdings. Its breadth and depth of coverage make it suitable as a comprehensive reference dataset rather than a niche sample.

Use Cases

1. training data for fossil-identification and palaeontological computer-vision models
2. reference datasets for evolutionary and stratigraphic research
3. content for natural-history media, documentaries, and museum digital exhibits
4. 3D scanning and reconstruction projects for education, VR/AR, and scientific visualisation
5. academic and institutional research licensing (biodiversity, systematics, and comparative studies)
6. a comprehensive reference dataset or benchmark corpus, given the depth of coverage within this group