Emily Whittingham, an intern at the Museum and PhD student in the history of microscopy, explores the history of the microscope in England from the 1600s to the present day.

Seventeenth-century virtuosi often figured themselves as epistemic weeders, grubbing up rank thickets of accumulated error. In this article, I argue that these metaphors were unnerved by the shifting...

The Northern Environmental History Network welcome Sandra Liwanowksa (University of Cambridge).

In April 2026, scholars from across the UK and abroad came together at the University of York for the NEHN’s annual workshop, titled ‘Yuck?: Historical Approaches to Unwanted Non-Human Life’. Parti…

The Northern Environmental History Network welcomes Kate Nankervis (York) to speak about histories of climate, clouds and meteorology.

Following a workshop convened by the Northern Environmental History Network, we are establishing a network for scholars who research historical approaches to unwanted non-human life. This includes pla...

SHNH Summer Meeting by Josephine Koopman, Researcher (Department of History, European University Institute) “The senses,” Michel de Montaigne wrote in 1588, “are the beginning and the end of human kno...

A Sense of Nature The ‘sensory turn’ in a range of humanities and social sciences disciplines has led to innovative research exploring how sensory experiences shape cultural and historical narratives....