Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
We were delighted to welcome Paolo Viscardi, Keeper of Natural History at the "Dead Zoo" to DIAS for Samhain agus Science.
The Dead Zoo plays a key role in understanding biodiversity. Over 2 million specimens in the collection contribute to our knowledge of nature, offering researchers an insight into our changing world. This collection is still growing, with thousands of new additions each year, from invasive hornets to stranded whales. Learn more about the denizens of the Dead Zoo and their role in science in this talk by Paolo Viscardi, the Keeper of the Dead Zoo.
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Paolo Viscardi is Keeper of Natural History at the National Museum of Ireland, with previous curatorial roles in the UK at the Grant Museum of Zoology and the Horniman Museum & Gardens. He has over 20 years’ professional experience of working with natural history collections to support research, teaching and public engagement. His research has included the uses of collections, thefts of rhino horn, and how ‘mummified mermaids’ were really made.
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Now in its eighth year, Samhain agus Science brings together researchers from DIAS and around the world for a series of free events that take inspiration from the Celtic festival of Samhain and look at the dark side of science.
The festival aims to make the big scientific questions of our time and Celtic history relevant, accessible, and fun to a general audience who might not normally be familiar with these topics.
We were delighted to welcome Paolo Viscardi, Keeper of Natural History at the "Dead Zoo" to DIAS for Samhain agus Science.
The Dead Zoo plays a key role in understanding biodiversity. Over 2 million specimens in the collection contribute to our knowledge of nature, offering researchers an insight into our changing world. This collection is still growing, with thousands of new additions each year, from invasive hornets to stranded whales. Learn more about the denizens of the Dead Zoo and their role in science in this talk by Paolo Viscardi, the Keeper of the Dead Zoo.
**********
Paolo Viscardi is Keeper of Natural History at the National Museum of Ireland, with previous curatorial roles in the UK at the Grant Museum of Zoology and the Horniman Museum & Gardens. He has over 20 years’ professional experience of working with natural history collections to support research, teaching and public engagement. His research has included the uses of collections, thefts of rhino horn, and how ‘mummified mermaids’ were really made.
**********
Now in its eighth year, Samhain agus Science brings together researchers from DIAS and around the world for a series of free events that take inspiration from the Celtic festival of Samhain and look at the dark side of science.
The festival aims to make the big scientific questions of our time and Celtic history relevant, accessible, and fun to a general audience who might not normally be familiar with these topics.
