Did we get you yesterday? 😂

No, we did not make three groundbreaking scientific discoveries at once—yesterday's April Fools' products were just made with some clever specimen photography and custom card designs.

Come take a look at some fantastic (and real) specimens, and see if you can guess what was what!

The Mini Museum specimen team is always hard at work preparing exciting new specimens, but this week they have gone above and beyond.

Today, on the first of April, you'll find several amazing items that are exclusive to the Mini Museum shop and prove the existence of many previously unidentified species!

That's right, we're excited to share the first items in our new Mini Museum Mythics Collection! 

Beneath the sands of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, large carnivorous worms roam searching for food. These animals are known primarily as scavengers, though some reports of hunting behavior have been described. Scientifically known as Megascolides arrakeen, they are more commonly referred to by their nickname: Mongolian Death Worms.

These creatures appear menacing, with small, sharp teeth, and the ability to emit an electric discharge to help sense food. Occasionally, these electric emissions can create petrified sand tubes, similar to how a lightning strike can create a fulgurite. The creature appearance was also noted as an inspiration behind the "sandworms" in Frank Herbert's Dune.

This specimen is a petrified sand tube from a Mongolian Death Worm, also known as a "Wormsign."

Across the Himalayas, reports of footprints, fur, and distant sightings of furry humanoids have been noted in both folklore and reports of modern hikers. These creatures, known as Yetis, are often thought to have abominable dispositions. However, first-hand research from the Mini Museum team has shown that they can be quite charming if you just get to know them. All they ask is to stop shoving cameras in their faces.

This specimen is a sealed vial of "Yeti Milk", which is a spiced beverage made with yak dairy and heated over a campfire. It is considered an important staple of the Yeti diet when traveling the cold mountaintops.

Along with this new Yeti Milk specimen is a sample of fur, which our new friends were kind enough to share with us over a cup of milk.

Millions of years ago, large super-predators walked the Earth and shook the ground with each step. These creatures, classified as Kaiju, were enormous and preyed on all manner of living creatures. One species of Kaiju, with its iconic spine plates and superheated breath stood out as the apex among the rest: Titanus gojira.

This specimen is a showcase fossil fragment of a spine plate from Titanus gojira. These creatures were thought to be semi-aquatic, with many of their fossils being found on islands today. The Mini Museum team recovered this item from Odo Island, off the coast of Japan. We left quickly after identifying the specimen, as active geologic activity was reported in the area... or at least we hope it was geologic! 🦖