Ted Daeschler @ Science on Tap 7/13, National Mechanics 6pm
Posted on | June 29, 2009 | No Comments
| July 13, 2009 | ||
| 6:00 pm |
Ted Daeschler, curator of vertebrate zoology at the Academy of Natural Science and co-discoverer of Tiktaalik, will present this month at Science on Tap at National Mechanics. I went to last month’s show and I must say that it is a great venue (which could benefit from a riser for the speaker, a box, something!).
“Cold Hard Science: Fossil Discoveries in the Canadian Arctic and the Origin of Limbed Animals”
Daeschler, Associate Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Academy of Natural Sciences, has done pioneering research collecting and describing Late Devonian fossil vertebrates in Pennsylvania and the Arctic. Presented by the Academy of Natural Sciences.
Here’s some video I took of Ted at the Hadrosaurus exhibit this past January.
Wow, that totally broke the site. Turn up your volume and listen.
Also, this, Ted believes.
I take the long view on life, the really long view that a geological perspective provides. Most of us think of history in terms of hundreds of years, or maybe thousands of years. But what about a million years? 10 million years? 100 million years? Now we’re talking about enough time to really get something done – yet 100 million years is still only a small fraction of the earth’s history. Thinking in terms of many millions of years is the realm of deep time.
Read the whole thing.
Tags: Academy of Natural Sciences > science cafe > science on tap
The Franklin is Dead, Long Live the Franklin Institute
Posted on | June 24, 2009 | No Comments
In case you missed it in the Daily News (like I did), we’re back to calling to calling the Franklin Institute the Franklin Institute.
It was a nice try, but I’m glad to see it back.
Aldrin Buzzes into Town 67/21, 7:30 at The Free Library of Philadelphia
Posted on | June 19, 2009 | No Comments
| July 21, 2009 | ||
| 7:30 pm |
He’s the second man on the Moon, but the first guy you don’t want to accuse of faking the moon landings. 
He’s Buzz Aldrin, and he’ll be at the Free Library’s Central branch to hawk his new book Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon
The deets:
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at 7:30PM
Central Library
1901 Vine Street, 19103
215-686-5322
Cost: $14 General Admission, $7 Students
You can order tickets through the FLoP website.
UPDATE: Whoops, that’s July 21st, not June!
Tags: Astronaut > Buzz Aldrin > Free Library of Philadelphia > Space
Atlas Obscura tour coming to Philly?
Posted on | June 17, 2009 | No Comments
The Atlas Obscura has become the web’s preeminent site for touring the weird collections of the world. Recently, they’ve announced that they’ll be offering city tours at locations around the world…starting in Philly.
Beginning this summer, the Atlas Obscura will be offering day and weekend tours of the world’s most wondrous, curious, and esoteric cities. We’ll be setting up back-room visits at museums, tours of private collections, meetings with fascinating people, and stops at a variety of curious and obscure spots.
I can imagine that they’d pick the Mutter — that’s kind of obvious — but where else? There’s a crazy amount of weird in this town…stay tuned
Make Botanical Sunprints this First Friday at the Chemical Heritage Foundation (6/5 5-8PM)
Posted on | June 4, 2009 | No Comments
| June 5, 2009 | ||
| 5:00 pm | to | 8:00 pm |
| 5:00 pm | to | 8:00 pm |
OK, this looks like fun…the Chemical Heritage Foundation takes part in Old City’s First Friday celebration and always seems to have the most interesting — and most family-friendly — activities to go with it. Last month it was crotcheting, I believe. This time it is making prints using photographic paper. I picked some up at the local art store recently for just this purpose. I can’t make it into town, but I’ll be doing in spirit from home.
Join us this Friday, June 5, from 5-8 pm, when local photographer and UArts TA Laurie Beck Peterson teaches us how to make science beautiful through the process of botanical sunprinting. Participants will learn how to create their own botanical sunprints using only photographic paper, water and botanicals. Supplies will be provided.
As always, you’ll have the chance to explore our permanent exhibition, Making Modernity, and sLowlife, a dynamic multimedia exhibition that presents plants as complex, living beings. Learn more at www.chemheritage.org.
When: Friday, June 5 from 5-8 pm
Where: Chemical Heritage Foundation, 315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Tags: Chemical Heritage Foundation > First Friday
The Unknown Skeleton at Science on Tap! (National Mechanics, 6/8, 6 PM)
Posted on | June 4, 2009 | No Comments
Sticky bits, bones, rotting flesh, mummified tissues – the stuff of forensic anthropology dinner conversation at this month’s Science on Tap.
This month’s guest is the Penn Museum’s Janet Monge (who, if you’ll recall was recently at Penn’s Science Cafe). Dr. Monge is co-curator of Surviving: The Body of Evidence, which was recently hosted at the museum. The event starts at 6 on Monday, June 8 at National Mechanics (22 S. Third Street).
Science on Tap is a monthly science café that features a brief, informal presentation by a scientist or other expert followed by lively conversation. The June 2009 gathering will be led by Janet Monge, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania and the Wagner Free Institute of Science.
“The Unknown Skeleton – Forensic Anthropology and the Unsolvable Case”
Sticky bits, bones, rotting flesh, mummified tissues – the stuff of forensic anthropology. The science behind forensic anthropology is explored using a series of case studies. Most people do not know that the probability of success in these cases is very low and the identity of virtually every one of these individuals remains unknown. The CSI catch-phase “There is Always a Clue” certainly does not apply. Presented by the Wagner Free Institute of Science.
“The End of the Line” — Overfishing Documentary at the Academy of Natural Sciences (6/16. 6:30PM)
Posted on | June 3, 2009 | No Comments
| June 16, 2009 | ||
| 6:30 pm |
The Academy of Natural Sciences announced to today that they’ll be premiering locally “The End of The Line,” a new documentary on the perils of overfishing on Tuesday, June 16. The event is free. Reservations not required.
Fresh from its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, “The End of the Line” depicts overfishing, overconsumption of seafood and the perilous effects it is having on the environment and on fish populations. After its local debut at the Academy, the film will be shown in select movie theaters.
Described by The Economist as “the inconvenient truth about the impact of overfishing on the world’s oceans,” the film follows
investigative reporter Charles Clover as he interviews fishermen, scientists, politicians, and celebrity restaurateurs around the world. The film concludes that unless current trends are altered, the world could run out of seafood by 2048.
Tags: Academy of Natural Sciences > documentary > film
