A cold-blooded exhibit has opened at Museum of the Rockies to match the wintry elements. The Bozeman space also plays host to regular public events. Here’s a look at some upcoming happenings.
The second in the “Presenting Prehistory: Paleontology Speaker Series” will take place Wednesday, February 5th. MOR’s Paleontology Collections Manager and Registrar Amy Atwater will present at 6pm.
Discoveries made by paleontologists continue to shed new light on the deep past of the planet and the creatures that arose here. This series explores recent findings and current hypotheses as conveyed by scientists who are actively exploring how life on Earth has changed through time and what the fossils of extinct organisms can teach us about the world today.
As part of MSU’s Science Matters Lecture Series, delve into “The Great Chernobyl Acceleration” on Thursday, February 6th. Kate Brown, professor of history in the Science, Technology and Society Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will present at 5:30pm.
In April 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded and sent upwards of 50 million curies into the surrounding environment. Working through archives, Brown encountered many contradictory accounts of the disaster and its effects. Realizing that though people and archives lie, trees probably don’t. She turned to scientists – biologists, foresters, physicians and physicists – to help her understand the ecology of the greater Chernobyl territories and the disaster’s impact on health.
Working in the swampy territory around the blown plant, she learned that radioactive contaminants saturated local eco-systems long before the Chernobyl accident and continued long after the 1986 event. Brown argues that to call Chernobyl an “accident” is to sweep aside the continuum of radiation exposure that saturated environments in the northern hemisphere in the second half of the 20th century. Instead of a one-off accident, Brown argues that Chernobyl was a point of acceleration on a timeline of radioactive contamination that continues to this day.
Carl Yeoman, from MSU’s College of Agriculture, will deliver the next in the Provost’s Lecture Series on Tuesday, February 11th. “An Important Microbial Community Lives in All of Us” begins at 7pm.
The “us” in Yeoman’s lecture can apply to any number of organisms in his research portfolio: humans, primates, cattle, sheep or even tiny wheat stem sawflies. A faculty member of the Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Yeoman describes his work as “studying host-associated microbial communities for the betterment of human health and agriculture.” His projects are diverse, ranging from examining microbes in the human reproductive tract that influence the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections to exploring microbes inside insect pests in an effort to develop novel biocontrol methods. His presentation will reflect on that diversity. Note: Descriptions of university-sponsored lectures courtesy of MSU News Service.
An upcoming Science Inquiry Lecture, “Our Mysterious Star: Probing the Heart of the Solar System,” is set for Wednesday, February 12th. The presentation will begin at 7pm.
What is current research revealing about how our sun works? Dr. Charles Kankelborg, Professor of Physics at MSU, will discuss how his observations of the sun using rockets and satellites – as well as current solar missions – are trying to uncover the mechanisms of energy storage, release and transport in the solar atmosphere, and what it all means for us on Earth.
Please note: All held in Hager Auditorium, public lectures have a limited capacity and are free of admission on a first come, first served basis. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each. Attendees may not save seats for others.
On Monday, February 17th, the Museum will host Montana Shakes! for a free performance of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The family oriented event begins at 10:30am.
This play emphasizes the value of true friendship, especially the bond that comes from man’s best friend. In a MadLibs style, the audience will help the actors write the play as it goes along. Anything goes with this (adjective) adventure!
The play runs approximately 40 minutes and will be followed by a Q&A between the actors and audience. Montana Shakes! is an elementary outreach program of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks.
Also at MOR, Reptiles: The Beautiful and the Deadly is now open. Reptiles have enduring appeal, and this interactive zoological exhibition will bring you eye to eye with living species from around the world. Deadly snakes, colorful lizards, unusual turtles and rugged crocodilians are exhibited in naturalistic habitats. You can “milk” a viper, learn to speak croc in under five minutes, and test your knowledge with “Turtle Trivia” or “Lizard Wizard.” An experienced zoo professional remains with the exhibit to care for the living collection.
For more information about these events and the Museum exhibits, visit www.museumoftherockies.org. •
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