Some Like It Hot!
Microbes (including bacteria, archaea, and viruses) are ubiquitous on Earth and have been found under conditions where no animal can survive. Microbes known as extremophiles, inhabit extreme environments such as geothermal hot springs with pH less than 3, hypersaline environments with a salinity as high as 35%, and environments with extremely low concentrations of nutrients. […]
Meat-Eating Dinos from S. Continents
Almost everyone knows about T. rex, but did you know that even larger and weirder carnivorous dinosaurs lived in the Southern Hemisphere continents at the same time? Come learn all about this menacing menagerie of meat-eaters from Dr. Matt Lamanna, the dinosaur paleontologist at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Dr. Lamanna and collaborators have […]
Weather on Other Worlds
In the past two decades, we have discovered thousands of planets outside of the Solar System, many of which are nothing like our own. We can learn a great deal about the properties of these planets if we observe them when they pass in front of (transit) their host stars. During transit, a small fraction […]
City Critters
When most people think of wildlife research, they think of studies done in rainforests, mountains, or deserts, far away from people. But did you know that research discoveries have been made in cities and neighborhoods just like yours? Dr. Ela-Sita Carpenter will talk about the history of urban wildlife research, why it’s important, and share […]
Conservation Paleobiology
Over 99.9% of species that have ever existed are extinct. If scientists want to understand how extinction works, they need to understand the fossil record. The newly established science of conservation paleobiology uses fossil data to help predict which organisms and ecosystems are most likely to go extinct in the future. The fossil record provides […]
Sexy Seahorses, Family Trees, and Biodiversity
Dr. Healy Hamilton is a biodiversity scientist focused on management and conservation of at-risk species and ecosystems. She is also a world expert on the taxonomy and evolution of seahorses and their relatives. Join Dr. Hamilton as she discusses this amazing group of fishes, those found off Virginia’s shores, and how they are used as […]
By Sea, Air, and Space
The North Atlantic phytoplankton bloom is one of the most conspicuous events observable from NASA’s fleet of Earth observing satellites. This annually-occurring event has far-reaching implications for ocean ecosystems, food webs, atmospheric exchange, and climate. Yet, the processes underpinning the bloom remain highly uncertain, even today. Enter the North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study, […]
NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries
In 1972, the National Marine Sanctuary Act (NMSA) was passed in an effort to conserve marine areas of ecological, historical, and cultural significance. This network of sanctuaries has expanded over the last 50 years to preserve and protect over 600,000 square miles of vital aquatic environments. Join us for a conversation about the important roles […]
A Brief History of the James River
The James River courses across Virginia from the high ridges of the Appalachians through the Piedmont and to the sea at Hampton Roads. This talk discusses the age, origin, and geological history of Virginia’s major river. The James River is a historic waterway, but we’ll look beyond human history to uncover the secrets of deep […]
