Greetings Science and Culture Enthusiasts!
This April promises to be filled with engaging and thought-provoking science and culture programming from the Bell Museum of Natural History. In addition to our Cafe Scientifique and Science Trivia programs, we are planning multiple outdoor field trips as well as hosting a special Earth Day film series event. Attached you will find detailed program information. We hope to see you this month!
SCIENCE + CULTURE PROGRAMS
*Café Scientifique: Honey Bees and Human Health Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 7 p.m. Bryant-Lake Bowl, Uptown 810 W. Lake St., Minneapolis $5 — $10; pay what you can * What can we learn about human health from honey bees and how can we keep honey bees healthy along the way? University of Minnesota entomologist Marla Spivak and her research partners think they may have found an answer to those questions. Among other things, they are researching a possible connection between propolis—a plant-derived resin that honeybees deposit in their hive—and an antidote to human HIV.
An Evening of Science Trivia April 7, 2009, 8 p.m. Nomad World Pub 501 Cedar St., Minneapolis $5-$10; pay what you can Feed your need for science and nature at the Bell Museum’s monthly Science Trivia Night. Teams of up to five people compete for prizes and questions range from basic biology to current events, from science fiction to science history. Hosted by Doomtree MC and self-professed science geek Dessa. Sponsored by the Bell Museum and the Nomad World Pub.
_EXHIBITS & RELATED PROGRAMS _
* LIFE: A Journey Through Time February 14 – April 12, 2009* The University of Minnesota Bell Museum of Natural History is proud to host the North American premiere of this internationally acclaimed exhibit. LIFE: A Journey Through Time, interprets the evolution of life on Earth through photographer Frans Lanting. Lanting’s lyrical photos trace Earth’s history from the beginnings of primordial life to the ascent of mammals through otherworldly landscapes and breathtakingly intimate portraits of animals and plants engaged in million-year-old rituals. Many of the exhibit’s 62 photographs are matched with real animal, fossil, and plant specimens from the Bell Museum’s collection. Born in the Netherlands, Lanting serves on the National Council of the World Wildlife Fund and is a columnist for Outdoor Photographer and has received the BBC Wildlife Magazine’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award and the Sierra Club’s Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography.
_*SPECIAL EVENTS + FILM PROGRAMS *_
Sustainability Film Series at the Bell Museum This free film series offers viewers the chance to see cutting edge documentaries on pressing sustainability challenges facing our society today. Organized in tandem with Sustainable People, Sustainable Planet (SUST 3003) and the Sustainability Studies Minor, and co-sponsored by the Bell Museum of Natural History and the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. Where: Bell Museum of Natural History When: at 7 pm (click here to see the list of films and for specific dates) http://www.sustainability.umn.edu/minor/sustfilm.html. Cost: Free admission!
Nature Poetry with the Laurel Poetry Collective Friday, April 3, 2009, 7 p.m. Bell Museum Auditorium Free In recognition of National Poetry Month, the Laurel Poetry Collective and Bell Museum host some of the region’s most talented poets in an evening of live readings on nature and springtime in Minnesota.
A Sense of Wonder: Earth Day Film Screening Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 7 p.m. Bell Museum Auditorium Free The Bell Museum and Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) present a special Earth Day screening of the new film, A Sense of Wonder. Based on the life and writings of environmentalist Rachel Carson, the documentary-style film stars actress Kaiulani Lee in Carson’s final year of life, during which she battled cancer, an unexpectedly high public profile and backlash from her critics in the private sector. The film was shot in high definition by two-time Academy Award-winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler at Carson’s cottage on the coast of Maine. A panel discussion with experts from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and IATP’s Healthy Legacy campaign will follow.
_*FIELD TRIPS *_
Early Migrant Songbirds Saturday, April 18, 2009, 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Hyland Lake Park Reserve, Bloomington $10/$8 museum members; registration is required Songbirds and waterfowl such as sparrows, kinglets, and hermit thrush are making their spring appearance. Practice your identification with a real bird expert, Bruce Fall — one of Minnesota’s most experienced and engaging bird authorities.
Owl: Identification and Biology Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 7 to 9 p.m. University of Minnesota, Ecology Building $10/$8 museum members; registration is required Owls are mysterious and fascinating birds. Join ornithologist and former president of the Minnesota Ornithologists Union Ann Kessen for an evening of owl biology and a chance to brush up on your identification skills.
Spring at Nine Mile Creek Saturday, April 25, 2009, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Nine Mile Creek Park, Bloomington $10/$8 museum members; registration is required Nine Mile Creek offers some of the most diverse plant life in the Twin Cities metro area. Explore the explosion of spring flora in this remarkable preserve. Join botanist Robert Bergad for a look at early wildflowers and learn to recognize the plants that are visible but not yet in bloom.
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