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March 11, 2019  

Neighborhood Science Talks March-May

Science Under the Stars has expanded to include the Austin Public Library! At Neighborhood Science, previous SUTS speakers will present at different library branches around the city a couple times a month. Stay tuned for more updates!

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March 28: Emily Rees – “The Science of Superheroes” 

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Would you choose super-strength? The ability to leap over tall buildings in a single bound? Invisibility? Mind-control? These ‘superpowers’ that we see in movies and comic books actually occur in a variety of different animals! Come out to Neighborhood Science to learn about the invisible lurker of the ocean, the fastest punch among animals, and the heavy lifters of the animal kingdom.

  • March 28, 7pm at the Twin Oaks Branch, 1800 S 5th St, Austin, TX 78704

 

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Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa), an all-female clonal fish

April 25: Allison Davis – “How to get a date: story of a clone”

What do people, peacocks, and Poeciliids have in common? This Valentine’s day, they are all looking for dates! While tasty treats and fancy feathers may work for many animals, clones need some special dating advice. Join us this month to discover how an all-female clonal fish joins the dating scene!

  • April 25, 7pm at the Twin Oaks Branch, 1800 S 5th St, Austin, TX 78704

 

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A singing mouse trills in the cloud forest, declaring its presence. credit Bret Pasch

May 16: Tracy Burkhard – “As quiet as a mouse? (Not singing mice!)”

“As quiet as a mouse” refers to people who don’t make a peep–but contrary to the popular saying, many mice want to be heard, and some are actually quite loud! Mice–and mammals in general–use all kinds of vocal sounds to communicate with each other in a variety of contexts. How do mammals make vocalizations? What are mice are saying to each other? And can mice really sing? Come to this lecture to find out answers to these questions and more!

  • May 16, 7:30pm at the Twin Oaks Branch, 1800 S 5th St, Austin, TX 78704

 

November 10, 2011  

Nikhil Advani

The Biological Impacts of Climate Change: Insights from Butterflies!

Climate change is predicted to accelerate over the course of this century. Breaking research on butterflies shows how species might respond.

Click here to download the poster from Nikhil’s SUTS Event!

February 25, 2009  

Mike Singer

Humans, from the Perspective of a Californian Butterfly

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Back in 1953 my grandmother said: “Butterflies…HAH! Very pretty, but what are they FOR?” I had no answer. In this talk I will turn the question around and ask from the butterfly’s perspective: “Humans…very big and clumsy…. but what are they FOR?” We might think that the answer is just that humans are BAD, but no, it’s more complicated than that. Without thinking about it, we humans create puzzles for butterflies to solve. Sometimes they succeed and sometimes they don’t.