May 12th, Carley Scott
Coral Bleaching: An On-Again-Off-Again Relationship
You’ve probably seen photos of completely white – or bleached – coral reefs. This bleaching happens as sea temperatures rise and can be deadly for corals. However, coral bleaching is really the “break-up” between the coral animal and tiny algae partners that live within their cells. Who are these partners? What causes this relationship breakdown? Why are some corals more resistant to warming seas than others?
Through this talk, we’ll explore the relationship between corals and their algae and how scientists assess which reefs are most at risk.
Science Under the Stars is a free public outreach lecture series in Austin, Texas. The talk will be held outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we request that visitors follow CDC and UT Austin-recommended guidelines to ensure the safety of all in attendance:
- Before attending the event, take the CDC’s online Coronavirus Self-Checker to ensure you are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. If you are experiencing symptoms, please get tested and stay home.
- We highly recommend masking for all attendees.
- At this time, we will not be providing food or drinks to reduce the need to remove masks, please plan accordingly.
- Maintain a physical distance of at least six feet between yourself and others, seating will be spaced appropriately.
- Use the provided hand sanitizer and wash your hands (for at least 20 seconds) frequently.
For those who still prefer to attend virtually, we will be streaming the talk live on our YouTube channel. Please tune in at 8pm CDT. We ask for your patience in case of technological difficulties as we try out this new hybrid format. Feel free to post questions for the speaker in the comments and email scienceunderthestars@gmail.com with any issues.
Though we currently plan to have in-person presentations, we may be forced to return to an online zoom format at any time, including for inclement weather. **Please subscribe to our emails, our blog, our YouTube channel, or our Facebook page for the most up-to-day event notifications.**
Here’s the schedule for this month’s event:
- 7:00 pm: Kid’s activities and natural history displays of local animals and plants found at Brackenridge Field Laboratory
- 7:15 pm-7:45 pm: Guided tour of the field lab (wear sturdy shoes and bring water)!
- 8:00 pm: Settle in, because the talk begins now!
- 8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker
First time visitor? Please read our pet policy & field station rules here, and find parking info and directions here. Please note that parking permit requirements are not enforced during our events.
Recording of COVID-19 Infections in Austin, Texas
Did you miss our fascinating talk by Emily Javan on COVID-19 infections in Austin, TX, last week? The recording of the lecture and Q&A has now been posted to our YouTube channel! Click here or the image above to hear about how researchers at UT Austin and collaborating institutions are studying COVID-19 infections in and around Austin, TX.
Virtual SUTS! COVID-19 Infections in Austin, TX
Welcome to Science Under the Virtual Stars! This month we’ll be discussing COVID-19 infections in Austin, TX. For activities this month, we are sharing a great e-book resource about COVID-19 for kids and a hand washing activity you can do at home (even adults can be better hand-washers!). We also have our virtual natural history tour of Brackenridge Field Laboratory. The live lecture and Q&A with Emily Javan will be held on February 11th at 7:00 pm CT (UTC -6). The Zoom link is at the end of this post.
A Kid’s Guide to Coronavirus ebook from the American Psychological Association
Hand Washing Activity from Confidence Meets Parenting
Tour of Brackenridge Field Laboratory (13 min)
Zoom Information for live lecture and Q&A, February 11th at 7:00 pm CT (UTC -6). Note: You must have a (free) Zoom account in order to access this meeting.
Topic: Virtual SUTS! COVID-19 Infections in Austin, Texas
Time: Feb 11, 2021 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
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February 11th, Emily Javan
COVID-19 Infections in Austin, Texas
Please note that for this event, both the lecture and Q&A will be live.
What do we know about our sickest COVID-19 patients? In Austin, TX the sickest patients end up in the hospital where doctors collect their age and where they live. We used this information from 6,444 patients across 5 counties to estimate how many people have been infected with COVID-19 by age group and ZIP code. ZIP codes in East Austin have the most infected residents, while those near Cedar Park have the least. Once we know where our sickest patients live, we can explore why they had such negative health outcomes and think about how to help. In this presentation we’ll discuss where our estimates come from and explore some reasons for one ZIP code to have more COVID-19 infections than another.
The research discussed in this presentation have contributions from the following scientists: Emily Javan, Emily Kushnereit, Briana Betke, Spencer Woody, Remy Pasco, Kelly Pierce, Kaitlyn Johnson, Maureen Johnson-León, Michael Lachmann, Spencer J. Fox, and Lauren Ancel Meyers.
Science Under the Stars has gone virtual! This semester all SUTS activities will be online, but we encourage you to participate outdoors under the stars in your backyard! (If wifi allows for it, of course.) December’s schedule is as follows:
- February 4th Links to the kids activities and live online lecture/Q&A will be posted here and as an event on our Facebook page.
- February 11th, 7:00pm CST: Live online lecture and Q&A with the speaker!
Science Under the Stars is a free public outreach lecture series based in Austin, Texas.
February 8 – Spencer Fox
CSI: Disease Detectives
Between the Ebola epidemic, Zika epidemic, and this year’s bad flu season, it seems every month there is a new disease in the news. Have you ever wondered what public health officials are doing behind the scenes to combat the spread of these diseases? Come on out to Science Under the Stars this February to discover how disease detectives predict and respond to these types of outbreaks, and learn how you can help them out!
Science Under the Stars is a free public outreach lecture series in Austin, Texas. The talk will be held outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703. Here’s the schedule for this month’s event:
- 6:30 pm: Food and displays of local animals and plants found at Brackenridge Field Laboratory will be available. Also, meet with our children’s division for fun activities designed for all ages.
- 7:00 pm: Find a seat and settle in, because the talk begins now!
- 7:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker.
Science Under The Stars 