May 11th, Damla Cinoglu
Mysteries from the Neotropics: Trees, lianas and others
IMPORTANT: Daylight Savings Time Change
Our SUTS talks are now back to 8pm! Kids’ activities and the natural history table will start at 7pm, and the BFL tour will start promptly at 7:15pm.
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The Neotropics are covered in mysteries that fascinate us. Are trees and lianas friends or enemies? Why do plant seeds and fruits vary so much in seed shape and size? Why does the three-toed sloth only eat leaves? Together, we will get excited about what is so special about tropical forests and think through how they are impacted by us.
Please join Damla Cinoglu at 8pm, May 11, to learn about plants in the Neotropics!
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April 13th, Erik Iverson
How animals adapt to climate change, and how kids can help them
IMPORTANT: Daylight Savings Time Change
Our SUTS talks are now back to 8pm! Kids’ activities and the natural history table will start at 7pm, and the BFL tour will start promptly at 7:15pm.
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As our planet becomes hotter and places such as Texas become drier, many people are worried about the effect on native wildlife. Current climate change impacts can be frightening, from out-of-control wildfires to mass mortality of animals. However, animals have a variety of ways they can adapt to our changing climate, from altering their behavior to changing their physiology and even evolving over time to cope. In this talk, we’ll discuss some of the mechanisms animals have for dealing with rising temperatures and explain why there is still plenty humans can do to help them, even in the face of constant pessimistic predictions.
Please join Erik Iverson at 8pm, April 13, to learn about strategies you can implement in your home or yard, and projects kids can help with, to ensure your local wildlife are going to survive and thrive even on the hottest days of the year.
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Science Under the Stars is now on Instagram and Twitter! Please give us a follow for information on upcoming events and event photos!
March 9th, Tristan Kubik
Fermented Fantasia: A leavenly evening sure to spoil you rotten
Planet Earth is infested with germs. They coat everything from the surface of our skin to the machines we use, and yes, even the food we eat. Some of these germs can make us sick, some disgust us with their putrid byproducts, while still others poison the very air we breathe. But hiding amidst these tales of illness and foul decomposition is a love story of epic proportions. Amidst the fray of villainous viruses, bad bacteria, and insidious fungi are a few unsung heroes and gifted culinary artisans. What happens when animals break bread with these good microorganisms? What possibilities are unlocked when two unlikely allies team up and turn terrible into terribly wonderful. Together we’ll embark on an unexpectedly delicious adventure. Please join Tristan Kubik at 7pm, March 9, for a leavenly evening as he relates one of the world’s lesser-known love stories, a tale of deliberate food spoilage we affectionately refer to as fermentation!
Arrive at 6pm for kids’ table, natural history displays, and a BFL tour before the talk!
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Science Under the Stars is now on Instagram and Twitter! Please give us a follow for information on upcoming events and event photos!
February 9th, Becca Carden
Fight Fire with Fire: what are catastrophic wildfires and what can we do about them?
Becca Carden with orchids 
Lick Fire in Umatilla National Forest, OR in 2021. Photo Credit: USFS Pacific Northwest Region 
Wildflowers after a fire in Glacier National Park, MT in 2017. Photo Credit: Gillfoto 
Two Texas National Guard CH-46 Black Hawks fly over the flames to dump their water filled Bambi Buckets. Texas National Guard crews launched out of the Austin Army Aviation Facility to fight wild fires threatening homes and property near Bastrop, Texas, Sept. 6, 2011. Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Malcolm McClendon, TX National Guard
Please join us for our first SUTS talk of the spring semester in person or virtually at 7pm, Feb 9, with Becca Carden! Arrive at 6pm for kids’ table and natural history displays before the talk!
Catastrophic wildfires are becoming more common all over the western United States, including right here in central Texas. These fires are scary, destructive, and very expensive to put out. But did you know that fire is actually beneficial for some plants and animals? In this SUTS talk, we will learn about plant and animal adaptations to fire, and how we can use tools like prescribed fire to conserve fire adapted species while also reducing the chance of dangerous catastrophic wildfires.
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Science Under the Stars is now on Instagram and Twitter! Please give us a follow for information on upcoming events and event photos!
Spring 2023 Schedule
Welcome to 2023 and we hope you are ready for some fantastic talks this spring! Please mark your calendars for our four splendid speakers presenting cool biology on the second Thursday of every month:
- February 9: Becca Carden – Fight fire with fire: What are catastrophic wildfires and what can we do about them?
- March 9: Tristan Kubik – Fermented fantasia: A leavenly evening sure to spoil you rotten
- April 13: Erik Iverson – How animals adapt to climate change, and how kids can help them
- May 11: Damla Cinoglu – Mysteries from the Neotropics: Trees, lianas and others
Science Under the Stars is a free public outreach lecture series in Austin, Texas. Events are held outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703. Due to the pandemic, we may change to a virtual venue to keep our attendees and organizers safe, depending on advice from our epidemiologist colleagues. Please keep an eye on the specific event announcements to determine if they will be held in person or on zoom!
Note: We will post the precise schedules and links for each event in a separate, event-specific post. Subscribe to this blog, our Instagram, Twitter, YouTube channel, Facebook page, or send us emails to get event notifications.
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