Dinosaurs Tour
Discover the fascinating stories behind the dinosaurs in our renowned hall Dinosaurs in Their Time! Meet the real Dippy (Diplodocus carnegiei) type specimen that sparked people's interests in paleontology around the world as well as a beloved Apatasaurus Andrew Carnegie named after his own wife. Some of the most unique fossils can be found at […]
Science and Nature Program and Nature Explorers
Powdermill Nature Reserve 1795 Route 381, Rector, PA, United StatesWatersheds, Ecology, and You Kevin Quevedo, a graduate student at Duquesne University's Environmental Science and Management (ESM) program, joins us to chat about watersheds and stream research. Come learn about the roles of watersheds and how playing in the streams of Pennsylvania helps scientists learn more about our role in stream ecology. After the talk, […]
Nature at Night
Powdermill Nature Reserve 1795 Route 381, Rector, PA, United StatesA Walk in the Evening After the sun sets and the moon rises, a crisp winter night can be a beautiful time to walk in the woods. The stillness of the evening lets us listen to snow crunching under our feet or an owl hooting in the distance. Bring your flashlight or headlamp, jackets, boots, […]
Super Science Saturday: Archaeology Extravaganza 2019
Meet a mummy and practice your digging skills when you spend a day at the Natural History Museum, learning about ancient cultures with free, hands-on activities throughout the museum. Talk to museum experts, examine ancient artifacts, and meet live animals native to famous archaeological sites. Super Science Saturdays is a program at Carnegie Museum of […]
R.W. Moriarty Science Seminar
“Rack, Rum, or Brandy—What We Know (and Don’t Know) About Fluid Preservation.” John Simmons Penn State University
Nature 360: February Nature Lab
It’s the middle of winter, and you may be wondering, “Where have all the animals gone?” Let’s find out together! Test the effectiveness of different animal coverings as insulation and compare that to materials we use to insulate ourselves. Conduct a chemical experiment to analyze the energy output of different snacks as you determine what […]
Storytime & More
Powdermill Nature Reserve 1795 Route 381, Rector, PA, United StatesBluebird Little Bluebird is looking for her friend, the wind, but she can’t find it! She searches high and low, looking to a flagpole standing tall and down to dandelions growing down in the park. Will Little Bluebird find her friend? Come find out with us! After the story, you can make a simple bird […]
Science and Nature Program and Nature Explorers
Powdermill Nature Reserve 1795 Route 381, Rector, PA, United StatesAttracting Bluebirds and Why It’s Important Not very long ago, bluebirds were in big trouble. Thanks to many dedicated lovers of nature, they are doing much better. Can this improvement be sustained? Join us and explore the bluebird’s history in Pennsylvania, their uncertain future, and what you can do to help. After the lecture, you […]
R.W. Moriarty Science Seminar
“Climate Change Comes to Thoreau’s Concord.” Richard Primack Boston University
Nature at Night
Powdermill Nature Reserve 1795 Route 381, Rector, PA, United StatesMoonlight and Snow In January, we hiked Sugar Camp Trail in the snow, observing animal tracks and listening to coyotes barking as they moved through the woods. If you missed this nighttime hike, or just want to do it again, you are in luck! With a full moon the night before, the forest should be […]
R.W. Moriarty Science Seminar
“Natural History’s Place in Science and Society.” Speaker: Josh Tewksbury We are living in a rapidly changing, increasingly resource limited world starving for answers to complex questions. In that context, the revitalization of natural history is critical, and a head to toe makeover of what it means to be a naturalist is also essential. Tewksbury […]
Educator Workshop: City Nature Challenge
Help your students contribute to science! This workshop will explore the surprising biodiversity of habitats like sidewalk cracks, suburban parking lots, and the diverse array of green spaces that cross our landscape in and around the city. Learn techniques for recording and analyzing nature observations. Use the iNaturalist app to contribute data to crowdsourced science […]
Nature 360: March Nature Lab
Spring is coming—and with it, an insect extravaganza! Learn about biodiversity in the insect world and study unique specimens under the microscope. Explore life cycles of different insects and discover what they can tell us about the health of the environment. Delve into the incredible migration of monarch butterflies and learn how bug enthusiasts observe, […]
Storytime & More
Powdermill Nature Reserve 1795 Route 381, Rector, PA, United StatesWho Will Plant a Tree? The world is full of sprouting trees and places to grow them. But how do they get started? Come explore many of the ways that tree seeds hitch a ride, get bundled with fertilizer, and find themselves planted! After the story, we will plant some native tree seeds to take […]
R.W. Moriarty Science Seminar
“Deciphering Dinosaur Lives: From Microscopes to Madagascar" Kristi Curry-Rogers Macalester College
Educator Workshop: Mammal Evolution
Want to help develop new learning tools that examine the evolution of mammals? Work with scientists and educators from Carnegie Museum of Natural History to test innovative resources that will help your students analyze patterns of evolution, adaptation, and extinction over geologic time. This workshop will introduce specimens that can be borrowed from the museum […]
The Evolution of Sex and Gender
Speaker: Chase Mendenhall, Curator of Birds, Carnegie Museum of Natural History In recent decades, plants and animals have revealed far more body and behavior diversity than Darwin ever imagined, especially with coopering to make and raise offspring. From bacteria to bonobos, the fundamental questions of why sex evolved, how bodies are built, and how gender […]
Game of Thrones…After Dark!
BSA Merit Badge Workshop: Reptile and Amphibian Study
Learn about the lifestyles, diets and habitats of reptiles and amphibians that live locally and globally. Observe and learn identify living reptiles from around the world on a guided tour of the exhibition Reptiles: LIVE! Examine museum specimens to compare and contrast features that help species protect themselves and survive in diverse environments. Merit Badge […]
Science and Nature Program and Nature Explorers
Powdermill Nature Reserve 1795 Route 381, Rector, PA, United StatesReading Tree Rings: The Art and Science of Dendrochronology Rose-Marie Muzika has been a visiting curator of ecology at Powdermill Nature Reserve over the past year. With research interests in forest disturbances such as fire, wind, or insect outbreaks, she uses dendrochronology (the study of tree rings) to gain an understanding of how forests change […]