Watersheds, 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, […]

A 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, […]

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 […]

“Rack, Rum, or Brandy—What We Know (and Don’t Know) About Fluid Preservation.” John Simmons Penn State University

Bluebird 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 […]

Attracting 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 […]

“Climate Change Comes to Thoreau’s Concord.” Richard Primack Boston University

Moonlight 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 […]

“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 […]

Who 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 […]

“Deciphering Dinosaur Lives: From Microscopes to Madagascar" Kristi Curry-Rogers Macalester College

Reading 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 […]