News
November 4, 2015State Museum Hosts “Brain Food for the Curious” Program Series
New York State Museum scientists will share their knowledge and research in a series of lunchtime talks this fall and winter. “Brain Food for the Curious” will be held select Tuesdays, November through March, from 12:10 to 12:30pm in the Huxley Theater. Each program includes a 20-minute talk with a State Museum scientist followed by an optional question and answer period. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch.
Talk topics and dates are:
Reconstructing Ancient Marine Environments
Tuesday, November 10 | 12:10–12:30 p.m.
How can paleontologists reconstruct an environment that existed 450 million years ago? Join State Paleontologist Dr. Lisa Amati as she describes how scientists use clues that are preserved in rocks and fossils to interpret ancient environments.
Recent Range Shifts of New York Birds: Response to Climate Change?
Tuesday, November 24 | 12:10–12:30 p.m.
Join Curator of Birds Dr. Jeremy Kirchman as he describes his current research and the implications for bird conservation. Since several bird species have expanded their ranges northward in the last 25 years, Dr. Kirchman has resurveyed birds on Whiteface Mountain to examine whether they are also shifting their ranges uphill.
The New York Paleoindian Database Project: Paleoindian Occupations in Central New York
Tuesday, December 8 | 12:10–12:30 p.m.
Join Curator of Archaeology Dr. Jonathan Lothrop as he describes how recently collected data offers new insights on the human colonization of central New York during the Ice Age.
Household Archaeology in Eastern New York
Tuesday, December 22 | 12:10–12:30 p.m.
Archaeologists often use household objects to analyze and interpret the past. Join State Archaeologist Dr. Christina Rieth as she discusses the role of the household at two Late Prehistoric (c. A.D. 700-1400) sites in the Schoharie and Mohawk areas of eastern New York.
Slavery in the Hudson River Valley
Tuesday, January 19 | 12:10–12:30 p.m.
New York was the largest slave holding colony north of Maryland between 1680 – 1770 and Albany was the largest slave owning area north of New York City. Join Curator of Historical Archaeology Dr. Michael Lucas as he discusses preliminary results of fieldwork and research from the Albany area.
Got Time For A Cold One? – The Ice Age of New York State
Tuesday, February 2 | 12:10–12:30 p.m.
Join Museum scientist Dr. Andrew Kozlowski as he discusses new techniques being used to decipher the chronologic puzzle of the Ice Age in New York State.
Development and Ecology in Saber-toothed Cats
Tuesday, February 16 | 12:10–12:30 p.m.
Join Dr. Robert Feranec, Curator of Pleistocene Vertebrate Paleontology, as he discusses tooth development in the saber-toothed cat and why we do not expect to find evidence of saber-toothed cats in New York State.
The Evolution of the Earth’s Materials
Tuesday, March 8 | 12:10–12:30 p.m.
Three eras of mineral and rock evolution—planetary accretion, crust and mantle reworking, and biologically mediated mineralogy—recorded dramatic changes in the diversity and distribution of the Earth’s minerals and rocks. Join Curator of Geology Dr. Marian Lupulescu for a talk on the driving mechanisms and timing of the Earth’s mineral and rock diversification.
More information about “Brain Food for the Curious” is available here: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/programs/lunchtime-talks/.
The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling 518.474.5877 or visiting the Museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.
