How do you recreate the ocean in a box? National Zoo Keeper Mike Henley talks about how he cares for the aquatic invertebrates in the Zoo’s collection and how the National Zoo is also working to preserve them in their native habitats.
When birds and planes collide: Carla Dove, a forensic ornithologist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, talks about the work of the Smithsonian’s Feather Identification Lab and its role in improving aviation safety.
Smithsonian Scientist Helen James dives into dormant Hawaiian volcanoes to find bird fossils. Her work to identify these species (some new species, some extinct) helps us learn about the past–specifically, how humans might have caused the extinction of certain bird species.
Invasive plant species are threatening native species across the globe. Learn how scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Center in Panama are trying to fight one species of grass in Panama that is wreaking havoc on the country’s tropical biodiversity.
What determines the variety of trees in a tropical forest? Is it the seed size? Perhaps seed-hungry animals? And what happens to forests that are being drastically changed by humans? Smithsonian Tropical Research Center Botanist, Helene Muller Landau, talks about her attempt to find answers to these questions.
Smithsonian Tropical Research Center Botanist Stefan Schnitzer talks about his work studying lianas (woody vines) in the jungles of Panama. These hardy vines compete with trees for water and nutrients and also act as highways for jungle animals moving through the forest canopy.
Dr. Mary Hagedorn, a marine biologist at the Smithsonian Institution, talks about her research to understand and conserve our oceans’ corals.
Dr. Thomas R. Watters of the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum talks about his research in astronomy, particularly our moon. More about space science at http://www.nasm.si.edu
Science Spotlight
