Science

Surviving Winter

Surviving Winter

As the holiday season looms upon us, scholarly events temporarily dwindle.  This presents a conundrum.  Scholars generally like to keep intellectually active throughout the winter months but also prefer avoiding the incessant loop of every rendition of Jingle Bells known to man.  Here are some ideas to help you get out of the house but dodge the holiday bustle, strongly scented spruce, and glitter.

Star Party with the Minnesota Astronomical Society

Star Party with the Minnesota Astronomical Society

Star Party -- Noun: A gathering of astronomers from every age, background, and experience sharing their love of astronomy and telescopes with the general public.  Less formally: An incredible chance for people of all walks of life to experience the joy of staring at Saturn through the telescope of someone that knows what all those shiny knobs are.

Social Science and Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience, The Video

For those that need to see to believe, check out this video featuring Social Science: Superhero Science and Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Open through September 7th, Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience gives visitors a window into what it’s like to not only live in space but how scientists solve problems inherent in low-orbit residence.  

An Ode to Scientific Celebrations

An Ode to Scientific Celebrations

“We have a healthy spacecraft.  We’ve recorded data of the Pluto System, and we’re outbound from Pluto.”  With that beautiful sentence from New Horizons Mission Operations Manager, Alice Bowman, a tremendous cheer was heard throughout the land.  New Horizons phoned home.  Millions watched, followed, and tweeted during the live event.  If you were lucky, you attended a live event celebrating this monumental achievement.  If you were blessed by Sagan, you attended TWO!

Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience

Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience

Open through September 7th, Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience gives visitors a window into what it’s like to not only live in space but how scientists solve problems inherent in low-orbit residence.  How will the astronauts eat?  How can they perform necessary experiments?  How will long term weightlessness affect their bodies?  With all the risks, how can we keep our astronauts alive?  Necessary to solve for long term missions, many questions scientists are working on now are revealed in this exhibit.

Café Scientifique: Feathered Ghosts: The Fish-Eating Owls of Northeast Asia

Café Scientifique: Feathered Ghosts: The Fish-Eating Owls of Northeast Asia

When winning the signature Café Scientifique trivia questions consists of wild guesses, you know it’s going to be a good topic.  Fish-eating owls of Northeast Asia is a subject most know nothing about.  You know who does?  Dr. Jonathan C. Slaght.  Dr. Slaght is a conservation biologist for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Russia Program as well as one of the leading experts on a rare raptor, the Blakiston’s fish-eating owl.

Café Scientifique: Earth 2.0: Habitable Exoplanets?

Café Scientifique: Earth 2.0: Habitable Exoplanets?

 “What do you call a gas giant orbiting a star closer than the earth orbits our sun?”  I raise my hand in a perfect imitation of Hermione.  “A hot jupiter!”  My correct answer is rewarded with a specimen from the curator’s drawer and a print out of old-school light readings from a distant star.  Swoon.  Café Scientifique gets me.