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April @ Natural History - April 2015
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Orchid Exhibition 2015


Credit: James Osen, Smithsonian Institution.
Orchids: Interlocking Science and Beauty
Nature's Best Photography: Windland Smith Rice International Awards
Closing April 26, 2015. Come see and smell the amazing and beautiful world of orchids in this limited engagement.

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Closing April 20, 2015. Witness wildlife through the eyes of some of the most talented amateur and professional photographers.

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MORE EXHIBITS >
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National Museum of Natural History on the National Mall

Credit: Smithsonian Institution.
Living in the Anthropocene: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow  Smithsonian Senate of Scientists' Lightning Talks
Featuring W. John Kress, Ph.D., Interim Under Secretary for Science, Smithsonian Institution.

We are living in the Anthropocene, also known as the Age of Humans. Never in its 4.6 billion year history has the Earth been so greatly affected by one species as it is now being affected by humans. But environmental change is not just a scientific issue. It is at the heart of one of the greatest social, cultural, economic, and political challenges of this century and hence a challenge for scholars in the humanities as well as the sciences.

Part of the series, "Anthropocene: Life in the Age of Humans."

Wednesday, April 8, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.


Baird Auditorium, Ground Floor 

Learn more and RSVP > 
Eight "lightning fast" talks presented by National Museum of Natural History scientists.

For the first time, the wildly popular Lightning Talks are open to the public! The goal of the lightning fast format is to allow a diverse group of speakers to introduce their research to the Museum community. During this round of Lightning Talks, all are invited to get an inside look at scientists' latest discoveries. We will have two sessions, each with four talks followed by time for discussion, including questions from the audience.

Part of the series, "Anthropocene: Life in the Age of Humans."

Friday, April 10, 10:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Baird Auditorium, Ground Floor

Learn more and RSVP > 
Is There Hope for the Ocean?
National Math Fest: Discover the Math Behind the Science
Featuring Nancy Knowlton, Ph.D., Sant Chair for Marine Science, Smithsonian Institution.

The narrative of “doom and gloom” dominates the news about the ocean.   But is the ocean really too big and too far gone to save?  Definitely not. The losses of ocean life and ecosystems suffered to date stem mostly from overfishing, habitat destruction and pollution – local problems we can all do something about. Learn about our successes in saving species, protecting places, harvesting wisely, reducing pollution, and restoring habitats, and how we can communicate these examples to provide social momentum needed to scale them up. Do you have an ocean success story to share?

Monday, April 13, 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Q?rius Theater, Ground Floor

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Come participate in the first National Festival dedicated to discovering the delight and power of mathematics in everyday life. Interactive programs will take place throughout the day in Q?rius.

Math is everywhere and integral to the scientific research process that takes place every day at the Natural History Museum and at Smithsonian sites around the globe. The National Math Festival is organized by the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) and the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution.   

Saturday, April 18, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Q?rius, Ground Floor

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Earth Day Programs
Imagining the Human Future: Ethics for the Anthropocene
Research and Recycling: Sustainability in Laboratories of Analytical Biology (L.A.B.)
Learn how L.A.B. personnel initiated a creative solution to recycle waste through a collaboration with Whole Foods.

Wednesday, April 22, 2 - 4 p.m.
Q?rius, Ground Floor

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Garbology: A Waste Audit at the National Museum of Natural History
Stop in to learn how the Museum sorts recyclables thrown into trash cans by the public and how we gather data to inform decisions about container design and placement.

Wednesday, April 22, 2 - 5 p.m.
Constitution Avenue Entrance

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Homo sapiens has always lived in the world by altering it. Our species now inhabits the entire globe and our behavior increasingly impacts ecological systems on a planetary scale. This epoch has been identified as the Age of Humans, or the Anthropocene. As we imagine the future of humanity, what set of ethical guidelines might lead us toward a future that is beneficial for humans and also for non-human life with which we share this planet? How might our existing secular and religious ethical traditions encourage these guidelines? Join the Smithsonian’s Human Origins Broader Social Impacts Committee and keynote speaker Dale Jamieson, author of Reason in a Dark Time, for a presentation and discussion of these present and future challenges.

Sunday, April 26, 1:30 - 3 p.m.

Q?rius Theater, Ground Floor

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The Role of Musicians in the Peace and Environmental Movements
Smithsonian Sleepovers
The National Museum of Natural History and The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland present a unique evening illuminating how artists are responding to pressing environmental challenges through art, community-based work, and other creative methods that spread important messages about sustainability and climate change.   

Monday, April 27, 6:45 - 7:45 p.m.

Baird Auditorium, Ground Floor

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Ages 8-12. A night of adventure awaits you as you enter the National Museum of Natural History, just as the doors are closing ... the lights dim ... the crowds shuffle out ... and the wonders of the Museum's halls are yours to explore. Go on an interactive exploration of the Museum, participate in craft projects, and view the IMAX film, Jean-Michel Cousteau's Secret Ocean 3D.

Tickets available for the following dates: Friday, May 15; Saturday, June 13; Friday, June 26; or Friday, July 3.

Learn more and reserve tickets >
MORE EVENTS >
Educational Programs
Smithsonian Science How Webcast with Mike Wise
Live Webcast - Mineral Dependence: Gemstones to Cellphones
Art+Science Workshop for Teens: "Tattoo Universe"
Michael Wise is a geologist at the National Museum of Natural History. Join him live on April 16 at 11am and 2pm EDT to explore pegmatite mines and our reliance on them for a variety of materials, from gems to contents of cellphones.

Thursday, April 16, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. EDT

Learn more >

View the webcast live at qrius.si.edu/live >
Teens will explore tattoos through the lenses of anthropology and art, investigating tattooing in other cultures and their own. They will have the opportunity to learn from tattoo experts to research and create art inspired by tattoo culture using print and digital media.

April 13-15, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Q?rius, Ground Floor

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Experts Are In!
Experts are in Q?rius and Museum exhibition halls every week to talk with visitors about current research.

View the current schedule >
MORE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS >
Research
Evolution of Whale Hearing - Image by Maya Yamato
Credit: Maya Yamato, Smithsonian Institution. 
Smithsonian Scientists Reconstruct Evolutionary History of Whale Hearing Using a Rare Museum Collection
Skull Comparisons and Dietary Data Reveal How Land Animals Evolved to Feed in the Sea
In a new study, scientists at the National Museum of Natural History used a CT scanner to study the tiny fetal ear bones of 15 whale species to better understand how whale hearing evolved over millions of years.

Read more >
A team of scientists from the National Museum of Natural History and University of California at Davis used dietary data of living marine species to develop a comprehensive ecological perspective of their evolutionary origins.

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MORE RESEARCH >
Get Involved
Volunteers in the Live Butterfly Pavilion
Credit: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
Support the Museum Today Volunteer Opportunities
Spring is a time for growth and renewal. Your renewal of support this season will help broaden the impact of the Museum’s research, collections, educational programs and exhibitions. Learn more by watching our Campaign video.  

Find out how supporting the Smithsonian Campaign furthers understanding of the natural world and our place in it >

Make a gift today >
As the Museum celebrates Volunteer Recognition Month, it invites you to consider being a volunteer. Your skills, knowledge, abilities and enthusiasm could make a positive impact in our programs, collections, and visitors.

Read a blog post from one of our volunteers >

Learn about volunteer opportunities >
MORE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED >
Banner Image - Reef
BANNER IMAGE:
Photograph by Brian Zgliczynski.
Reef in the Southern Line Islands, a remote atoll in the Pacific. Learn more about this and other ocean habitats during a talk on April 13 by marine biologist Nancy Knowlton, "Is There Hope for the Ocean?"
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