Press

ALBANY – New York State Museum geologists, biologists, historians and curators will share their knowledge and research on a wide variety of topics in a series of fall lunchtime lectures – “Brain Food for the Curious” -- at the State Museum, beginning September 15.

All lectures are free and will be held on Wednesdays at noon in the Huxley Theater. Lecture topics and dates are:

• September 15 – “Aquatic Critters Are Being Killed. Who Done It?” Dr. Dan Molloy, the director of the Museum’s Field Research Laboratory, will assume the role of disease detective, calling on his international network of scientific sleuths, to solve mysteries involving animals – especially microscopic ones – discovered dying in our lakes or rivers. This is CSI: NYS Museum on a budget!
• September 22 – “The Straight Story on the Marcellus Shale.” Dr. Taury Smith, an oil and gas geologist and the curator of subsurface geological collections at the Museum, will provide information on the geology of the Marcellus Shale, how and where wells could be drilled and “hydrofracked” in New York State, and the likely environmental and economic impact of shale gas production, both locally and globally.
• September 29 – “Global Warming Isn’t Going Away.” The Earth has just experienced the warmest 12 months in recorded history, yet polls show an American public that is increasingly skeptical of the scientific consensus position that human activity is warming the climate. Geologist Dr. Taury Smith will present evidence for global warming and discusses how media coverage is weakening the case for action.
• October 6 – “Shaking the Helderbergs: Earthquakes in Berne, 1980 to 2010.” When people think of earthquakes they are likely to think of California, Indonesia, and China. There were 23earthquakes in the Helderbergs last year. Geologists are puzzled by small, deep earthquakes in the town of Berne, 3–13 miles below the surface. Dr. Charles Ver Straeten, a sedimentary geologist, will delve into the mystery.
• October 13 – “Human Frogs! The Twisted Story of Two Vaudeville Performers.” Friede and Harry DeMarlo toured the globe between 1910 and 1928 performing contortionist and trapeze acts. In their most famous act, “A Frog’s Paradise,” they contorted their bodies into frog-like poses. Dr. Jennifer Lemak, senior historian, will piece together their extraordinary life based on artifacts in the Museum collection.

• October 20 – “Should We Go Nuclear?” The amount of the relatively carbon dioxide-free form of energy generated by nuclear power plants may increase in the next few years, but there are some constraints on future nuclear energy use. Dr. Marian Lupulescu, curator of geology, will analyze the availability of the uranium resources and the disposal of nuclear waste.
• October 27 – “Zebra Mussels and The Batten Kill: What’s the Threat?” Zebra mussels are unwanted invaders in New York State lakes and rivers, causing harm to native aquatic life. When they were discovered one year ago in the Batten Kill, a trout stream in Washington County, residents and sportsmen feared the worst. Research scientist Denise Mayer will discuss what can be done to protect this river.
• November 3 – “Meet the People of Colonial Albany Online at the People of Colonial Albany Live Here Website.” Community historian Stefan Bielinski will lead an interactive tour of new and improved features of the community history website dedicated to the 16,000 people who founded and built the city of Albany from 1686 to 1800. The site has more than 3,000 separate features and millions of visitors every year. New features are added virtually every day.
• November 10 – “Qualla Arts and the Federal IACB Among Eastern Native Nations.”
  Intertribal influences of the Eastern Cherokees’ famous Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual (est. 1946) are largely forgotten. During the 1960s–80s, however, their master craftspeople led Indian and Arts and Crafts Board workshops for other Nations in the East, sparking crafts revitalization in several. Dr. Betty Duggan, curator of ethnography and ethnology, will discuss this revitalization.
• November 17 – “Taking the Pulse of the Moving Animal Planet.” The Earth is in constant motion through the daily patrols and yearly migrations of animals. Dr. Roland Kays, curator of mammals, will provide an around-the-world tour of discoveries made with the assistance of new technologies that allow tracking of bees through the forest, birds on cross-continental flights, and predators moving into your backyard.

The State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Founded in 1836, the Museum has the longest continuously operating state natural history research and collection survey in the U.S. Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

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