Ana Ka'ahanui & Stella Tarnay, Co-founders of Capital Nature, bring the wonders of Community science to your fingertips! Community science, also known as citizen science, is a great way to connect to nature and help scientists collect data for research and conservation. Area residents are also employing community science to advocate for environmental justice and health in their communities. Join Capital Nature and explore how you can get involved with projects locally or globally to learn about a favorite species or natural phenomenon, contribute to scientific knowledge, and/or protect the wellbeing of your community
Symone Johnson Barkley, Manager of Education Programs at the National Aquarium, takes us for a dive into the mysteries of the deep. The deep ocean contains some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth. Learn about these creatures, their adaptations, and their habitat by creating your own hydrothermal vent!
Listen to fantastic nature stories by Alonso Abugattas, founder of Capital Naturalist, about fatal attractions, deceptive tricks, bioluminescence, and more. Like a moth to the flame, this presentation will lure participants into learning some of the mysteries of the natural world. Some of them can be explained, and others we have yet to find a suitable answer for. Tune in to some of Mother Nature’s little known stories, mysteries and natural facts that are bizarre, deceiving, or just fascinatingly unknown.
Dr. Matt Kasson and Dr. Brian Lovett will give you a fascinating look at the fungi pathogens controlling the minds of insects. Cicadas, flies and ants are doomed to become zombies through the infection of these organisms.
Join ANS Restoration Manager Bradley Simpson to explore the top 10 tree species native to the DMV. We will discuss how these trees benefit the Chesapeake Bay region and the wildlife that depend on them for survival. You'll also learn how to identify these trees and where to find them in our region.
Dr. Anneke DeLuycker, Associate Professor at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, explores the lives of our primate cousins, the threats they face, and why we should conserve them. Learn about her long-term research on the Andean titi monkey, a critically endangered species living in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Peru.
Peek into the lives of these relatively unknown species, and watch remarkable footage of a female titi monkey giving birth in the wild!
In 2016, Bill Young took a cruise from Southern Argentina to the Falklands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula. On the trip, he saw nearly a million penguins from seven species. Enjoy his accounts of that adventure, and of the species he observed. Learn about the penguins' biology, behavior, and the environmental issues affecting them.
Careful with what you spread! Entomologist Samuel Ramsey illustrates how North American species have spread around the world and how we're just beginning to realize the broader impacts of these invasions. Learn what makes a species likely to invade and what individual behaviors and policies can prevent invasions and address their aftermath.
What actions could you take today that would help solve the climate and waste crises? In this talk, Stephanie Miller will describe 10 easy steps that busy people can take and know that they are having a positive environmental impact. These actions fall into three areas she calls her “magic three”: focus on food, purge plastics and recycle right. You will leave the conversation feeling empowered to take action today and help others around you do the same.
Learn some of the many ways that our woodland trees, wildflowers and wildlife interact, whether for food, pollination or seed dispersal.
Explore the marvels of underground tree communication with ANS Mycologist Serenella Linares. Learn how plants and fungi are connected under your feet and the different signals that are sent to rule the forest, from the bottom up!