American Museum of Natural History Announces March Programs

American Museum of Natural History has just announced March Programs:

The Future of Food
Tuesday, March 5
Linder Theater
$15; $13.50 Members, seniors, students
What are the hidden forces that shape what we eat? How will biotechnology and trade change our food systems in the future? Are genetically modified foods the problem, the solution, or beside the point? Can we "patent" nature? Bust through common myths and discover the real science and issues beyond the headlines in this groundbreaking conversation with experts from diverse fields. Join plant geneticist Paul Gepts, economic journalist FrEd Kaufman, ethicist Paul Root Wolpe, and intellectual property lawyer Rochelle Dreyfuss for an intellectual feast about the future of food.

SciCafe: Green-blooded Lizards and Malaria Genetics
Wednesday, March 6
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Program begins at 7 pm
Seating is available on a first come, first-served basis
Free with cash bar
21+ with ID
On the island of New Guinea there are unusual lizards with bright green blood. Could these reptiles offer clues to better understand diseases in humans like malaria and jaundice? Museum Associate Curator Susan Perkins and Chris Austin, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Louisiana State University, will discuss their work on this system, including the power of genomics and comparative biology to help advance the field of medicine.

Human health-related SciCafes are supported by the National Center for Research Resources and the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives of the National Institutes of Health through Grant Number R25 OD011093.

Family Astronomy
Saturday, March 9, at 6:30 pm
Hayden Planetarium
$12; $10 Members
Join us in the Hayden Planetarium for an evening of star-hopping, mythology, and stories of the sky. Astronomer and NASA Ambassador Laura Venner will guide our young astronomers and their families as they learn about the stars of the late-winter sky and practice skills in finding and identifying them.

Milstein Science Series: Milstein Ocean Eats
Sunday, March 10, from 11 am to 4 pm
Milstein Hall of Ocean Life
Free for Members or with Museum admission
Explore the relationship between humans and the oceans, from cultural traditions and fishing practices to sustainable seafood, and learn how to be a steward of Earth's seas.

Shellshocked: Saving Oysters to Save Ourselves
Sunday, March 10, at 5 pm
Kaufmann Theater
Free for Members or with Museum admission
Part of the Milstein Science Series, the film SHELLSHOCKED: Saving Oysters to Save Ourselves follows efforts in New York Harbor to prevent the extinction of wild oyster reefs, which keep our oceans healthy by filtering water and engineering ecosystems.

Other Earths and Life in the Universe with Geoff Marcy
Monday, March 11, at 7:30 pm
Hayden Planetarium
$15; $13.50 Members, students, seniors
Science fiction portrays our Milky Way Galaxy as filled with habitable planets populated by advanced civilizations engaged in interstellar trade, conflict, super-technology, and romance. Back in our real universe, Earth-like planets and extraterrestrial life have proved elusive; not a microbe has been found. NASA's new space-borne Kepler telescope is finding the first Earth-like worlds around other stars. But what properties make a planet suitable for technological life? Could advanced life be more rare than we imagine?

The Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Nature
Wednesday, March 13, at 6:30 pm
Kaufmann Theater
$15 adults; $13.50 seniors, students; Free for Members
Biologist David Haskell uses a one-square-meter patch of old-growth Tennessee forest as a window into the ecology and evolution of North American forests. Visiting it almost daily for one year to trace nature's path through the seasons, he brings the forest and its inhabitants to vivid life in his book, The Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Nature, and in this talk, which offers scientific insights into the workings of forests and personal reflections on the practice of close observation of nature. A book signing will follow.

2013 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate: The Existence of Nothing
Wednesday, March 20, at 7:30 pm
Kaufmann Theater
Tickets in main theater sold out; simulcast tickets still available for $8
The concept of nothing is as old as zero itself. How do we grapple with the concept of nothing? From the best laboratory vacuums on Earth to the vacuum of space to what lies beyond, the idea of nothing continues to intrigue professionals and the public alike. Join Hayden Planetarium Director Neil deGrasse Tyson as he moderates the world's leading voices in this great scientific debate.

The late Dr. Isaac Asimov, one of the most prolific and influential authors of our time, was a dear friend and supporter of the American Museum of Natural History. In his memory, the Hayden Planetarium is honored to host the annuAl Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate-generously endowed by relatives, friends, and admirers of Isaac Asimov and his work-bringing the finest minds in the world to the Museum each year to debate pressing questions on the frontier of scientific discovery. Proceeds from ticket sales of the Isaac Asimov Memorial Debates benefit the scientific and educational programs of the Hayden Planetarium.

Foraging: Eating From Nature's Garden
Thursday, March 21, at 6:30 pm
Linder Theater
$30
Taste samples from Tama Matsuoka Wong, forager for DANIEL, the renowned New York City restaurant, and author of Foraged Flavor: Finding Fabulous Ingredients in Your Backyard or Farmer's Market. Learn how eating from nature's garden can add deliciousness to the modern dining table. A book signing will follow.

Me and My Earth: Conservation Science in Action
Monday-Friday, March 25-29, from 9 am to 4 pm
$550; $525 members
Interested in conservation science? Take a walk in Theodore Roosevelt's boots by trekking through urban environments, learning data-gathering techniques and technologies conservation scientists use to explore endangered habitats, and designing an original conservation plan based on your fieldwork. To learn more and to apply, visit amnh.org/ais.

Spring Skies: A Comet is Coming! With Joe Rao
Tuesday, March 26, at 6:30 pm
Hayden Planetarium Space Theater
$15; $13.50 Members, students, seniors
Most comets-those dazzling, mysterious visitors from the depths of space-turn out to be unimpressive sky objects, but in July 2011, astronomers in Hawaii using a special robotic telescope found a comet that shows some promise to put on a good show during March 2013. We can talk about the historical and scientific importance of comets and then, usingthe Zeiss IX projector, show just where to look for the new Comet PANSTARRS.

Visit amnh.org for more information.