NHM May to September 1995 Lecture Series
All the lectures will take place on Saturdays at 14.00 in
the Palaeontology Demonstration Room and will last for
approximately 45 minutes. The Palaeontology
Demonstration Room is next to the entrance to Gallery 39.
The lectures are aimed at family audiences. The
recommended minimum age is 8 years unless otherwise
indicated.
Join our scientists for this series of lectures
where they will be exploring the natural world.
May 13: Catching creepy crawlies
Martin Brendell
In order to understand and so save the world’s tropical
rainforests, we must firstly discover and describe all
the species that live within them. But as Martin
Brendell from the Entomology department will explain, the
task of collecting specimens from insect populations is
never easy, and is full of ups and downs, especially when
sampling from the rainforest tree tops to the forest
floor.
May 27: Flesh-eating plants
Joyce Pope
In order to survive in nutrient-poor soils, the Venus fly
trap, the sundew and the pitcher plant have evolved
special adaptations to guarantee their food supply: they
trap and digest small creatures and insects. To find out
how these plants manage to catch and consume their prey
join Joyce Pope for all the answers.
June 10: Seaweeds and their secrets
Ian Tittley
Did you know that there are 600 species of seaweed to be
found along the coasts of Great Britain? Or that some
seaweeds are microscopic? Or even that every day each
one of us uses a product made from a seaweed? For more
fascinating facts about seaweed join Ian Tittley from the
Museum’s Botany department.
June 17: Fossil sharks
Alison Longbottom
From their large and sharp fossilized teeth we know that
sharks have been extremely effective predators for many
millions of years. To learn more about the ancient sharks
join Alison Longbottom from the Palaeontology department
as she describes the life of the prehistoric ‘Jaws’.
June 24: From the beginning.....
Dr Dave Roberts
From the fossil record we know that life on Earth first
appeared more than 3700 million years ago. These early
life forms were single-celled and extremely diverse. In
fact, as Dr Dave Roberts from the Museum’s Microbiology
Group will explain, the diversity of these single-celled
organisms is far greater than that found in the later
evolving kingdoms of animals and plants.
This talk forms part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations
for the Society for General Microbiology.
Recommended minimum age 12 years.
July 8: Gold
Dr Richard Herrington
Gold has always been the ultimate symbol of wealth. In
the past, entire civilizations were built upon possession
of this precious metal, and even today gold is still very
much in demand. The discovery of new gold deposits
requires an in-depth understanding of the geological
processes taking place in the Earth’s crust, as Dr
Richard Herrington from the Mineralogy department will
explain.
July 15: Medicinal plants
Roy Vickery
Over the centuries plants have been used to treat every
kind of illness. Some plants do indeed help: willow has
pain-killing qualities, whilst the derivative of foxglove
can be used in the treatment of heart complaints. Other
remedies, however, are not so effective and are best
forgotten, as Roy Vickery from the Botany department will
explain.
July 29: Glorious gems
Cally Hall
Gems such as the Star of India are beyond compare both in
beauty and in price. Many also have an illustrious past,
and are involved in tales of intrigue, greed and
superstition. To discover why these gems are so valuable
and in such demand, join Cally Hall from the Mineralogy
department as she explores the world of emeralds,
sapphires and diamonds.
August 5: Rocks to riches
William Lindsay
From pterosaurs to plesiosaurs, dragonflies to ducks, the
excavation and reconstruction of fossil animals requires
painstaking and elaborate techniques as William Lindsay
from the Palaeontology department will explain.
August 12: Dinosaurs and popular culture
Mike Howgate
In the past, dinosaurs were portrayed as large, slow
lumbering lizards, yet today, having seen the latest
films, we think of certain dinosaurs as quick-witted and
calculating. To explore the myths behind these popular
images and to learn more about the real dinosaurs join
dinosaur-expert Mike Howgate.
August 19: Nature detectives
Joyce Pope
Apart from the odd scurrying noise or dropping, most of
us never see the large vareity of animals with whom we
share our environment. In order to help you spot your
invisible neighbours Joyce Pope will share her a list of
clues and handy tips.
August 26: The different dinosaurs
Mike Howgate
You may know all about Tyrannosaurus rex and Stegosaurus,
but what about the less familiar Ultrasaurus and
Carnotaurus? Join Mike Howgate as he decribes some new
and exotic species of dinosaur along with some of our old
favorites.
September 16: The man behind the NHM
John Thackray
Sir Hans Sloane was a wealthy eighteenth century London
doctor who amassed an enormous collection of natural
history specimens, which he bequeathed to the nation on
his death. As the Museum’s archivist John Thackray will
explain, it was this collection that formed the origins
of the natural history department in the British Museum,
and thus The Natural History Museum.
Recommended minimum age 12 years.
September 23: The unseen hordes
Kevin Tuck
From huge silk moths to tiny leaf-miners, the world of
moths is very varied. Not only do they come in all
shapes and sizes, they can often be as brightly coloured
as butterflies, and some even possess incredibly strange
lifecycles. For a fascinating tour among this beautiful
insect group join Kevin Tuck from the Entomology
department.
All the lectures will take place on Saturdays at 14.00 in
the Palaeontology Demonstration Room and will last for
approximately 45 minutes. The Palaeontology
Demonstration Room is next to the entrance to Gallery 39.
The lectures are aimed at family audiences. The
recommended minimum age is 8 years unless otherwise
indicated.
Talks at a glance
April 8 Cosmic collisions
April 15 Australian animals
April 29 Killer snails of the coral reefs
May 13 Termite town
May 27 Flesh-eating plants
June 10 Seaweeds and their secrets
June 17 Fossil sharks
June 24 From the beginning...
July 8 Gold
July 15 Medicinal plants
July 29 Glorious gems
August 5 Rocks to riches
August 12 Dinosaurs and popular culture
August 19 Nature detectives
August 26 The different dinosaurs
September 16 The man behind the NHM
September 23 The unseen hordes
Events are free on admission to the Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road,
London, SW7 5BD
Telephone: 0171-938 9123
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This Document is maintained by Fiona Mitchell-Innes and
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