Brain Box presents:
Fly Me to the Moon with the Science Museum of Virginia
Science Museum of Virginia’s astronomer Justin Bartel is back in the studios and this time he’s talking to us about our nearest neighbor, the moon. Did you know that humans will be landing on the moon again for the first time in over fifty years?! In this episode, Justin tells us about the Artemis program and their upcoming missions (in Greek mythology, Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo; it was NASA’s Apollo program that landed the first men on the moon).
Also, there is an exciting lunar event coming up on April 8th: a total solar eclipse! Justin tells us why eclipses occur, what we can learn from them, and how we can best (and safely) view them.
To learn more, visit:
NASA’s page on the Artemis program
NASA’s page on the 2024 total solar eclipse
Brain Box presents:
In the Octopus’ Garden with the Science Museum of Virginia
Photo by Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash
Is it octopuses or octopi? (Hint: it’s not octopods). Timshel Purdum, the Science Museum of Virginia’s Virginia C. Ellet Deputy Director of Education, is back at WRIR studios to tell us about one of her favorite creatures – the octopus (and the class to which it belongs, the cephalopods). Tune in to learn some mind-blowing facts about these fascinating and intelligent beings under the sea.
Further reading/watching:
Many Things Under a Rock by David Scheel
Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith
Brain Box presents:
Blasting Off with the Science Museum of Virginia
The Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares rocket, with the Cygnus cargo spacecraft aboard, launching from NASA Wallops Flight Facility in 2013. Source: https://www.nasa.gov/image-detail/antares-cygnus-cargo-resupply/
Ever wondered what a rocket launch is like? The Science Museum of Virginia’s astronomer, Justin Bartel, recently attended one at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Accomack County, VA and came by to tell us all about it. Tune in to learn about some of the unusual infrastructure around Wallops, the cargo on this particular launch, and what goes on at Wallops other than rocket launches. Plus: other astronomy activities happening in Virginia and what’s new at the Dome.
For more information, visit:
Brain Box is a collaboration between WRIR 97.3 LP-FM Richmond and the Science Museum of Virginia.
Brain Box presents:
What’s Growing at Richmond’s Newest Park at the Science Museum of Virginia
This aerial view shows the vision for The Green, a 6-acre public park along Broad Street. Source: https://smv.org/explore/green/visuals-green/
Did you know the city of Richmond has a new public park? The Green is a public space where the Science Museum of Virginia has converted parking lots into greenspace. In this episode we are talking to the Museum’s first ever horticulturist, Tyler Holtzman, who tells us about what The Green is, how the project has unfolded, and how this new greenspace will benefit the city. Tune in to learn more about native (indigenous) plants, how the Museum is using ecologically beneficial and sustainable practices in managing The Green, and how you can incorporate some of these ideas and practices into your home garden.
For more information, visit https://smv.org/explore/green or head on over to The Green – it’s free and open to the public!
amiller Brain Box October 2nd, 2023
Tags: horticulture, plants, science, smova
Brain Box presents:
Talkin’ dinosaurs with the Science Museum of Virginia
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Photo source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-many-dinosaurs-remain-undiscovered-180982560/
Did you love dinosaurs as a kid (and maybe still do)? Do you dig fossils (pun intended)? Our guest on this episode is Timshel Purdum, the Virginia C. Ellett Deputy Director of Education at the Science Museum of Virginia, and she’s teaching us about dinosaurs and paleontology. Move over Littlefoot, these aren’t the dinos of the ’80s and ’90s – the dinosaurs we know of today have feathers and colors, and we are learning more than ever in this new golden age of dinosaur science. And yes, we do talk about Jurassic Park.
For more dinosaur fun facts, visit the Science Museum of Virginia’s website.
More information about digging for fossils with the Elevation Science Institute can be found on their website.
Brain Box is a collaboration between WRIR and the Science Museum of Virginia. Tune in every first Monday at noon only on WRIR-LP 97.3FM Richmond or at wrir.org.