Native to North America, turkey vultures are a familiar sight in much of the continental United States. These large birds ride thermal waves in the sky, gliding on columns of warm air heated by the sun. The scavengers use their heightened sense of smell to find food, feasting on carrion. Their sophisticated immune system protects… Continue reading
Support science for our future. Make a gift to the Science Center’s Annual Fund today to help power connections to STEAM for everyone in our community. Asked what the word sustainability means to her, Maddie pauses for a minute to pull up a quote on her computer. “I want to get this definition right,” she… Continue reading
Many people know how much of a nuisance house mice can be, but did you know that they have some interesting abilities? A house mouse can hear in both the human range (audible to humans) and the ultrasonic range (not audible to humans). They are also good jumpers, able to jump a foot straight up… Continue reading
Hard to believe that leeches were kept in this beautiful jar! In the mid-19th century, medical practitioners used these blood-sucking worms as a cure-all, treating everything from boils to headaches. Today doctors continue to employ leeches, though not nearly as often! For example, leeches can be used to prevent tissue death by kick-starting blood flow… Continue reading
The slow-moving porcupinefish has three defense mechanisms to prevent predators from enjoying a tasty meal. The fish can swallow water or air and inflate to about twice its size. It also has a set of sharp spines that stick outward when inflated. Finally, some species of porcupinefish are poisonous, with a neurotoxin at least 1,200… Continue reading
The Fokker Dr.1 Triplane was a German fighter plane made famous during World War I by Germany’s leading flying ace, the “Red Baron.” Baron Manfred von Richthofen scored 80 air combat victories, and was a national hero in Germany. Although not as fast as other fighters, the Fokker Triplane had better rate of climb and… Continue reading
Sharks never stop growing new teeth; they have rows of backup teeth like those visible here in the jaw of this Silvertip Shark. An aggressive shark, the Silvertip is found around the coral reefs and offshore islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They can grow between 6 and 8 feet long, and up to… Continue reading
A galvanometer is an instrument used to indicate the presence, direction, or strength of an electric current. In 1820, scientists found the first connection between electricity and magnetism when they discovered that electric currents create magnetic fields. This particular galvanometer is an astatic galvanometer, which has two needles with opposite polarities that cancels out the… Continue reading
This turtle shell was found in the Pine Ridge area of South Dakota, and dates to the Oligocene epoch (approximately 34 million years ago). The Badlands of South Dakota contains one of the largest deposits of Oligocene fossils in the world. The area is filled with marine fossils and turtle shells, evidence that the middle… Continue reading
Also known as ‘The Emperor of India,’ this rare and magnificent butterfly is found along the Eastern Himalayas. The Kaiser-i-hind is a type of swallowtail butterfly that lives exclusively in the higher elevation forests between 6,000 and 10,000 feet above sea level. Logging activities in the Himalayas have diminished the butterfly’s habitat and placed it… Continue reading
