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Minnesota Skies: August 2020
Published07/30/2020
Traditionally, Indigenous people keenly observed celestial objects, especially the Moon, and kept track of the passing of time. Each full Moon marked the passing of one month and reflected the “moon time” of women (menstruation). Seasonal activities that were culturally significant each month became the name of each month. Some…Read More -
Bird Bingo
Published07/27/2020
Explore #BellOutside by playing along with this game of Bird Bingo. How many of these birds can you spot in the Learning Landscape or in your own neighborhood? -
Happy National Moth Week!
Published07/16/2020 , By Heather Cummins, gallery programs coordinator and Minnesota Master Naturalist
National Moth Week (NMW) is a worldwide movement that began in 2012 to “celebrate the beauty, life cycles, and habitats of moths.” NMW encourages everyone, everywhere to become citizen scientists by contributing to global scientific data gathering for moths. -
Minnesota Skies: July 2020
Published06/30/2020 , By Deane Morrison, Thaddeus LaCoursiere & Sarah Komperud
This month Jupiter and Saturn dominate the evening sky, while Venus climbs into prominence as a predawn planet. -
National Pollinator Week 2020
Published06/22/2020 , By Heather, Gallery Programs Coordinator & MN Master Naturalist; Adam, Gallery Programs Assistant
Pollinators play a key role in plant reproduction for the majority of flowering plant species. When pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, bats, birds, and many other insects visit flowers, they end up moving pollen from flower to flower, which results in plant fertilization. While some plants are able to self-fertilize,…Read More -
Three Cheers for the Giant Water Bug
Published06/17/2020 , By Holly Menninger, director of public engagement and science learning
As you toast the fathers in your life this coming Father’s Day, let’s also give a nod to the dads across the animal kingdom who are caring for, protecting, and teaching the next generation of offspring. -
Meet the Beetles
Published06/09/2020
Did you know we have a colony of dermestid beetles in the collections to prepare skeletons from carcasses? -
Minnesota Skies: June 2020
Published05/27/2020 , By Deane Morrison, Thaddeus LaCoursiere & Sarah Komperud
Venus has just left the evening sky, and now Jupiter and Saturn are moving in. By mid-month, both will be up in the southeast before midnight. Jupiter, by far the brighter planet, shines west of Saturn and leads the ringed planet across the night sky. -
2020 Graduate Awards & Fellowships
Published05/19/2020
Congratulations to 2020 recipients of these natural history awards and fellowships! -
Adventures in Plant Evolution
Published05/13/2020 , By Eve Daniels
Ya Yang hiked to a glacier in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Lightning cracked in the distance. Yang and her collaborators found the plant they were looking for, pulled it from the icy water, roots and all.