Skip to content. Skip to footer.

Events Archive

The Museum annually hosts dozens of special events featuring everything from astronauts to artists, robots to raptors. See who has joined us over the years for these special offerings; many listings include audio, video, and reference materials.
  • Now Viewing:


Extreme Weather (Lecture)

February 01, 2012
In this post-Katrina era, we are more aware than ever of our vulnerability to natural disasters. Yet a 2007 survey conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that more than 30 percent of residents living within 20 miles of the coastline vowed they would not leave if ordered to evacuate for a major hurricane ... (details).
With: Bonnie Schneider, meteorologist, CNN Headline News.

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (Lecture)

January 30, 2012
With only a few days left before their high school graduation, two most excellent dudes, Bill S. Preston, Esq. (Keanu Reeves) and Ted "Theodore" Logan (Alex Winter), are on the verge of flunking history. Unless they can ace their final history report, Ted's dad will pack him off to a military academy ... (details).
With: physicist Edward Farhi.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Free Test Screening: Space Junk (Special Program)

January 30, 2012
The Museum is considering an IMAX® film for the Mugar Omni Theater, and we want your opinion! You are invited to attend a survey screening for Space Junk. The screening is free; your only obligation is to complete a short survey at the conclusion of the film. Tickets will be available in the Museum ... (details).

Let's Talk About the Farm Bill (Forum)

January 29, 2012
What's the big deal about the farm bill? An interactive "teach-in" explores the ways that subsidies and regulations impact the quality and cost of the foods we consume here in New England. Learn about the process and meet some of the stakeholders, share your perspectives, and find out how the public ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

Volcanoes on the Verge (Lecture)

January 25, 2012
Did you know that one of the world's largest volcanoes lies under Yellowstone National Park? Or that one of the most active volcanoes boasts a lava lake 700 feet across and a city of one million residents at its base? In an effort to prevent a modern-day Pompeii, Ken Sims travels the globe and rappels ... (details).
With: Kenneth Sims, PhD, isotope geochemist and volcanologist; associate professor, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Lessons from Pompeii.



12 Monkeys (Lecture)

December 12, 2011
In a future world devastated by disease, convicted criminal James Cole (Bruce Willis) agrees to allow scientists to send him back in time to investigate the origins of a virus that wiped out nearly all of the Earth's population decades earlier. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to the wrong year, he ... (details).
With: science writer Carl Zimmer.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Environmental Media Screening (Special Program)

December 09, 2011
Emerson College and the Museum of Science present the fourth annual student film screening and discussion. This year’s event features powerful documentaries on current environmental issues, such as the struggle of South Boston residents to preserve environmental harmony in the midst of urban renewal; ... (details).

Rare But Real: Big Earthquakes in the Eastern US (Special Program)

November 26, 2011
Starting in late 1811, a series of large earthquakes rattled the New Madrid Fault Zone near the modern states of Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. Two hundred years later, we're still working to understand why this area produced the biggest earthquakes east of the Rockies in US history. The answer has ... (details).

Water is Rising (Lecture)

November 20, 2011
The tiny Pacific atolls of Kiribati, Tokelau, and Tuvalu are facing the consequences of global warming first hand. Living at elevations of three to five meters above sea level, their inhabitants risk seeing their cultures become the first on Earth to be submerged by rising seas. Discover through song, ... (details).
With: Aaron Bernstein, MD, MPH, Director, Human Health and Global Environmental Change Program of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School; Michaele Maiava, Tokelau government councilman; Andrew Semeli, Tuvalu Parliamentarian Assistant; Water Is Rising performers from Kiribati; Eli Kintisch, Science magazine reporter and author, Hack the Planet: Science's Best Hope - or Worst Nightmare - for Averting Climate Catastrophe.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

Ghosts of Jupiter Entertainment Show (Special Program)

November 19, 2011
Experience the Charles Hayden Planetarium in a different way! Enjoy the music of local band Ghosts of Jupiter while striking visuals dance across the dome above, taking you on a rock-and-roll journey through space and time. More stunning than the old laser shows, this special event celebrates the new ... (details).

Artistic Visions, Scientific Truths (Lecture)

November 16, 2011
Acclaimed artist Alexis Rockman and evolutionary biologist James J. McCarthy discuss how contemporary artists and scientists collaborate in order to advance and disseminate scientific discoveries. This program complements Harvard Art Museums' current exhibition Prints and the Pursuit of Knowledge in ... (details).
With: Alexis Rockman, artist; James J. McCarthy, PhD, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Biological Oceanography, Harvard University; Introduction by Susan Dackerman, Carl A. Weyerhaeuser Curator of Prints, Division of European and American Art, Harvard Art Museums.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

Custom Babies? (Forum)

November 15, 2011
New reproductive technologies allow parents to choose the sex of their baby or to test for genetic disorders as part of in vitro fertilization. Should parents have the ability to learn the genetic sequence of their future child? What kinds of decisions might be based upon that information? Discuss with ... (details).

Growing Green (Lecture)

November 02, 2011
Please join us for this Reno Family Foundation Symposium, cosponsored by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation and part of the Celebrity Science Series. Health Hero. Prophet of Local. Eco-Industrial Strategist. Economic Pioneer. Intrepid Boundary Breaker. These all apply to one person--Peabody Award-winning ... (details).
With: Majora Carter, eco-entrepreneur and president of Majora Carter Group.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Lecture)

November 01, 2011
Winner of the 1972 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film (France) and the National Society of Film Critics' best picture prize, director Luis Buñuel's surrealistic masterpiece wickedly skewers bourgeois presumption and hypocrisy as a group of well-to-do friends repeatedly attempts to have a meal ... (details).
With: Robert Stickgold, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, and director, Center for Sleep and Cognition, Harvard Medical School.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Food on Film Presents Food Fight (Lecture)

October 24, 2011
Since facing the food problems of undersupply and malnourishment in the 1920s and 1930s, American agricultural policy has grown to promote a system that boasts big farms and even bigger food processing conglomerates that favor cheap commodities and long shelf life over fresh, healthy, flavorful food ... (details).
With: With Scott Soares, Commissioner of Agriculture and member, Massachusetts Food Policy Council; Chris Taylor, Director, Food Fight; David Waters, CEO, Community Servings; in a discussion moderated by Louisa Kasdon, Founder and CEO, Let's Talk About Food, LLC, and Food Editor, Stuff Magazine.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

National Chemistry Week Celebration (Special Program)

October 23, 2011
Celebrate National Chemistry Week 2011! See exciting demonstrations from Bassam Shakhashiri, professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the president-elect of the American Chemical Society, and participate in hands-on health and wellness-themed activities. Learn how soap and ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series National Chemistry Week.

Women In Science Luncheon (Special Program)

October 18, 2011
Join us on Tuesday, October 18 for the Fall 2011 Women in Science Luncheon, "The Strange Family Across the Street" and Other Coming-of-Age Stories, with Dr. Yolonda Colson, Director of the Women's Lung Cancer Program, Brigham and Women's Hospital. The event includes a seated luncheon and presentation by Dr ... (details).

Archaeology Fair (Special Program)

October 08, 2011
Experience the excitement of archaeology with dozens of hands-on activities, live presentations, and special programs, including many related to the special exhibit A Day in Pompeii. Talk to more than 25 archaeologists from New England, and explore how their research is changing the way we look at the past ... (details).

Dinner in Pompeii (Special Program)

October 06, 2011
Program starts promptly at 6:30 p.m. Please plan to arrive no later than 6:15 p.m. Sponsored by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Boston. Embark on a culinary exploration of ancient Pompeii with chef and art historian Maite Gomez-Rejón. Over a four-course dinner, we'll journey from ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

Let's Talk About Food Safety (Forum)

October 05, 2011
Food nourishes our bodies, but if improperly produced or handled it can make us sick, and it can be potentially fatal. What are some impacts of large-scale, globalized agriculture, and how do these practices affect our ability to protect the safety of our food sources? Participate in a "food contami ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) (Lecture)

October 03, 2011
When Skid Row plant-shop owner Gravis Mushnick threatens to fire his hapless clerk Seymour Krelboyne, Seymour brings in a new species of plant he's been breeding at home, hoping it will lead the shop to fame and fortune and save his job. Turns out, the plant, named Audrey Junior after Seymour's crush ... (details).
With: ecologist Aaron Ellison.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Knocking on Heaven's Door (Lecture)

September 21, 2011
How do we decide which scientific questions to study? What roles do risk, creativity, uncertainty, beauty, and truth play in scientific thinking? Explore these questions with renowned physicist Lisa Randall, an expert in both particle physics (the study of the smallest objects we know of) and cosmology (the study of the largest) ... (details).
With: Lisa Randall, PhD, Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science, Harvard University.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Lowell Series on Physics.


2011 Washburn Award (Special Program)

September 07, 2011
Join the Museum community in honoring the 2011 Washburn Award recipient, Jean-Michel Cousteau. The Museum gratefully thanks and acknowledges the following generous Founder Table Hosts as of July 22: Jaishree and Desh Deshpande Dr. Jean Nichols and Dr. Richard A. DiPerna Michael and Susan Thonis Ticket ... (details).

Red Cross Blood Drive (Special Program)

August 04, 2011
On Thursday, August 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the American Red Cross hosts a blood drive at the Museum of Science. Donors will receive a free pass to tour the Exhibit Halls, where among the 700 interactive exhibits, they can learn more about blood and get a head-to-toe understanding of their own bodies in the Human Body Connection exhibit ... (details).

Meet the Museum Street Team (Special Program)

July 16, 2011
This summer, the Museum's street team visits fairs and festivals around the greater Boston area. Here's where we're scheduled to appear: > Saturday, July 16: Festival Betances, Villa Victoria, Boston (South End), 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. > Sunday, August 14: North End Family Day, Boston (North End), 12:00 - 4:00 p ... (details).

Science After Dark: The Stuff You Didn't Learn in School (Special Program)

July 09, 2011
Teens only! Check out this free after-hours event for a chance to walk on water, step inside a bubble, experiment with liquid nitrogen, and take home a free XBOX 360 with KINECT. Highlights include: > Planetarium show: Arrive by 6:45 p.m. to join us for a special welcome in the newly renovated Charles Hayden Planetarium ... (details).

Let's Talk About Food Festival (Special Program)

June 25, 2011
Experience an outdoor celebration of food, health, cooking, and science. Demonstrations, tastings, Q&A with experts, and a varied menu of activities spark conversations about some of the hottest topics in the world of food. Highlights include: > Main Stage and Sub-Zero and Wolf Demo Kitchen Join ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

EurekaFest: Heavy Metal IV (Special Program)

June 18, 2011
Watch teams of high school students from across the country compete in an all-day design challenge: to build wind turbines powerful enough to hoist metal garbage cans 40 feet to the Museum's ceiling! The day culminates in a "big bang" when the cans — as many as 30 in all — are released in one loud finale ... (details).

Mars Weekend (Special Program)

June 04, 2011
Meet researchers who work closely with NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to change how we look at the Universe. Modern satellites orbiting the Moon and Mars are sending us astonishingly detailed images of craters, canyons, gullies, and lava flows. What can these surface features tell us about ... (details).

Machine Science Robot Sumo Competition (Special Program)

May 28, 2011
Metal shovels, fat tires, clever code — what turns a regular robot into a Sumo wrestling champion? Find out when Machine Science of Cambridge hosts a battle of autonomous robots built and programmed by students from schools and community centers all over Boston and Lowell. All visitors are invited ... (details).

Food for Thought: Food and Sustainability (Forum)

May 26, 2011
While eating is a necessity, it is not a license to be reckless in our consumption. What happens when we use up all of the world's resources? Share the discussion as we imagine what a healthy food system for the planet would look like. How do we feed a growing population without exhausting the planet? Free, ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

We Shall Not Be Moved: The History of the Tillery Resettlement Farm (Lecture)

May 15, 2011
"We Shall Not Be Moved" is their song and it means they "ain't going nowhere!" That's the spirit of the Tillery Resettlement Farm in North Carolina. Originating with the New Deal, the program gave landless sharecroppers a chance to buy their own farms. Follow along with filmmakers as they chronicle how ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

Reaching Across Cultures and Ethnicities Day (Special Program)

May 14, 2011
Join us for this celebration and meet representatives from more than 16 local organizations providing valuable information on issues of health, education, and neighborhood development. These themes reflect the content of the RACE: Are We So Different? exhibit. The day features a live performance ... (details).

Snapshots: Glimpses of America in Change (Lecture)

May 10, 2011
Due to circumstances beyond our control, the date for this program has been changed to Tuesday, May 10, 7:00 p.m. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes current ticket holders. If you have purchased tickets, please call 617-723-2500 any day, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., for a refund or to verify your tickets for the new date ... (details).
With: Anna Deavere Smith, award-winning actress and playwright; followed by a conversation with Evelynn Hammonds, PhD, dean of Harvard College.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Celebrity Science Series.

Inspiring Minds: Meet Women in Science 2011 (Special Program)

April 28, 2011
Meet dynamic women who love their careers in science and engineering! Hear them describe their work and experiences in fields ranging from archaeology and astrophysics to marine biology and weather forecasting. Then, try out exciting experiments in related fields at our Technology Tables. Schedule subject ... (details).

Earth Week (Special Program)

April 17, 2011
Celebrate Earth Week at the Museum with ecology-themed programs — including Live Animal shows — that address the surprising new secrets about our dynamic planet and its interconnected systems. On Earth Day (Friday, April 22), the Gordon Current Science & Technology Center hosts special presentations ... (details).

Boston Marathon Week (Special Program)

April 09, 2011
Experience the excitement of the Boston Marathon® throughout the week leading up to the main event on Patriots Day. Starting with a Museum-wide kickoff event on Saturday, April 9, visitors can learn all about how the human body deals with the intense pressures of running a marathon. Gain a ... (details).

National Robotics Week (Special Program)

April 09, 2011
Join us April 9 - 17 for this second-annual celebration that explores how robots impact society, both now and in years to come. Throughout the week, check out special presentations in the Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, and visit the robots in Cahners ComputerPlace, like the Mars personal ... (details).

Blindspot: The Hidden Biases of Good People (Lecture)

March 30, 2011
The human mind has evolved over millennia and works in ways that we cannot easily see. Is it possible to be biased and not know it? Is it possible to act in the very ways that would offend our conscious values? Mahzarin Banaji, co-developer of the Implicit Association Test, studies how unconscious mental ... (details).
With: Mahzarin R. Banaji, PhD, Richard Clarke Cabot Professor of Social Ethics at Harvard University and co-founder of Project Implicit.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series The Changing Faces of America.

Physics of the Future (Lecture)

March 23, 2011
An elevator to space? Robot surgeons? Contact lenses that give X-ray vision? In his new book Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100, Michio Kaku shares a stunning vision of the future, based on interviews with more than 300 of the world's top ... (details).
With: Michio Kaku, PhD, theoretical physicist, bestselling author, and popularizer of science.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Lowell Series on Physics.

Transcendent Man (Lecture)

March 21, 2011
Filmmaker Barry Ptolemy's compelling documentary explores the life and provocative ideas of renowned techno-prophet Ray Kurzweil. Inspired by Kurzweil's bestselling book The Singularity is Near, Transcendent Man follows Kurzweil around the globe as he shares his daring vision of a future in which humans ... (details).
With: inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil; director Barry Ptolemy.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Lunch Line (Lecture)

March 20, 2011
How did six kids from one of the toughest neighborhoods in Chicago set out to fix the school lunch system and end up at the White House? Watch the development of the national lunch program, from its surprising past to its uncertain present and possible future. Consider how one of the oldest social programs ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

Food for Thought: Health and Nutrition (Forum)

March 18, 2011
The experts all agree — America is too fat. Current estimates are that one in three babies born after 2009 will become obese. What can we do to avert this looming threat to our children, our health care system, and our economy? Examine health policy strategies under consideration that are designed to stave off the obesity crisis ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.


Community Dialogues with the YWCA Boston (Special Program)

March 12, 2011
Participate in a community dialogue based on the Native American talking circle. This format provides a productive, non-confrontational way to explore and foster diversity, as well as to learn a valuable communication technique. The dialogues offer a facilitated discussion where all participants are ... (details).

The Hidden Reality (Lecture)

March 02, 2011
Current research rooted in quantum mechanics, cosmology, and string theory concurs that our universe is actually only one of many "bubbles" in a rapidly growing bath of universes. Hear what physicist Brian Greene has to say about the strange worlds of the "multiverse" in his new book The Hidden Reality: ... (details).
With: Brian Greene, PhD, professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University and bestselling author; in conversation with Amir D. Aczel, PhD, author of Fermat's Last Theorem and Present at the Creation.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Lowell Series on Physics.

Death in Venice (Lecture)

February 21, 2011
In director Lucchino Visconti's lush and haunting version of Thomas Mann's novella, an artist obsessed by his ideal of physical and spiritual beauty jeopardizes his own life to be near the object of his desire. Playing Count Aschenbach, a character loosely based on Gustav Mahler, Dirk Bogarde embodies ... (details).
With: psychologist and author Nancy Etcoff, PhD.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Food for Thought: Food Security (Forum)

February 18, 2011
How do we make sure that our food supply is safe, plentiful, and protected from systemic disruption? How can New Englanders learn to do a better job of feeding our growing urban population? Questions about the safety and availability of food are becoming vitally important to our future well-being. Learn ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

Remixing Race Through Film (Lecture)

February 16, 2011
Llewellyn Smith and Christine Herbes-Sommers challenge us to reconsider what we know about the world. As filmmakers and producers, they aim to raise our consciousness through provocative examination of social justice issues. Smith and Herbes-Sommers show clips from their notable PBS series, such as Race: ... (details).
With: Llewellyn Smith, president, and Christine Herbes-Sommers, vice president, Vital Pictures; in conversation with Alan Goodman, PhD, vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty, Hampshire College; exhibit co-coordinator, RACE: Are We So Different?.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series The Changing Faces of America.

Invented Here! (Special Program)

February 15, 2011
In collaboration with the Boston Patent Law Association, the Museum of Science is proud to present Invented Here!, celebrating New England's breakthrough inventions and inventors. Join us as we celebrate the region's newest and most innovative technologies. By recognizing these innovators, their inventions, ... (details).

Forks Over Knives (Lecture)

February 13, 2011
Can "diseases of affluence" — cancer, diabetes, heart attacks, and obesity — be controlled, or even reversed, by your diet? Catch the advance screening of Forks Over Knives, featuring Cornell nutritionist T. Colin Campbell, PhD, and cancer clinician Caldwell Esselstyn Jr, MD, as they reveal the power of plants as medicine ... (details).
With: featured Austin firefighter Rip Esselstyn, author of The Engine 2 Diet; David M. Eisenberg, MD , director of the Harvard Medical School Osher Research Center and Program Director of Integrative Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Tara Mardigan, MS, MPH, RD , nutritionist for the Boston Red Sox, Levinson-Harris Medical Group, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; moderated by Louisa Kasdon, journalist and food editor at large, Boston Phoenix.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.


Innovators Event: Nanotechnology and Clean Water (Forum)

January 26, 2011
Ensuring clean water around the globe is one of our most pressing environmental concerns. By engineering tiny structures and devices on the scale of atoms and molecules, researchers in the emerging field of nanotechnology are exploring new ways to provide clean water to millions, to clean up contaminated ... (details).

Full Metal Jacket (Lecture)

January 24, 2011
Widely regarded as one of the greatest war movies, Stanley Kubrick's powerful 1987 drama about the Vietnam War and the dehumanizing process used to prepare young men for combat is a film "of immense and very rare imagination," according to the New York Times. The film begins in Marine Corps boot camp, ... (details).
With: psychiatrist and author Jonathan Shay, MD, PhD.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Food for Thought: Food Access (Forum)

January 21, 2011
Take a new look at how something as fundamental as food can become very complicated. Is food a human right? Why are there so few locations to buy fresh food in cities? How do we address the economic inequities of those who do or do not get healthy food? And how can we make healthy, fresh, and safe food ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

Race, Place, and Science (Special Program)

January 17, 2011
Join local scientists as they examine how health disparities in Boston relate to race and geography. Are our parks and playgrounds healthy and safe? Is race a factor in studies that link cardiac health to the proximity of living near a highway? Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute scientists ... (details).

The Day the Earth Stood Still (Lecture)

December 13, 2010
Consistently ranked among the greatest science fiction movies of all time, The Day the Earth Stood Still is about Klaatu, a humanoid alien who travels 250 million miles to Washington, D.C. with his giant robot protector, Gort, to warn Earth's leaders that human beings must stop their warring ways or face perilous consequences ... (details).
With: Dennis Hong, PhD, associate professor, mechanical engineering and director, Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa), Virginia Tech.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

NOVA's Making Stuff Day: Explorations in Materials Science and Engineering (Special Program)

November 28, 2010
Learn all about the field of materials science — how scientists and engineers make stuff stronger, smaller, smarter, and cleaner — by exploring these activities throughout the Exhibit Halls. Explore Cool Stuff! Get your hands on some cool stuff and have fun while you join scientists from ... (details).

Renewable Energy Fair (Special Program)

November 06, 2010
When it comes to renewable energy, wind turbines and solar panels are just the beginning — see what's on the horizon in this rapidly advancing field! Get a sneak peek of emerging energy technologies directly from the people who develop and apply them. Hear guest researchers and innovators present ... (details).

Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating (Lecture)

November 03, 2010
Please join us for this Reno Family Foundation Symposium, sponsored by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and part of the Celebrity Science Series. Mark Bittman is known for his no-nonsense style and no-frills approach to cooking. Drawing links between diet, health, and climate change, the popular food writer ... (details).
With: Mark Bittman, bestselling author and TV personality.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

Dirty Harry (Lecture)

November 01, 2010
Forty years after Dirty Harry first hit movie theaters, Clint Eastwood's Harry Callahan remains the definitive renegade movie cop and one of Eastwood's most memorable characters. Marking Clint's first outing as the coolly laconic, justice-at-any-cost San Francisco homicide detective, this taut cat-and-mouse ... (details).
With: Amy Brodeur, MFS, assistant director, Biomedical Forensics Masters Program, Boston University School of Medicine.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Present at the Creation (Lecture)

October 27, 2010
How can the world's biggest atom smasher unlock the secrets of the universe? In March 2010, scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research broke all records by bashing protons at nearly the speed of light using a particle accelerator called the Large Hadron Collider. Could the collider ... (details).
With: Amir D. Aczel, PhD, mathematician and international bestselling author; in conversation with physicist Stephen Reucroft, PhD.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Time Travelers.

Sustainability and Science (Special Program)

October 21, 2010
Learn about sustainable science through hands-on and interactive activities featuring Beyond Benign Green Chemistry Outreach Fellows and Dow Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge winners. This event allows students of all ages to interact with college students dedicated to sustainability. Attendees ... (details).

Earthquake Day (Special Program)

October 21, 2010
How well are you prepared for an earthquake? Shake it up as the Museum takes a closer look at seismic activity and participates in a nation-wide earthquake drill. Large earthquakes are rare in New England, but they do happen, and with a few simple precautions we can endure them unharmed. Two presentations ... (details).

Hackers (Lecture)

October 11, 2010
In this 1995 cyber thriller, hacking genius Dade "Zero Cool" Murphy (Jonny Lee Miller) is the new kid in a New York City high school. There he meets a corps of gifted hackers, including gorgeous, tough-talking Kate, aka Acid Burn (Angelina Jolie), resident wild man Cereal Killer, phone expert Phantom ... (details).
With: Jesse Schell, professor, entertainment technology, Carnegie Melon University; founder and CEO, Schell Games; and author, The Art of Game Design.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Food on Film Presents FRESH (Lecture)

October 09, 2010
FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers, and business people across America who are reinventing our food system. Each has witnessed firsthand the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity ... (details).
With: Corby Kummer, host, The Atlantic Food Channel and author, The Pleasures of Slow Food; Julie A. Burba , certified culinary professional, Cambridge School of Culinary Arts ; Hannah Freedberg, development and outreach director, Mass Farmers Markets ; JJ Gonson, personal chef and food activist, Cuisine en Locale.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

When Should I Be Screened for Breast Cancer? (Special Program)

October 09, 2010
Nearly a year ago, the United States Preventive Services Task Force introduced new guidelines that recommend fewer screenings for breast cancer at later ages. The American Cancer Society and others, however, advocate for the previous standards — annual mammograms beginning at age 40. A panel of ... (details).

Citizen Chefs Meet Boston's Best (Lecture)

October 09, 2010
Imagine getting a cooking lesson from the most celebrated chefs in the city. Some of Boston's best chefs, working side-by-side with citizen cooks, share their secrets for success while preparing a meal in the Museum's picturesque waterfront pavilion. Each culinary couple will create a delicious, healthy ... (details).
With: Jody Adams, cheftestant, Bravo TV's Top Chef Masters and chef/owner, Rialto; Chris Douglass, executive chef/owner, Tavolo and Ashmont Grill ; Tiffani Faison, Top Chef finalist and chef, Rocca; Rahul Moolgaonkar, executive chef, Wolfgang Puck Catering, Museum of Science; Jason Santos, contestant, Hell's Kitchen and executive chef, Gargoyles on the Square; Ana Sortun, cheftestant, Bravo TV's Top Chef Masters and chef/owner, Oleana; emceed by Annie B. Copps, senior food editor for Yankee Magazine ; "experts" include Kathy McManus, director, Department of Nutrition, Brigham & Women's Hospital, and Edith Murnane, director of food initiatives, Boston mayor's office.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

Food for Thought: Setting the Agenda (Forum)

October 08, 2010
Food is a basic human need and connects our biology with our culture. As demand for food increases, so does the impact on our planet and our health. How safe is the food we eat? What critical issues face our food supply? Listen to a panel discussion about the current state of our food system, then ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Let's Talk About Food.

The Last Man on the Mountain: The Death of an American Adventurer on K2 (Lecture)

October 01, 2010
Take a journey from the yacht clubs of America and the salons of Europe to the most forbidding landscape on Earth. In 1939, Dudley Francis Wolfe set out to become the first man to climb K2, the world's second highest mountain. Wolfe, along with a team leader, reached a point higher than any other climbers, but he failed on descent at 25,000 feet ... (details).
With: Jennifer Jordan, award-winning author, filmmaker, and screenwriter.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Time Travelers.

2010 Washburn Award (Special Program)

September 29, 2010
Please note: Limited tickets remain. Please contact the special events office at 617-589-0185 with any questions. Join the Museum community in honoring the 2010 Washburn Award recipient, Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, with an introduction by the 1998 recipient, Dr. Timothy Johnson. Tables of 10 are available ... (details).

The Man in the White Suit (Lecture)

September 06, 2010
Alec Guinness delivers one of his most beloved performances in this smart, satirical comedy that pits one inventor against the forces of Britain's textile industry. Sidney Stratton (Guinness) is a mild-mannered but single-minded research chemist on a quest to bring progress to mankind by inventing a ... (details).
With: Marc Abrahams, editor, Annals of Improbable Research and co-founder, Ig Nobel Prizes; Daniel Rosenberg, chemist, Harvard Natural Sciences Lecture Demonstrations Team.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Free Fun Friday (Special Program)

August 27, 2010
Thanks to the generosity of the Highland Street Foundation, all Museum visitors receive complimentary Exhibit Halls admission on Friday, August 27. In addition to our regularly scheduled presentations, exhibits, and activities, enjoy entry to our traveling exhibits, George Washington Carver and Whales | Tohorā ... (details).

Ocean Voices (Special Program)

July 30, 2010
With Halsey Burgund, musician, sound artist, and member of the the band aesthetic evidence; and Patrick Ramage, Global Whale Program director, International Fund for Animal Welfare (6:00 p.m. performance only). Introductory remarks by Wallace J. Nichols, Ph.D., marine biologist. Oceanic issues are ... (details).


Meet the da Vinci Surgical Robot (Special Program)

June 20, 2010
On Father's Day, join Dr. Ingolf Tuerk and the da Vinci surgical robot to hear about the benefits of robotic-assisted surgery. The only robot of its type currently available, the da Vinci Surgical System helps a surgeon perform complex, minimally invasive surgery. Patients select robotic surgery because ... (details).

Blue Zones: Secrets of a Long Life (Lecture)

June 11, 2010
Please join us for this Reno Family Foundation Symposium, part of the Celebrity Science Series. World-renowned explorer Dan Buettner and his team of researchers have traveled across the globe to investigate five hot spots of human health and vitality known as "blue zones." Along the way, they've met ... (details).
With: Dan Buettner, explorer; National Geographic writer; author, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest .
This presentation is part of the ongoing Celebrity Science Series.

An Evening with "Her Deepness" Sylvia Earle (Lecture)

May 12, 2010
Legendary marine biologist Sylvia Earle, the first woman to walk freely on the ocean floor (at a depth of 1,250 feet), has been called "Her Deepness" by The New Yorker and The New York Times. An Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society since 1998 and named Time magazine's first "hero ... (details).
With: Sylvia Earle, oceanographer; author, The World Is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean's Are One; National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence .

Food, Glorious Food: Our Palate vs. Our Planet? (Lecture)

May 07, 2010
Celebrity foodies Joanne Chang and Corby Kummer, along with national food sustainability expert Helene York, explore the relationship between our love affair with food and our desire to protect the planet. Join us for a conversation about how we can radically redesign what we eat to help the Earth without ... (details).
With: Joanne Chang, pastry chef and owner, Flour Bakery and Café; chef and owner, Myers+Chang; Corby Kummer, senior editor, The Atlantic Monthly; host, The Atlantic Food Channel; author, The Pleasures of Slow Food; Helene York, director, Bon Appétit Management Company Foundation.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series DIY.

Israeli Innovation Technology Week (Special Program)

May 02, 2010
Israel's expertise in renewable energy — including solar-thermal and geothermal sources — has positioned the country as a world leader in clean technology and life sciences. To showcase Israel's achievements, the Museum hosts representatives and exhibits from Israeli companies that have emerged as global leaders in these fields ... (details).

Artist's Talk: Chris Jordan (Lecture)

April 30, 2010
Join internationally acclaimed photographer Chris Jordan in the Museum's newest gallery for an artist's talk about his work and the current exhibition, Running the Numbers: Portraits of Mass Consumption. Sociologists tell us that the human mind cannot meaningfully grasp numbers higher than a few thousand ... (details).
With: Chris Jordan, artist.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

Inspiring Minds: Meet Women in Science 2010 (Special Program)

April 29, 2010
Meet dynamic women who love their careers in science and engineering! Hear them describe their work and experiences in fields ranging from archaeology and astrophysics to marine biology and weather forecasting. Then, try out exciting experiments in related fields at our Technology Tables. Schedule: Thursday, ... (details).

Planting the Seeds (Lecture)

April 28, 2010
If you dig farm-fresh food but don't know how to grow it, Jessie Banhazl of Green City Growers demonstrates how to get your own backyard farm garden started. Locally grown food tastes better and is healthier than the chemically treated produce available in supermarkets. What can you do with the "fruits" ... (details).
With: Jessie Banhazl, managing director and owner, Green City Growers ; Steven Brand, executive chef, UpStairs on the Square.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series DIY.

Toxic Traffic (Forum)

April 25, 2010
Emerging research links chronic exposure to motor vehicle pollution with health effects such as asthma and cardiac disease. In this forum presented in collaboration with the Cambridge Public Health Department, you're invited to share your perspectives about what can be done to address these risks in the near and long term ... (details).

Firefly Day (Special Program)

April 24, 2010
The Museum kicks off the third year of its Firefly Watch citizen science project with a day-long celebration of our volunteers and the insects they follow. Enjoy special presentations from firefly scientists, a multimedia slide show, and children's activities as you learn about these wonderful and fascinating insects ... (details).

Cambridge Science Festival (Special Program)

April 24, 2010
Showcasing Cambridge as an internationally recognized leader in science and technology, this multifaceted, multicultural event features exhibitions, plays, concerts, poetry readings, lectures, demonstrations, and debates. Unless otherwise indicated, events are included with Exhibit Halls admission ... (details).

Cambridge Science Festival Overnight (Special Program)

April 23, 2010
Be among the first to experience the Cambridge Science Festival at the Museum by sleeping over on the night before it starts! Students in grades 1 - 7 and their adult chaperones are invited to see what happens at the Museum at night. Discover science in an entertaining, educational, and interactive ... (details).

Birdology (Special Program)

April 08, 2010
Join us as we welcome New Hampshire naturalist and author Sy Montgomery to the Gordon Current Science & Technology Center stage. Montgomery presents two bird-themed talks before adjourning to the Museum store to sign copies of her new book, Birdology. Schedule of events: Birds Are Dinosaurs Hear ... (details).

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Lecture)

April 05, 2010
Winner of four Academy Awards (Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Score), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is internationally acclaimed director Ang Lee's homage to the Hong Kong wuxia (martial arts) films that fueled his love of movies as a youth in Taiwan. This ... (details).
With: Andrew Cohen, professor of physics, Boston University.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Best In Show (Lecture)

March 15, 2010
Master mockumentarian Christopher Guest (This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind) wrote and directed Best in Show, an inspired send-up of competitive canine culture. Winner of American, Canadian, and British Comedy Awards and a critical favorite, this gem follows a colorful group of contestants ... (details).
With: Dr. Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, MRCVS, professor, section head, and program director, Animal Behavior Department of Clinical Sciences, Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Boston Marathon® Fundraising Dinner (Special Program)

March 12, 2010
The Museum of Science invites you to join us in celebration of our 2010 Boston Marathon team. Let's support our 15 runners in this home stretch to reach their training and fundraising goals. Contributions benefit Museum's Traveling Programs, ensuring that the program expands to more communities and aiding in the purchase of a new van fleet ... (details).

How to Make (Almost) Anything (Lecture)

March 10, 2010
Give ordinary people the right tools, and they will design and build the most extraordinary things. That's the idea behind Fab Labs, an idea hatched by star physicist and DIY enthusiast Neil Gershenfeld, who teaches a wildly popular course at MIT called How To Make (almost) Anything. Fab Labs provide ... (details).
With: Neil Gershenfeld, director, MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series DIY.

A Hen in the Yard (Lecture)

March 03, 2010
Love the idea of having your own Rhode Island Red that produces fresh eggs every morning, your own quirky chickens to name, or a chartreuse chicken house in the yard? The backyard chicken movement is raging across America as more people learn where our food comes from and take matters into their own hands ... (details).
With: Susan Orlean, staff writer, The New Yorker; author, The Orchid Thief.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series DIY.

Innovators Event: Alternative and Renewable Energy (Forum)

February 26, 2010
Learn about technologies that can help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and lead us toward a low-carbon future — technologies such as wind, solar, and nuclear power, as well as co-generation and biofuels. Through a mix of Museum demonstrations and informational presentations from experts, ... (details).

Owl Festival (Special Program)

February 19, 2010
Join us for this feathered festival that features live owls, guest researchers, and special activities. Free with Exhibit Halls admission. > Eyes on Owls Learn about wild owls and their habitats as Eyes on Owls's Marcia and Mark Wilson present the festival's main event. 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00 p.m. Tickets: ... (details).

National Engineers Week (Special Program)

February 14, 2010
The Museum celebrates National Engineers Week February 14 - 20 with an array of engaging educational experiences, all of which are free with Exhibit Halls admission. > Design Challenges Join in hands-on activities to design, build, and test a prototype solution to engineering puzzles or problems. ... (details).

Arabia Premiere (Special Program)

February 11, 2010
Open your eyes to a magical place! Celebrate the opening of the new IMAX® Dome film Arabia with a specially themed reception. Enjoy belly dancing and henna art demonstrations courtesy of the Boston Center for Adult Education, and learn more about the film from its star, special guest Hamzah Jamjoom, a Saudi Arabian filmmaker ... (details).

Visionary Visuals (Lecture)

February 10, 2010
You may not know Doug Roble's name, but you've probably seen his work. As creative director of software at the Academy Award®-winning visual effects studio Digital Domain, Roble developed the technologies used to create the visual effects in 2012 and many of Hollywood's most popular films. Join ... (details).
With: Doug Roble, creative director of software, Digital Domain.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Movie Magic.

Fight Club (Lecture)

February 08, 2010
Director David Fincher's big-screen adaptation of the novel by Chuck Palahniuk was one of the most talked about films of the 1990s for its controversial takes on violence, manhood, and consumer culture. Brad Pitt and Edward Norton star as two frustrated 30-somethings who form an underground club where ... (details).
With: Richard Wrangham, Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology, Harvard University, and co-author, Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Conjuring New Moon (Lecture)

February 03, 2010
Depicting the snarl of a werewolf, the sparkling skin of a vampire, or a handsome apparition were all in a day's work for the visual effects supervisors who worked on The Twilight Saga: New Moon. These masters of technology were charged with bringing the latest movie installment of Stephenie Meyer's bestselling novel to the big screen ... (details).
With: Matt Jacobs, visual effects supervisor, Tippett Studio; Eric Pascarelli, visual effects supervisor, Prime Focus VFX.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Movie Magic.

Activists Overnight (Special Program)

January 29, 2010
Be among the first to attend a special overnight for teens at the Museum of Science! Participating students from grades 6 - 12 attend workshops and drop-in activities that address hunger, poverty, and related science topics. Work with City Year mentors to find out how you can make a difference in your community ... (details).

Living in a CG World (Lecture)

January 27, 2010
Ever wonder who coined the phrase "computer graphics" or how PIXAR got its name? Animation and visual effects producer Terrence Masson draws on more than two decades of experience to explore the history of computer graphics. Hear behind-the-scenes stories about the people and companies that formed the ... (details).
With: Terrence Masson, ACM SIGGRAPH 2010 Conference Chair; director, Game Design, Northeastern University; author, CG101: A Computer Graphics Industry Reference.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Movie Magic.

The Wild Child (Lecture)

January 18, 2010
Forty years after its initial release, The Wild Child (L'enfant sauvage) endures as one of iconic French director Francois Truffaut's finest works. This deeply moving film, beautifully shot in black and white, is based on the true story of the Wild Boy of Aveyron, a feral youth found wandering naked ... (details).
With: Judy Shepard-Kegl, professor of linguistics and director of the Signed Language Research Laboratory, University of Southern Maine.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

American Beauty (Lecture)

December 07, 2009
Winner of five Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography), American Beauty weaves social satire and domestic tragedy into a single sublime package, moving seamlessly from dark, biting comedy to deeply moving drama. Starring Kevin Spacey ... (details).
With: Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology, Harvard University.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

World Wide Views on Global Warming (Special Program)

December 05, 2009
Take part in two fall forums that invite voices from around the globe to weigh in on our growing environmental challenges. On September 27, hear from the experts on what environmental policy options will be considered during the 2009 COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference, and learn what laypeople ... (details).

Factory Food: What's Really for Dinner? (Forum)

November 19, 2009
Agriculture today includes a number of controversial practices that affect consumers and the environment. From genetic engineering to artificial hormones, the new age of agriculture has raised a host of concerns. Learn the reality behind the buzz words and discuss how our choices impact our life, world, and the future of food production ... (details).

Babette's Feast (Lecture)

November 16, 2009
As part of its holiday menu, the Coolidge Corner Theatre serves art with a side of science with a special screening of the delectable Danish film Babette's Feast, paired with a talk on the science of taste. Set in a remote Danish fishing village in the late 19th century, this Academy Award-winning ... (details).
With: Guy Crosby, PhD, professor of food science and nutrition and science expert for Cook's Illustrated magazine and "America's Test Kitchen".
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Target: Sun! (Special Program)

November 14, 2009
Follow the link above to hear an interview with solar physicist Dr. Gemma Attrill. The Sun makes our life on Earth possible by providing us with light, heat, and other types of energy, but how much do we really know about our closest star? Join us for activities and demonstrations about the Sun, as ... (details).

From the Farm to Your Plate (Forum)

November 12, 2009
Where does our food come from and how does it get to us? What we eat and drink has ecological consequences — from energy and water use to pollution and pesticides. Learn about the impact of the production, packaging, and transportation of food on our environment. Consider possible changes on the ... (details).

Genes & Jazz (Lecture)

November 04, 2009
What do DNA and music have in common? Nobel Prize-winner Harold Varmus teams up with son Jacob Varmus, jazz trumpeter and composer, to explore the ways in which genes and notes affect complex organisms and compelling music. This father-son duo compares cell biology to musical development through a multimedia ... (details).
With: Harold Varmus, MD, Nobel Prize winner; president, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Jacob Varmus, The Jacob Varmus Quintet.

Who Gets Breast Cancer? (Special Program)

October 25, 2009
Over 200,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the United States. About 10% of the women diagnosed had a well-known genetic mutation and almost 1% of breast cancer cases are in men. Learn about cancer genes and how heredity can play a role in determining an individual's risk for this disease ... (details).

The Science Behind... (Special Program)

October 23, 2009
Dance with Darwin, experiment with Dr. Martini's mixology, delve into hands-on challenges and activities led by Museum educators, and delight in a menu designed by Chef Wolfgang Puck. As a special treat, preview Harry Potter™: The Exhibition before it opens to the public and enjoy exclusive access to Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life ... (details).

Music on My Brain: A Conversation with Daniel J. Levitin and Rosanne Cash (Lecture)

October 21, 2009
Listen: Click "open audio" to hear Rosanne Cash's "Sea of Heartbreak" with Bruce Springsteen, the first single from her new album, List, available online in the Museum shop. Please join us for this Reno Family Foundation Symposia event, part of the Celebrity Science Series. How does music evoke our ... (details).
With: Daniel J. Levitin, PhD, James McGill Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, McGill University; director, Laboratory for Music Perception, Cognition, and Expertise; author, This is Your Brain on Music and The World in Six Songs; Rosanne Cash, Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter; author.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Celebrity Science Series.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Lecture)

October 19, 2009
Screen legend Spencer Tracy stars as the dual title role in this 1941 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic horror tale. Dr. Henry Jekyll is a prominent, socially upstanding physician whose unorthodox theories alarm his older, more conservative colleagues. Jekyll believes that each man has two ... (details).
With: Anne Harrington, chair and professor, Department of the History of Science, Harvard University; John Durant, director, MIT Museum, adjunct professor, Science, Technology and Society Program, MIT, and executive director, Cambridge Science Festival.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Whose Information Is It Anyway: Privacy in the Digital Age (Forum)

October 09, 2009
Every time we use a credit card, swipe a subway pass, or send an email we are sharing personal information about ourselves. Just how is the information used? Who sets the standards? And how do these policies affect our civil liberties? New methods, including nanoscale technology, are revolutionizing the way we collect information ... (details).

Target: Moon! (Special Program)

October 09, 2009
This morning, NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) is scheduled to crash into a Moon crater and take detailed measurements of the impact. Will they find evidence of water under the surface of the Moon? Watch a NASA video broadcast of the experiment, and join Museum staff ... (details).

Tuneful Treatments (Lecture)

October 02, 2009
Music not only energizes and calms us; research shows that it has powerful healing properties. Music can ease pain, lower blood pressure, and relieve anxiety and depression. It can even alleviate the symptoms of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, mitigate the side effects of cancer, and help women in childbirth ... (details).
With: Suzanne Hanser, EdD, MT-BC, chair, Department of Music Therapy, Berklee College of Music; music therapist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; visiting research associate, Brandeis University.

Food, Inc. Screening (Special Program)

September 30, 2009
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care has teamed up with the Museum of Science to show the critically acclaimed Food, Inc., by filmmaker Robert Kenner. The film features interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater's ... (details).

Uranium Wars (Lecture)

September 27, 2009
Named "one of our best science popularizers" by Publishers Weekly, Amir Aczel has penned a provocative history of the scientists who discovered atomic energy. Set against the darkening shadow of World War II, Aczel weaves a suspenseful story about the brilliant men and women who raced to harness the mysteries of radioactivity ... (details).
With: Amir D. Aczel, author, The Riddle of the Compass, The Mystery of the Aleph, and Fermat's Last Theorem.

World Wide Views on Global Warming (Forum)

September 26, 2009
At this day-long event, selected participants from over 40 countries explore global warming in-depth and work toward recommendations for the December United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The Museum is among several sites across the country that are participating in this worldwide event, ... (details).

Coma (Lecture)

September 21, 2009
The Coolidge Corner Theatre kicks off a new season of Science on Screen with a screening of the classic medical thriller Coma (1978), paired with a talk by special guest Robin Cook, MD, who wrote the best-selling novel on which the film is based. Something is not quite right at Boston Memorial Hospital ... (details).
With: Robin Cook, physician and author.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

An Evening with Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan (Lecture)

September 10, 2009
Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan present a sneak peek of their new six-part PBS documentary series The National Parks: America's Best Idea. Set against breathtaking backdrops, the film is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical — that the most ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing Celebrity Science Series.

Moon Landing 40th Anniversary Celebration (Special Program)

July 20, 2009
The Museum marks the 40th anniversary of the first Moon landing with a full day of activities, including one lucky person's chance to ask a question of Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Join us for a special exhibit, Planetarium show, live presentations, and a live broadcast from the Newseum, organized by NASA ... (details).

2009 Washburn Climb (Special Program)

July 13, 2009
Join us for the 2009 Washburn Climb of Mount Washington, honoring Bradford Washburn, founding director of the Museum of Science. Remembered for his achievements as a cartographer, mountaineer, photographer, and pilot, as well as visionary Museum leader, Washburn created a map of Mount Washington that is still used by climbers today ... (details).

Urban Ecology (Special Program)

July 10, 2009
How green is our city? Find out as the Museum of Science and Emerson College showcase eight student-produced films that explore urban environmental science through a range of topics, from bike lanes to science clubs for girls. In addition, enjoy a live musical performance. Seating is limited; free ... (details).

The Navy of the Future (Special Program)

July 03, 2009
Vice Admiral Kevin McCoy of Naval Sea Systems Command speaks about U.S. maritime strategy and the Navy's ships of the future.. (details).

Innovators Event: Flight Night (Special Program)

June 09, 2009
Come enjoy the practical side of the science of flight! A team of instructors will demonstrate some principles of aeronautical physics and let you personally experiment with the four basic forces at work when a body is in flight — lift, thrust, gravity, and drag. Build your own kite-in-a-box, ... (details).

Contemplating Creatures: Irene Pepperberg and the Hidden World of Animal Intelligence (Lecture)

May 27, 2009
Please join us for this Reno Family Foundation Symposia event, part of the Celebrity Science Series. In a revelatory discussion about exploring the animal "mind," WBUR Radio host Robin Young interviews Alex & Me author Dr. Irene Pepperberg, who has been studying the intelligence and reasoning abilities ... (details).
With: Irene Pepperberg, PhD, adjunct associate professor, Department of Psychology, Brandeis University; author, Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence; interviewed by Robin Young, host of WBUR's daily news magazine, "Here and Now".
This presentation is part of the ongoing Celebrity Science Series.

One Giant Leap: Space Exploration and the New Pioneers (Lecture)

May 13, 2009
Could the key to future space exploration lie in revisiting where we have already been? NASA and private companies are using travel to the Moon as a way to expand the space frontier. Both the public and the private sectors will be essential for creating the necessary new technologies to accomplish this task ... (details).
With: Ken Davidian, "Encourage, Facilitate, and Promote" program lead, FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Joanne Gabrynowicz, JD, director, National Center for Remote Sensing, Air and Space Law, The University of Mississippi; William Pomerantz, senior director for space projects, X Prize Foundation; Geoff Yoder, director for the Constellation Systems Division in the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate; Moderated by Spencer Reiss, contributing editor, Wired Magazine.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Lowell Lectures on Astronomy.

An Evening with Ray Kurzweil (Lecture)

May 11, 2009
The Coolidge Corner Theatre concludes the 2008-2009 season of its popular Science on Screen series with a special program, An Evening with Ray Kurzweil. The celebrated futurist, inventor and entrepreneur gives a multi-media presentation based on his best-selling book, The Singularity is Near, and shows ... (details).
With: Ray Kurzweil, author, The Singularity is Near.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Toxic Traffic: Reducing the Risks (Forum)

May 03, 2009
Scientists have known for a long time that motor vehicles emit pollution that affects the environment and can harm human health. More recently, studies have shown that long-term effects of breathing in ozone, diesel fumes, and other ultrafine particles from motor vehicles can trigger asthma and significantly ... (details).

The Ultimate Hitchhikers (Lecture)

May 03, 2009
Did you know that not all bacteria are bad and that our health depends on having the right balance of these microorganisms within our bodies? Having too much Helicobacter pylori, for instance, can lead to stomach cancer, while having too little can cause chronic heartburn. Dr. Schauer discusses how our ... (details).
With: David B. Schauer, PhD, professor of biological engineering and comparative medicine, Department of Biological Engineering, MIT.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Forces That Change Us.

Inspiring Minds: Meet Women in Science 2009 (Special Program)

April 30, 2009
Meet dynamic women who love their careers in science and engineering! Thursday, April 30 through Sunday, May 2, visit the Gordon Current Science & Technology Center between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to learn about their work and experiences in a range of exciting fields. In addition to talking with these ... (details).

Radiolab Listening Party (Lecture)

April 29, 2009
Radiolab creator Jad Abumrad shares behind-the-scenes stories and excerpts from the program called "the most innovative show on radio" by public radio's Ira Glass. Tonight's focus: our endless fascination with outer space. Listen to surprising sounds and look up at the simulated sky as you are transported ... (details).
With: Jad Abumrad, Radiolab host and producer.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

2009 Washburn Award (Special Program)

April 28, 2009
This event has sold out, and the Museum is no longer accepting reservations. Please contact 617-589-0185 with questions. Join the Museum community in honoring the 2009 Washburn Award recipient, Thomas L. Friedman , Pulitzer-Prize-winning New York Times columnist and author of Hot, Flat, and Crowded: ... (details).

Night of the Living Dead (Lecture)

April 13, 2009
Science on Screen at the Coolidge Corner Theatre takes a dark twist with a presentation of Night of the Living Dead, George A. Romero's 1968 genre-defying zombie horror film. When the reanimated corpses of the recently deceased begin to rise from the earth and seek human flesh as sustenance, a small ... (details).
With: Steven C. Schlozman, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and lecturer in education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education..
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Aging: Can You Turn Back the Clock? (Lecture)

April 05, 2009
Imagine a preprogrammed clock ticking away from the day we are born, aging us along the way. Is there a way to slow this process down? Do diet and exercise help? Dr. Tissenbaum reveals these answers — and more — based on her research into the aging process. Find out what controls how and why ... (details).
With: Heidi Tissenbaum, PhD, associate professor, molecular medicine, gene function and expression programs, University of Massachusetts Medical School .
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Forces That Change Us.

Nova's Doctors' Diaries (Lecture)

March 31, 2009
Over the past 21 years, Nova has followed a group of seven doctors from their first day at Harvard Medical School in 1987. All young, bright, and accomplished, none of them could have predicted what it would take, personally and professionally, to become a member of the medical tribe. Join us for ... (details).
With: Paula S. Apsell, senior executive producer, Nova; Michael Barnes, writer, producer, director, "Doctors' Diaries"; Jane Liebschutz, MD, internal medicine, Boston Medical Center; Jay Bonnar, MD, psychiatrist.

Solving the Stradivarius Secret (Lecture)

March 25, 2009
Since the early 1700s, "Golden Age" Italian violins have been revered for their superior tone. Scores of scientists, artisans, and musicians have sought answers to the mystery of their sound, but none has been able to duplicate the magic created by these coveted instruments. Characterizing varnish, wood, ... (details).
With: William F. "Jack" Fry, physicist and professor emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Rose Mary Harbison, violinist and artistic director of the Token Creek Chamber Music Festival.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

Innovators Event: Developing Creative Thinking Through Play (Special Program)

March 13, 2009
With Mitchel Resnick, PhD "In today's rapidly changing world, people must continually come up with creative solutions to unexpected problems," says Mitchel Resnick of the MIT Media Laboratory. Many people learn to solve specific problems, but are unable to adapt and improvise when unanticipated situations arise ... (details).

Weaving Science into Sculpture (Lecture)

March 11, 2009
What do basket weaving, climate change, and sculpture have in common? Artist Nathalie Miebach literally weaves scientific data related to meteorology, climate change, and astronomy into brightly colored, three-dimensional sculptures. She describes how — and why — she creates these singular ... (details).
With: Nathalie Miebach, artist.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

A Matter of Taste (Lecture)

March 08, 2009
Ever wonder why you like salty or sweet foods but tend to avoid those that taste bitter? You're not being picky, you may be wired that way. Throughout human evolution, the ability to make these distinctions helped us to zero in on nutrients and stay away from toxins. Dr. Drayna discusses his recent research ... (details).
With: Dennis Drayna, PhD, chief, Systems Biology of Communication Disorders, Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institutes of Health.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Forces That Change Us.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Lecture)

March 02, 2009
Science on Screen at the Coolidge Corner Theatre pairs Stanley Kramer's groundbreaking 1967 film about interracial marriage with a presentation on the science of prejudice by social psychologist Mahzarin Banaji, a pioneer in the study of unconscious bias. Made at a time when mixed-race marriage was ... (details).
With: Mahzarin Banaji, Richard Clarke Professor of Social Ethics, Department of Psychology, Harvard University.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

The Lost City of Z (Lecture)

February 25, 2009
In The Lost City of Z, author and adventurer David Grann steps into the hazardous Amazon jungle to retrace the footsteps of the great Colonel Percy Fawcett, who ventured there in 1925 in search of the fabled ancient kingdom of El Dorado, which he dubbed "Z." Hoping to answer decades-long questions about ... (details).
With: David Grann, journalist for The New Yorker, author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.


Facial Recognition: The Creation of Expertise (Lecture)

February 08, 2009
Using computer technology, Dr. Balas works with infants and children to learn how we use visual information to make complex decisions about the world we see. Listen as he shares his research on how humans develop an expertise in processing faces of different racial groups, ages, genders, and even species ... (details).
With: Benjamin Balas, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Forces That Change Us.

This Is Your Brain on Love: Why Him? Why Her? (Lecture)

February 04, 2009
Love is no longer blind, thanks to pioneering scientific research. Following her unique study of 40,000 men and women, Helen Fisher, one of the world's leading experts on romantic love, has identified four broad personality types, each governed by different chemical systems in the brain. Fisher explains ... (details).
With: Helen Fisher, PhD, chief scientific adviser to Chemistry.com; research professor, Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University; author, Why Him? Why Her? Finding Real Love by Understanding Your Personality Type.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series This Is Your Brain On....

Groundhog Day (Lecture)

February 02, 2009
Science on Screen at the Coolidge Corner Theatre celebrates the underappreciated holiday of Groundhog Day with a special presentation of -- appropriately enough -- Groundhog Day and a pre-screening talk by science historian and physicist Peter Galison. Director Harold Ramis's offbeat modern comedy ... (details).
With: Peter Galison, Joseph Pellegrino University Professor of physics and the history of science, Harvard University.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Innovators Event: Beating the Casinos at Their Own Game (Special Program)

January 23, 2009
Twenty-one (blackjack) is one of the few casino games in which a skilled player can beat the house odds. Join Dan Nussbaum, former member of the MIT blackjack team made famous by the book Bringing Down the House and subsequent film 21, for a discussion about card counting — the most commonly used method for beating the odds ... (details).

Nanotechnology in Consumer Products (Forum)

January 22, 2009
Nanotechnology researchers are exploring new ways to slow down global warming, provide clean water to millions, build next generation computers, and improve consumer products. But these advances raise serious questions: Are these consumer products developed using nanotechnology safe? Do consumer products ... (details).

Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey (Lecture)

January 19, 2009
Science on Screen at the Coolidge Corner Theatre delves into the world of electronic music with a screening of Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey, the 1994 documentary about the unusual electronic instrument and the strange life of Leon Theremin, its inventor and namesake. In 1918, using newly discovered ... (details).
With: Tod Machover, composer, inventor, and MIT professor of music and media; Dalit Hadass Warshaw, orchestral thereminist.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Light, Sleep, and Space (Lecture)

January 11, 2009
A day on Mars last 24 hours and 37 minutes, but humans have not evolved to cope with the extra half hour. Using light, Dr. Barger works with NASA astronauts and space personnel to help them adjust to these unusual "space days." Learn about the genetics behind circadian rhythms and how we might prepare for a trip to outer space ... (details).
With: Laura Barger, PhD, associate physiologist, Division of Sleep Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Forces That Change Us.


Contact (Lecture)

December 01, 2008
Science on Screen at the Coolidge Corner Theatre focuses on the possibility of life beyond Earth with a screening of Contact, the 1997 big-screen adaptation of Carl Sagan's novel of the same name. In Robert Zemeckis's adaptation of the novel, Dr. Eleanor "Ellie" Arroway (Jodie Foster) is a free thinker ... (details).
With: Paul Horowitz, astrophysicist and Harvard University professor.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Innovation in Hollywood: Past, Present & Future (Lecture)

November 12, 2008
Did you know that we wouldn't have VCRs were it not for Bing Crosby? That Technicolor, the company that brought a "magic rainbow" to the silver screen in The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind, was founded in Boston in an old railroad car? Or that Thomas Edison invented the forerunner of the video iPod? ... (details).
With: Scott Kirsner, Boston Globe columnist; author, Inventing the Movies: Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation and the Status Quo.

WERS CD Release Show (Special Program)

November 12, 2008
WERS celebrates the release of its third live compilation album, Music For The Independent Mind: Volume Three with a concert in the Charles Hayden Planetarium. Tune in to WERS for your chance to join us for this intimate performance from two artists, Juliana Hatfield (pictured) and Sarah Borges, accompanied by a dazzling laser show ... (details).

Military Medicine (Special Program)

November 11, 2008
To honor our military veterans, the Museum hosts a special all-day event focusing on cutting-edge military technology. Guest researchers introduce visitors to new military devices, such as robots that can find Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Other topics include medical training and treatments for battlefield injuries ... (details).

2008 Washburn Award (Special Program)

November 05, 2008
Join the Museum community in honoring the 2008 Washburn Award recipient, Neil deGrasse Tyson, PhD, first occupant of the Frederick P. Rose directorship of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History and host of the PBS NOVA scienceNOW program. During the event, Dr. Tyson will engage in discussion with guest moderator Robert P ... (details).

Bigfoot, Sea Serpents, and Cryptozoology (Lecture)

October 29, 2008
Could hair samples be used to verify the existence of Bigfoot? Are unexplained animal droppings evidence of a new species? Do footprints hold the key to unlocking the mystery of the yeti? World-renowned cryptozoologist Loren Coleman has spent decades researching the existence of fantastical creatures ... (details).
With: Loren Coleman, leading cryptozoologist, author of The Field Guide to Bigfoot, Yeti, and Other Mystery Primates Worldwide and Cryptozoology A to Z.

Innovators Preview of Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids (Special Program)

October 24, 2008
The Museum of Science invites the Innovators to a private networking event and preview of Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids. How did the folklore of unicorns, griffins, krakens, and other enduring beings originate? Why do they continue to thrill, terrify, entertain, and inspire us? Incorporating ... (details).

Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives (Lecture)

October 15, 2008
The film Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives follows Mark Oliver Everett, lead singer of the cult band the Eels, on his quest to learn about his father, Hugh Everett III, a physicist who gave birth to one of science's most bizarre and influential theories. Everett's "many worlds" interpretation of quantum ... (details).
With: Max Tegmark, associate professor, department of physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Paula Apsell, senior executive producer, Nova, WGBH.

Marnie (Lecture)

October 13, 2008
The Coolidge Corner Theatre continues its fall season of Science on Screen with a presentation of Alfred Hitchcock's classic psychological thriller, Marnie. Marnie Edgar (Tippi Hedren) is a habitual thief who uses her ample charm and good looks to gain the trust of her employers, only to rob them ... (details).
With: psychiatrist Phillip Freeman, MD.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Technologies for Detecting Breast Cancer: What Is Best for Me? (Special Program)

October 05, 2008
In the United States this year, more than 180,000 people have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Although many cases are treatable, early detection is essential. Current technologies for imaging cancer include mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as new molecular techniques ... (details).

Boston Archaeology on the Greenway (Special Program)

October 04, 2008
As part of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway inaugural celebration, you can discover Boston's past as you take a trip back in time Walk into a reconstruction of a 300 year-old bathroom, crush grain at the site of an old Boston grist mill, and meet Katherine Nanny Naylor, a distinguished woman from ... (details).

Sustaining Life: A Conversation (Lecture)

October 03, 2008
Please join us for this Celebrity Science Series event, part of the Reno Family Foundation Symposia. The Earth's biodiversity — the rich variety of life on our planet — is disappearing at an alarming rate. And while human health depends, to a larger extent than we might imagine, on biodiversity, ... (details).
With: Eric Chivian, MD, founder, director, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School; Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; author, Sustaining Life: How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity; moderated by Noel Michele "Missy" Holbrook, PhD, Charles Bullard Professor of Forestry and professor of biology, Harvard University.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Celebrity Science Series.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (Lecture)

September 01, 2008
The Coolidge Corner Theatre introduces a new season of its popular Science on Screen series with a special showing of Steven Spielberg's adventure classic, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Harrison Ford stars as Dr. Jones, a world-renowned professor of archaeology hired by the U.S. government to track down ... (details).
With: Curtis Runnels, professor of archeology, Boston University.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

The Spaceman on the Art and Science of Pitching (Lecture)

August 09, 2008
Nicknamed the Spaceman for his free-spirited personality, Bill Lee is one of the best left-handed pitchers ever to don a Boston Red Sox uniform — and one of the most unforgettable characters ever to play the game. On November 7, 2008, Lee will be inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame as the team ... (details).
With: Bill "Spaceman" Lee," former Red Sox pitcher (1969-1978), author, and star of the 2006 documentary film, Spaceman in Cuba.

Babe Ruth and Ted Williams: Behind the Legends (Lecture)

August 02, 2008
Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat. The Wizard of Whack. The Bambino. To his teammates, he was simply the Big Bam. However, he was more than baseball's original superstar — for 85 years, he has remained baseball's reigning titan. Ted Williams was The Kid. The Splendid Splinter. Teddy Ballgame. ... (details).
With: Leigh Montville, former Boston Globe columnist, former senior writer at Sports Illustrated, and author of The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth and Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero.


The Mystic River in Film (Special Program)

July 25, 2008
Join us for a free screening of three short films produced by students from Emerson College. The Mystic River is an integral part of many neighborhoods near the Museum of Science. The future of the river and its surrounding communities relies on an educated understanding of issues related to science, technology, and the environment ... (details).

Fenway and the New Generation of Ballparks (Lecture)

July 22, 2008
Fans have a magical connection to ballparks, and no baseball venue is more beloved than Fenway, the oldest park in the major leagues. Janet Marie Smith is directing the revitalization of Fenway Park and was involved in the planning and development of Atlanta's Turner Field and Baltimore's Camden Yards, ... (details).
With: Janet Marie Smith, Senior Vice President of Planning and Development, Boston Red Sox.

Voices of the Game (Lecture)

July 12, 2008
Joe Castiglione is in his 26th season as the voice of the Boston Red Sox and previously handled play-by-play on television for the Cleveland Indians and the Milwaukee Brewers. Curt Smith, former presidential speechwriter, GateHouse Media columnist, and author of Voices of The Game and other acclaimed ... (details).
With: Joe Castiglione, Red Sox radio broadcaster and author; Curt Smith, author, columnist, and television / radio host.

Summer Stargazing: An Exclusive Innovators Event (Special Program)

June 24, 2008
A roof with a view of the summer stars is reserved especially for you! Come and see the wide heavens and city skylines in closeup, as only the Museum of Science can offer. Clear skies permitting,* view a wide range of stunning deep-sky objects as well as focal points along the Charles River. The evening ... (details).

On The Mound: A Conversation with Two Baseball Insiders (Lecture)

June 19, 2008
Part of the Celebrity Science Series: A Reno Family Foundation Symposium Whether you're passionate about baseball statistics or simply get a thrill from the sound of a ball leaving the park, don't miss this chance to hear from two of baseball's premier historians and analysts. By pioneering sabermetrics ... (details).
With: George William "Bill" James, baseball writer, historian, statistician, and Red Sox executive; Rob Neyer, senior writer for ESPN.com and author.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Celebrity Science Series.

Grand Slam: A Baseball As America Opening Celebration (Special Program)

June 12, 2008
The Museum of Science, The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and Ernst & Young cordially invite you to a special event, featuring members of the Hall of Fame! Carlton Fisk, Wade Boggs, Dennis Eckersley, Eddie Murray, and Bobby Doerr are expected to attend this evening's event.* Our "final ... (details).

Nanotechnology in Cambridge: What Do You Think? (Forum)

May 22, 2008
The zip file listed below under "documents" contains the agenda, background information, discussion activity, and poll results from this forum. We continue to welcome your input; share your ideas today via our online poll! In this forum, presented in collaboration with the Cambridge Public Health ... (details).

Superman (Lecture)

May 12, 2008
The Coolidge Corner Theatre wraps up this season's Science on Screen series with Superman, the original superhero blockbuster starring Christopher Reeve. Clark Kent is a reporter for the Daily Planet -- at least part of the time. Born Kal-El of the planet Krypton, Kent has a secret identity: he's ... (details).
With: Max Tegmark, associate professor of physics at MIT.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

WaterFire and the Public Art of Barnaby Evans (Lecture)

May 09, 2008
Combining science and art, natural elements and soundscapes, Barnaby Evans is renowned for his category-defying multimedia public art installations. He created WaterFire, a sculpture/performance/social phenomenon that comprises one hundred bonfires burning from sunset to midnight in the rivers of downtown Providence, RI ... (details).
With: Barnaby Evans, multimedia artist.

The Search for the USS Grunion (Lecture)

May 01, 2008
On April 11, 1942 the USS Grunion, a Gato-class submarine, was commissioned into service for the US Navy. By July 30 of that year, the Grunion would make its final communiqué and disappear without a trace. Among the missing was the ship's commander, Lt. Cmdr. Mannert L Abele, who left behind three sons: Bruce, John, and Brad ... (details).
With: John and Bruce Abele.

Inspiring Minds: Meet Women in Science 2008 (Special Program)

May 01, 2008
Our interactive Inspiring Minds program is back for a second year! Join us in the Gordon Current Science and Technology Center each morning, May 1 - 3, for opportunities to talk with exciting scientists who love their work. In addition, try out the activities at our popular "Technology Tables," where ... (details).

Physics of the Impossible (Lecture)

April 30, 2008
One hundred years ago, lasers, televisions, and computers seemed physically impossible. Today, teleportation and invisibility seem equally far-fetched. Renowned physicist Michio Kaku explores how mind reading, the routine use of force fields, and other feats that are currently science fiction may become commonplace tomorrow ... (details).
With: Michio Kaku, co-founder of string field theory, professor of physics, and author of Physics of the Impossible.

Innovators, We Need to Talk! (Special Program)

April 25, 2008
Got ideas? The Museum's adult audience task force wants to hear from you. Help us improve the range of activities we offer to young professionals. Join us for an exclusive reception and brainstorming session! Share your personal stories with the Museum staff who develop our courses, lectures, and special programs for adults ... (details).

Vertigo (Lecture)

April 21, 2008
Science on Screen at the Coolidge Corner Theatre continues in April with a special presentation of the Alfred Hitchcock classic, Vertigo. During a rooftop chase, police detective John "Scottie" Ferguson (James Stewart) is grossly overcome by his acrophobia (a deep fear of falling), which ultimately brings about the death of a fellow officer ... (details).
With: Catherine Kimble, MD.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

2008 Walker Prize (Special Program)

April 07, 2008
Join the Museum community in honoring this year's Walker Prize recipient, James J. McCarthy, PhD, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Biological Oceanography at Harvard University. Recognized as one of the world's leading experts on global climate change, McCarthy has served on numerous international committees ... (details).

Exclusive Innovators Event (Special Program)

March 28, 2008
Get a sneak peek at the revolutionary planetarium technology and software being developed for use in the Museum's Charles Hayden Planetarium. Robin Symonds, Planetarium manager, and experts from Sky-Skan, Inc. — the world's leading designer and supplier of high-end planetarium technologies — ... (details).

Darwin's Nightmare (Lecture)

March 17, 2008
Darwin's Nightmare is Hubert Sauper's harrowing documentary about the devastating effects that a "globalized" economy has on the residents of a Tanzanian fishing village. Some time in the 1960s, the Nile perch was introduced into Africa's Lake Victoria as a scientific experiment. This voracious predator ... (details).
With: Les Kaufman, professor of biology, Boston University marine program.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

BrainGate (Lecture)

March 12, 2008
Matthew Nagle can change the channels on his television, adjust the volume, open and close a hand, and read his email. These feats may not sound impressive, but they are miraculous for Nagle, a quadriplegic paralyzed in 2001 by a knife wound that severed his spinal cord. Thanks to a system called BrainGate, ... (details).
With: John P. Donoghue, PhD, Henry Merritt Wriston Professor and director, Brain Science Program, Brown University; co-founder, chief scientific officer and director, Cybernetics, Inc..

Once Upon A Tide (Lecture)

March 05, 2008
The Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment presents a screening of their recent film Once Upon A Tide, a modern-day fable that helps people understand the vital connection between the ocean environment and human health. Narrated by Academy Award winner Linda Hunt, the ten-minute film uses ... (details).
With: Paul R. Epstein, MD, associate director, and Kathleen Frith, assistant director, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School .

National Engineering Week (Special Program)

February 17, 2008
During school vacation week (February 17 - 23), the Museum celebrates National Engineering Week with specially focused programs and staffed activities throughout the Exhibit Halls. Discover extended Design Challenges, where visitors can take on the role of an engineer and design, construct, and test a prototype ... (details).

Nanotechnology and Alternative Energy (Forum)

February 12, 2008
Climate change concerns, rising energy costs, and dwindling natural resources are causing people everywhere take a closer look at the relationship between human activity and our environment. The emerging field of nanotechnology presents great promise to address these issues, but it carries a great deal ... (details).

Body Heat (Lecture)

February 11, 2008
As part of its ongoing Science on Screen series, the Coolidge Corner Theatre presents a special Valentine's Day-themed program with a screening of Lawrence Kasden's steamy, contemporary film noir, Body Heat. In one of his most memorable roles, William Hurt plays a Florida lawyer unwittingly drawn ... (details).
With: Michael Baum, PhD, professor of biology at Boston University.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

SEAMLESS: Computational Couture (Lecture)

January 30, 2008
Fashionistas and techies unite at SEAMLESS, a fashion show and celebration showcasing emerging designers from around the globe and functional creations that push the boundaries of wearable technology. The Museum transforms into a catwalk for "computational couture" as models strut groundbreaking clothing ... (details).
With: sosolimited; DJs Eddie O. and Mike Uzzi of Zero G Sounds.

Sleeper (Lecture)

January 21, 2008
The Coolidge Corner Theatre kicks off a new season of Science on Screen with Woody Allen's comedy classic Sleeper. When cryogenically preserved Miles Monroe (Woody Allen) is awakened 200 years after a hospital mishap, he discovers the world is ruled by an evil dictator: a disembodied nose. Miles ... (details).
With: Brock Reeve, executive director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Sneak Preview: Dino Death Trap (Special Program)

December 03, 2007
The Museum's Wright Theater hosts a special preview screening of Dino Death Trap, which airs on the National Geographic Channel on Sunday, December 9. Through this special screening, ticket winners can travel to western China as scientists unlock the mysteries of the evolution of dinosaurs, and watch ... (details).

NanoExpress Bus (Special Program)

November 28, 2007
Don't miss a visit to this specially outfitted bus, open during Museum hours in the plaza (near the entrance) through Saturday, December 1. Developed in 2006 by Howard University, the NanoExpress Bus is a mobile laboratory where visitors can explore nanoscale science and technology research first hand ... (details).

The Man Who Fell to Earth (Lecture)

November 26, 2007
The Man Who Fell to Earth is a daring exploration of science fiction as an art form. Walter Tevis's novel about an alien on an elaborate rescue mission provides the launching pad for director Nicolas Roeg's visual tour de force, an adventurous examination of alienation and cultural dislocation in contemporary life ... (details).
With: Cultural Anthropologist Robert Weller.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

World Usability Day (Special Program)

November 08, 2007
World Usability Day is a worldwide event with activities taking place at over 115 locations in 35 countries. It is sponsored by industry practitioners seeking to raise awareness of user-centered, design-related careers and individuals' rights to safe, effective, and easy-to-use products. On November ... (details).

Exit to Freedom (Lecture)

November 07, 2007
In 1983, Calvin C. Johnson Jr. stood in a courtroom and was sentenced to life in prison for a rape and burglary he said he did not commit. "With God as my witness, I have been falsely accused," Johnson told the judge, "I'm an innocent man." After 16 years in prison, Johnson was exonerated with the help ... (details).
With: Calvin C. Johnson, Jr., national board of directors, Innocence Project; chairman of the board of directors, Georgia Innocence Project; former Innocence Project client; and author.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Crimes, History and Mystery.

Health Awareness Month (Special Program)

November 01, 2007
November is Health Awareness month at the Museum. Join us on Thursday mornings to hear scientists discuss four major health issues: lung cancer, diabetes, smoking, and epilepsy. Come to the Gordon Current Science & Technology Center at 9:30 a.m. to watch a live broadcast on New England Cable News ... (details).

Pulse (Kairo) (Lecture)

October 29, 2007
Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Pulse (Kairo) tells the story of a group of young friends rocked by the sudden suicide of one of their own, and his subsequent, ghostly reappearance in grainy computer and video images. The mysterious floppy disk they find in the dead man's apartment could provide a clue, but instead ... (details).
With: Alan Lightman, author and adjunct professor of humanities at MIT.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Crime Prevention Presentations (Special Program)

October 29, 2007
Certified self-defense instructors Bob Colantoni, Museum director of public safety, and Amanda O'Loughlin, Museum security supervisor, offer safety tips based on the RAD Systems® program of risk awareness, risk prevention, risk reduction, and risk avoidance. Light refreshments served. Presentations are free to the public ... (details).

Women In Science Luncheon Tenth Anniversary (Special Program)

October 29, 2007
Thank you for your support of the Women in Science special tenth anniversary celebration. For information on upcoming speakers or to be added to the exclusive invitation mailing list, please contact special events: wisluncheons@mos.org Join us on Monday, October 29 at the Westin Boston Waterfront ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Women in Science.

Superstition, Science, and Sherlock Holmes (Lecture)

October 17, 2007
Sherlock Holmes may be a fictional character, but he had a very real influence on the development of criminalistics during the Victorian Era. E. J. Wagner is the author of the Edgar®-award-winning book The Science of Sherlock Holmes, which describes the real forensic science behind the legendary sleuth ... (details).
With: E.J. Wagner, crime historian and author.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Crimes, History and Mystery.

From the Crime Scene to the Court Room (Lecture)

October 10, 2007
As founder and head of the FBI's Investigative Support Unit, legendary profiler John Douglas tackled the most baffling violent crimes, describing the perpetrators' habits and predicting their next moves. His new book, Inside the Mind of BTK, is an in-depth look at Dennis Rader, the church president, ... (details).
With: John Douglas, former FBI special agent; criminal profiling expert; and author.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Crimes, History and Mystery.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month (Special Program)

October 07, 2007
Breast cancer is one of the most common and deadly cancers in women. One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with the disease in her lifetime. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and the Museum welcomes guest presenters to discuss the importance of increased awareness, genetic ... (details).

Deep Ancestry: Inside the Genographic Project (Lecture)

September 28, 2007
Join us for the inaugural program of the Reno Family Foundation Symposia to find out about our collective deep ancestry and how you can trace your own individual genetic journey. This program is made possible by generosity of the Reno Family Foundation and Barbara and Malcolm L. Sherman. Where do ... (details).
With: Dr. Spencer Wells, population geneticist, National Geographic explorer-in-residence and director of National Geographic and IBM's Genographic Project.

Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology in Health and Healing (Forum)

September 24, 2007
Using materials so small they're at the level of atoms and molecules, nanotechnology is widely seen as having huge potential in the world of medicine. It is already being used to create invisible sunscreens and highly specific cancer detectors, and many predict that nanotechnology will dramatically transform the medical world ... (details).

Everything's Cool (Lecture)

September 24, 2007
A hot documentary about global warming, Everything's Cool follows the struggle of a group of extremely dedicated, sometimes depressed, but always passionate global-warming messengers. Their journey provides a snapshot of the fight to end global-warming denial in the United States and create the political ... (details).
With: Adam Wolfensohn, co-producer of Everything's Cool; Ross Gelbspan, veteran journalist and bestselling author of The Heat Is On and Boiling Point; Beth Daley, environmental reporter for The Boston Globe; Kathleen Frith, assistant director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Alternative Energy 2007 (Special Program)

September 08, 2007
During the first four weekends in September, Museum staff and special guests are making live presentations addressing the interconnectedness of energy, transportation, and the environment. These events, presented in the Gordon Current Science and Technology Center, offer an informative prelude to the ... (details).

Chemistry in Action: Health and Wellness (Special Program)

August 19, 2007
On Sunday, August 19, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., visitors to the Museum can explore a variety of health- and wellness-related subjects such as UV ray protection, healthful food choices, and glucose testing. Hosted in collaboration with the American Chemical Society (ACS), Chemistry in Action provides ... (details).

Hurricane on the Bayou Screening with Tab Benoit (Special Program)

August 17, 2007
For this special event, Hurricane on the Bayou musician Tab Benoit joins Museum visitors in the Mugar Omni Theater for a brief presentation followed by a screening of the film. This is an great opportunity to meet one of the film's stars, and to learn more about Louisiana wetland conservation as we near ... (details).

Live Report on Dolphins from the Bahamas (Special Program)

August 13, 2007
Hear about the research that Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, director of the Dolphin Communication Project, is doing at a dolphin training facility in the Bahamas. On Monday, August 13, Dr. Dudzinski talks with us live from Nassau and answers questions from our audience. (details).

Wind Energy and The Community (Forum)

August 08, 2007
Offshore wind farms offer the promise of renewable electricity without the need for fossil fuels. As wind turbines become more and more efficient, policymakers and communities are weighing the environmental and economic benefits of wind-generated electricity against potentially negative impacts on wildlife, ... (details).

Live From the North Pole! (Special Program)

August 08, 2007
As part of the 4th International Polar Year — a period of intensive Arctic and Antarctic exploration — the Museum offers an opportunity to speak with scientists exploring geothermal vents in the deep ocean at Gakkel Ridge. On August 8 at 2:00 p.m., join us in Cahners Theater to speak in ... (details).

How Do Dolphins Communicate? (Special Program)

July 26, 2007
Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski from the Mystic Aquarium and the Dolphin Communication Project describes her extensive research with dolphins in the Bahamas, Japan's Mikura Island, and Honduras. Join us for two special presentations on the Gordon Current Science & Technology stage. (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Special Presentations.

Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology in Health and Healing (Forum)

June 18, 2007
From invisible sunscreen to highly specific cancer detectors, new nanotechnology applications are everywhere, and they have the potential to dramatically transform the medical world. Should these treatments be available before we are aware of their potential risks? This free Forum was a combination ... (details).

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Lecture)

June 18, 2007
Admiral Kirk meets his nemesis Khan in the action-packed modern sci-fi classic, Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan. The genetically superior Kahn seeks revenge upon Kirk for having been imprisoned on a desolated planet. Their battle ensues over control of the Genesis device, a top-secret Starfleet project ... (details).
With: Dr. Jeffrey A. Hoffman, MIT professor and former NASA astronaut.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Technology Day: Designs That Make a Difference (Special Program)

May 12, 2007
Drop in to learn how students from MIT's D-Lab are developing innovations to be used in underserved communities throughout Africa and South America. (details).

The Wild Trees (Lecture)

May 09, 2007
From Richard Preston, author of the #1 bestseller The Hot Zone, comes the spellbinding story of Steve Sillett, Marie Antoine, and a group of botanists and amateur naturalists who discovered a mysterious world hidden above California. The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring is the gripping tale ... (details).
With: Richard Preston, journalist for The New Yorker and bestselling author.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Revolutionary Science.

Cinema, Science, and Invention (Lecture)

May 04, 2007
A vital new framework for invention is arising. Worlds created for movies spring from real-world science research, and in turn, science and what is built in the real world are influenced by the movies. John Underkoffler has been at the heart of this feedback loop with the human-machine interfaces he's ... (details).
With: John Underkoffler, founder and chief scientist of Oblong Industries, Inc., and science and technology advisor to Minority Report, The Hulk, Aeon Flux, and other film productions.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

EurekaFest (Special Program)

May 02, 2007
Be inspired by inventors! This multi-day celebration includes a lecture with John Underkoffler, creator of G-Speak Gestural Technology System, and inventor presentations in Cahners Theater by the 2007 winners of two inaugural awards: the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize and the $100,000 Lemelson-MIT Award for Sustainability ... (details).

The Art of Living a Second Life (Lecture)

April 25, 2007
Called "the biggest digital art installation in the world" by Warren Ellis, Second Life is a highly imaginative, online, 3-D rendered environment populated with avatars (graphic representations of people). In Second Life, you can teleport, fly, live in a house, go to clubs, take classes, make and view art, or just "hang out ... (details).
With: Wagner James Au, embedded journalist in Second Life; Pathfinder Linden, community manager for Linden Lab; John (Craig) Freeman, artist in Second Life; moderated by Eric Gordon, assistant professor of new media, Emerson College.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

Live from the North Pole Observatory: Searching for Signs of Climate Change (Lecture)

April 24, 2007
Last month marked the beginning of the 4th International Polar Year, a period of intensive Arctic and Antarctic exploration. Scientists from around the world have been preparing to spend the last two weeks of April at the North Pole Environmental Observatory, deploying instruments to study climate change ... (details).

Science of Juggling (Special Program)

April 23, 2007
On Monday, April 23, Museum visitors can witness the awe-inspiring juggling of Big Apple Circus talent, Valdis Yanovskis. During a 20-minute presentation, Yanovskis will amaze spectators with a range of juggling feats, while a Museum of Science presenter reveals the fascinating science behind this ancient and skillful art ... (details).

Pulse Pool Installation (Special Program)

April 23, 2007
During the Cambridge Science Festival and the Boston Cyberarts Festival, the Museum of Science, Boston and New Radio and Performing Arts, Inc. present "Pulse Pool." Bridging art and human biology via technology — as well as two capital cities: Boston and Oklahoma City — Pulse Pool is an interactive ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

Pulse Pool Installation (Lecture)

April 23, 2007
During the Cambridge Science Festival and the Boston Cyberarts Festival, the Museum of Science, Boston and New Radio and Performing Arts, Inc. present "Pulse Pool." Bridging art and human biology via technology — as well as two capital cities: Boston and Oklahoma City — Pulse Pool is an interactive ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

New Horizons Mission to Pluto (Lecture)

April 18, 2007
Unmanned spacecraft have visited all of the planets except for Pluto, but that is about to change. The New Horizons robotic spacecraft was launched in January 2006 and is en route to Pluto and the outer solar system. What do astronomers expect to learn from this mission, and will it further change our ... (details).
With: Richard Binzel PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Lowell Lectures on Astronomy.

Pluto and the Outer Solar System (Lecture)

April 11, 2007
Even after Pluto was discovered in 1930, astronomers continued their search for an elusive tenth planet. Decades of exploration along with advances in technology led to the discovery of icy objects more distant and sometimes even larger than Pluto. What are these objects that dwell in the outer solar ... (details).
With: Michael Brown, PhD, California Institute of Technology.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Lowell Lectures on Astronomy.

Evolution's Discoverers: Charles Darwin & Alfred Russel Wallace (Lecture)

April 06, 2007
Harvard University professors Janet Browne and Andrew Berry share a remarkable story: how two naturalists independently developed their own ideas on the theory of evolution, and why, today, one is a big name and the other has been relegated to relative obscurity. One of the most remarkable aspects ... (details).

Planetary Perils in Prague (Lecture)

April 04, 2007
By the end of the twentieth century, it was common knowledge that there were nine planets in our solar system. However, a group of international astronomers gathered in Prague last year and reorganized our understanding of our solar system. Pluto was put into a category different from the other planets ... (details).
With: Owen Gingerich PhD, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Lowell Lectures on Astronomy.

Animation Showcase (Special Program)

March 31, 2007
On Saturday, March 31, the Museum of Science will host students from Emerson College who will showcase their short animation films. The 45-minute presentations will take place in the Museum's Cahners Theater at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. Visitors can drop in at any time during the presentations to see student ... (details).

The Evolution of Sex: Rethinking the Y Chromosome (Lecture)

March 27, 2007
Over the last few decades, the male-specific Y chromosome, the runt of the genomic litter, has been diagnosed as terminally ill. Some scientists declared that in another 10 million years or so the Y will be gone altogether, taking males along with it. However, Dr. Page and his colleagues have found that ... (details).
With: David Page, PhD, director, Whitehead Institute; department of biology, MIT; Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator .
This presentation is part of the ongoing Whitehead Institute Lecture Series.

The Next Gold Rush: Bioprospecting, Medicine, and the Environment (Forum)

March 21, 2007
The latest scientific discoveries enable us to harvest genetic materials from a wide variety of sources: the canopies of subtropical rainforests, the deep waters of oceans, and the steaming hot springs of our national parks. Through a practice called "bioprospecting," we are able to use these materials ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Revolutionary Science.

The Next Gold Rush: Bioprospecting, Medicine & The Environment (Lecture)

March 21, 2007
We are at a crossroads. The latest scientific discoveries give us the ability to manipulate life, but does this mean that we should? And, when genetic materials are gathered from rain forests and oceans, who should reap the financial benefits? In a program that is part panel discussion, part forum conversation, ... (details).
With: Mark J. Plotkin, president, Amazon Conservation Team; Jay Short, CEO, E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation; Janet Browne, author of Charles Darwin: Voyaging and Charles Darwin: The Power of Place; Dan Dillon, PhD, researcher for the GoodWork Project directed by Howard Gardner.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Revolutionary Science.

An Unexpected Interface: Protein Folding Driving Evolutionary Change (Lecture)

March 20, 2007
Learn about Dr. Lindquist's recent work, which suggests that the forces that govern protein folding (when strings of amino acids fold into a functioning protein structure) exert a profound effect on how genetic information is translated into phenotypic traits. This folding process allows organisms to ... (details).
With: Susan Lindquist, PhD, department of biology, MIT; Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator; member and former director, Whitehead Institute.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Whitehead Institute Lecture Series.

An Inconvenient Truth Film Screening (Lecture)

March 14, 2007
In what Larry King labeled "one of the most important films ever," Al Gore makes an engaging and passionate argument that global warming be viewed as a moral dilemma rather than as a political issue. In the film, Gore outlines the effects of global warming on natural environments, plant and animal life, ... (details).
With: Kevin Knobloch, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists; Leith Sharp, director of the Harvard Green Campus Initiative.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Global Warning.

Evolution as a Tool Kit for Understanding Human Disease (Lecture)

March 13, 2007
Comprehensive studies of genes and proteins from many organisms are giving us an extraordinary documentation of the history of life. We share thousands of individual genes and proteins with other eukaryotes (organisms with nucleated cells), all as a result of our common evolutionary history. Dr. Lodish ... (details).
With: Harvey Lodish, PhD, department of bioengineering, MIT; founding member, Whitehead Institute.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Whitehead Institute Lecture Series.

Build Some Fun (Special Program)

March 10, 2007
On Saturday, March 10, 2007 from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Museum of Science, celebrate the creative world of engineering with a special event produced in collaboration with WGBH. Kids of all ages can try hands-on activities featured in WGBH's newest kids series: Curious George, FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman, and Design Squad (premiering in February) ... (details).

STREB: Extreme Action In a Hard Core World (Lecture)

February 20, 2007
Recipient of a MacArthur Foundation 'Genius' award and once called the Evil Knievel of dance, Elizabeth Streb intertwines extreme sports, circus arts, Hollywood stuntwork, and dance in her unique choreography, called POPACTION. In this lecture, she takes on the physics of kinetic energy to show how humans ... (details).
With: Elizabeth Streb, Director & Choreographer, STREB Dance Company.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

Nature Is an Incredible Nanoengineer: The Story of Seashells (Lecture)

February 17, 2007
Find out about the state-of-the-art in nanotechnology research on the CS&T stage at one of several special guest researcher presentations! Super-tough synthetic materials created by mimicking nature's design are becoming a reality thanks to the work of MIT Professor Christine Ortiz and graduate student Benjamin Bruet ... (details).
With: Professor Christine Ortiz, MIT; Benjamin Bruet, MIT.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Special Program)

February 12, 2007
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Science on Screen presents this mind-bending romance from the minds of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and director Michel Gondry. Jim Carrey stars as Joel, a man struggling to come to terms with his painful breakup from Clementine (Kate Winslet). When Joel learns his ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

YPTRATRPY (You Play The Robot And The Robot Plays You) (Lecture)

January 27, 2007
Ensemble Robot is a Boston-based organization of musicians, engineers, and programmers working together to create an orchestra of robotic musical instruments and music for them. On the afternoon of Saturday, January 27, Ensemble Robot will present an interactive exhibit featuring Giles Hall's YPTRATRPY ... (details).
With: Ensemble Robot.
This presentation is part of the ongoing series When Science Meets Art.

So Much, So Fast (Lecture)

January 22, 2007
The critically acclaimed new documentary So Much, So Fast is a gripping, refreshingly candid chronicle of one family's remarkable battle with the paralyzing neural disorder ALS (Lou Gehirg's disease). Diagnosed with the disease at just 29 years old, Stephen Heywood resolves to carry on with his life's plans in spite of an uncertain future ... (details).
With: Jamie Heywood, founder, ALS TDF.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

The Body Worlds Forum Series (Forum)

September 29, 2006
September 29, 2006 Over My Dead Body A collaboration between Forum and Lectures & Special Programs Where is the line between the sacredness of human life and death, and the use of human remains for display and education? Where do museums fit in? For decades, Connecticut's Mattatuck Museum has grappled ... (details).

The Andromeda Strain (Lecture)

September 04, 2006
Decades before Spielberg's splashy dinosaur flick made Michael Crichton's name synonymous with summer blockbusters, there was The Andromeda Strain (1971), a taut, cerebral thriller adapted from Crichton's novel of the same name. When an army satellite falls to earth near a small New Mexico town, ... (details).
With: Dr. Alfred DeMaria, chief medical officer and the state epidemiologist, Massachusetts Department of Public Health; director, Center for Laboratories and Disease Control; director, Bureau of Communicable Disease Control; acting director, Massachusetts State Laboratory Institute and the Bureau of Laboratory Sciences.
This presentation is part of the ongoing Science on Screen Series.

Nanotechnology: Risks and Benefits (Forum)

May 23, 2006
This Forum hosted three events at the Museum in 2006. At the bottom of this page, you can download the agendas, discussion questions, and Powerpoint presentations from each Forum, as well as a collection of general nanotechnology resources and an introduction to nanotechnology written by Kristen Kulinowski of Rice University ... (details).

Bionics and Prosthetics: Darth Vader and the Human/Machine Boundary (Forum)

February 10, 2006
Engineers have to make tradeoffs when designing prosthetic limbs. By considering our personal preferences between the options, we increase our awareness of the decisions and limitations facing engineers. It also helps us think about the broader social implications as prosthetic research develops: Darth ... (details).

Rethinking Urban Transportation: The Future (Forum)

January 28, 2006
Every single one of us is an expert on transportation, because whether you walk, bike, take the T or drive, you get from your front door to wherever you are going. This forum addressed the question: how does the transportation system that you rely on affect your quality of life? Read about the issues ... (details).

AltWheels (Special Program)

This sustainable transportation festival offers two great days for viewing, experiencing, and discussing some of the most innovative means of transportation in the world today. In anticipation of the festival, Museum staff are making special presentations on biofuels, hydrogen fuel cells, wind energy, ... (details).

Inspiring Minds: Meet Women in Science 2007 (Special Program)

Every Sunday afternoon in May (2007), from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m., inspiring women who love their careers in science and engineering gathered in The Gordon Current Science and Technology Center. They described their work and told their experiences in special presentations but also talked personally with guests ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Women in Science.

humanⁿ Digital Kaleidoscope (Special Program)

The humanⁿ kaleidoscope reflects your spin on humanity. Stand in front of the camera and watch the kaleidoscope mix your live video with topical background images, making you a visible player in world events. Step forward and to the side and you cause the kaleidoscope to spin and zoom. This new ... (details).

Neri Oxman: At the Frontier of Ecological Design (Special Program)

Biology inspires Neri Oxman. Working at the interface of environmental design, science, and art, Oxman is inventing the future of energy-efficient building materials. A Presidential Fellow at MIT's Department of Architecture, Oxman is inventing novel ways to design, fabricate, assemble, and maintain ... (details).

Pompeii Zipcar (Special Program)

Through Sunday, February 5 Rent the hottest car in town! The Museum and Zipcar have partnered to create the first-ever Museum of Science Zipcar! From now until February 5, when you rent* this Pompeii-inspired Mini Cooper for just $9.75/hour, you also receive a pair of complimentary tickets to visit the exhibit A Day in Pompeii** ... (details).

Cosmic Quest SCVNGR Trek (Special Program)

Calling all galactic explorers! To celebrate the reopening of the Charles Hayden Planetarium, the Museum has partnered with SCVNGR to create Cosmic Quest, a fun and exciting new smartphone adventure! The SCVNGR application is free and available for iPhone and Android. Working with your smartphone's ... (details).

Whale Watch Combination Ticket (Special Program)

Pair your Whales | Tohorā visit with a Whale Watch aboard Boston Harbor Cruises, and experience these majestic mammals up close in their own environment. On exhibit through September 14, Whales | Tohorā shares the mysteries of these colossal creatures through a unique blend of science and storytelling ... (details).

September Salem Days (Special Program)

Throughout September, Salem, MA residents and their families are invited to visit the Museum of Science, Boston to experience free science adventure. Explore more than 700 interactive exhibits, attend live presentations, experience indoor lightning storms, participate in hands-on demonstrations, and ... (details).

Online Forum: Nanotechnology in Toothpaste? (Forum)

In January 2009, the Museum hosts Nanotechnology in Consumer Products, an interactive Forum to discuss whether the City of Cambridge should take action to inform the public about possible health risks related to nanotechnology. However, you can voice your opinion about this timely issue right now. Read ... (details).
 

Subscribe to RSS

Stay on top of the latest developments in science and technology by subscribing to our RSS feeds.

Become a Member

Membership makes sense!

Premier Partners

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care The Mathworks Microsoft Raytheon

The Museum of Science, Boston

  1 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114  phone: 617-723-2500   email: information@mos.org