The University of Nebraska State Museum's next Sunday with a Scientist program for children and families will explore the juicy world of fruit. "The Fascinating World of Fruit" will be offered 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., April 17 at Morrill Hall.
Biologists Stacey D. Smith and Sabrina Russo, assistant professors in UNL's School of Biological Sciences, will provide hands-on activities and demonstrations to help visitors learn about the diversity of cultivated and wild fruit. Visitors will explore the amazing things fruit can do, as well as the variety of fruit shapes, sizes, and colors generated by different dispersal modes (wind, water, animals). The scientists will explain the important role fruit plays in the environment, the plant life cycle, and the diets of animals and humans. Visitors will also have the opportunity to touch and smell fresh and dried fruits from around the world.
To learn more about the School of Biological Sciences research on the genetics, evolution and ecology of plants, visit Smith's lab at https://sites.google.com/site/iochromas or Russo's lab at http://www.unl.edu/srusso/index.html.
Admission to the museum is free for UNL faculty, staff and students with a valid NCard. General admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-18 and free for children age 4 and under.
Sunday with a Scientist is a series of presentations that highlight the work of State Museum scientists and those from other UNL departments and institutions, while educating children and families on a variety of topics related to science and natural history. Presenters share scientific information in a fun and informal way through demonstrations, activities, or by conducting their science on site. Sunday with a Scientist programs are 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Morrill Hall on the third Sunday of each month.
Upcoming Sunday with a Scientist Topics are: May 15 - Extreme Weather; June 19 - Tissue Mechanics; July 17 - Fish; Aug. 21 - Climate Change; Sept. 18 - Plants; Oct. 16 - Fossils; Nov. 20 - Viruses; and Dec. 18 - Minerals.
- Dana Ludvik, NU State Museum
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/7x5