Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs

Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of DinosaursA NEW EXHIBITION LANDS AT NHM

The Magazine of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles CountyJune and July 2016

12496_NHMU_Nat_Mag_June_July.r1.indd 1 6/2/16 11:19 AM

NHM.ORG/nature

Fridays, July 8 and July 22Awaken your senses with music, garden-inspired cocktails, botanical tours, food trucks, and more. Free with RSVP! Visit NHM.ORG/summernights.

Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26Join us for a two-day

celebration of nature

in our city!

Visit NHM.ORG/naturefest

for tickets and information.

THE NEW BUTTERFLY PAVILIONOpening This SummerSee more than 30 butterfly species

flying in their new, open-air habitat.

SUMMER NIGHTS

IN THE GARDEN

L.A. URBAN NATURE FEST

Nature Fest and Summer Nights in the Garden are sponsored by


When I walk through the Museum’s remarkable exhibi-

tion halls and gardens, I am excited to see how visitors

become transfixed by a particular creature or object

that speaks to them. It could be, for instance, a sparkling

mineral, a migrating bird, an ancient Aztec vessel, or a

dinosaur bone.

What is equally thrilling to me is the scientific

research that is behind these incredible displays.

Scientists at NHM and the La Brea Tar Pits and

Museum are undertaking groundbreaking research

that is making the Museum experience richer and

more relevant for visitors now and in the future.

Museum scientists — you’ll read about a few of

them in this issue — travel across the world to bring

their discoveries back to NHM to study. Mineralogists

are researching minerals, on display in the Gem and

Mineral Hall, which can remove toxins from the environ-

ment. Paleontologists travel to Utah to excavate fossils

of long-necked dinosaurs, and visitors can see them

being worked on in the Dino Lab. The specimens that

scientists discover, when compared to the historical

data from NHM’s vast collections, can help us answer

questions relating to climate change, evolution, and

wildlife habitats close to home. NHM’s vast collections

of more than 15 million marine specimens, for example,

help us understand how animals are surviving and

adapting to changing ocean environments today. It is

a mission that we explore with visitors every day — how

life on this planet is changing and why that matters.

I invite you to stop in and see the collections you

haven’t seen before, knowing that each object started as

a discovery. Whether they are treasures of the ancient

peoples of the Americas in the Visible Vault or birds in

the Bird Hall or Nature Gardens, we invite you to share

their stories.

2 Briefs

4 Pterosaurs Exhibition Opens

10 A New Butterfly Pavilion Opens

13 Join the Nature Crowd

14 Our Super Mineral Man

15 Fossil Hunters in the Tropics

16 Events

Image: Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs, a new temporary exhibition, opens July 1. Pterosaurs is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org).

The Naturalist magazine is a publication of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and is issued six times a year. As a Member benefit, each issue provides a look at Museum exhibits, collections, adventures, research, and events. Through them, we inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds.

Science Out Front

Institutional Partner

Signature Sponsors

Dr. Lori Bettison-Varga President and Director

Nat

ural

ist

June

/ Ju

ly 2

016

1


For one week this spring, we launched

a friendly competition — the City

Nature Challenge, L.A. vs. S.F. —

and won! In the collaborative contest

between NHM's Urban Nature

Research Center and the California

Academy of Sciences, citizen scientists

in L.A. and the Bay Area battled to

see who could submit the most photos

of wildlife, document the most species,

and pull in the highest number of

participants. NHM’s winning tally

(with S.F. not that far behind) was

more than 10,600 observations!

Angelenos — who mostly sub-

mitted through social media with

#natureinla and the iNaturalist free

app and website — took pictures of

more than 16,450 species, including

some surprising finds that will help

Museum scientists research L.A.’s

biodiversity. One photo showed a

ladybug and gopher snake as inter-

species friends. Two photos of mating

alligator lizards will help scientists

studying the timing of the reptile’s

mating season.

Miguel Ordeñana, a Citizen

Science Coordinator at NHM, says

a picture of the California mountain

lion “P-22” proved a fitting end to

the nature-discovery showdown.

“He showed up on my camera trap

in Griffith Park on the last night of

the contest, just before we overtook

San Francisco in the middle of the

night.” Can’t wait for the rematch

in 2017, and we’ve already got other

cities interested in participating!

Citizen science is a never-ending journey to let us (and your fellow Angelenos) know the wildlife that’s out there! Submit your sightings to the iNaturalist app or website, via social media with #natureinla, or e-mail photos with time and location information to [email protected].

Keep Looking!

Above images, clockwise from top left: L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas participates in the City Nature Challenge; gopher snake and seven-spotted ladybug; Mayor Eric Garcetti taking photo of snail at City Hall; California mountain kingsnake; greenhouse slug; a camera trap image of P-22, a mountain lion in Griffith Park; western fence lizards.

Visit NHM.ORG/nature for more information.

2 N

aturalist June / July 2016


The Director of the Museum’s Nature

Gardens, Carol Bornstein, has just

received a coveted award — Horti-

culturist of the Year — bestowed by

the Southern California Horticultural

Society on a person “who makes a

significant contribution to horticultural

and botanical knowledge.” It is a

fitting honor, as Bornstein, a virtual

encyclopedia botanical, oversees

the 3 ½-acre landscape of more than

600 native and nonnative plants

designed to be habitat for wildlife.

She is the co-author of two books,

the award-winning California Native

Plants for the Garden and Reimagining

the California Lawn: Water-conserving

Plants, Practices, and Designs. This

honor also acknowledges the many

plants that she has introduced to

the landscape industry. Several of

the 14 plants she’s named, including

De La Mina lilac verbena and silver

carpet California aster, are growing

in the Nature Gardens. “I live and

breathe plants, and it’s wonderful to

witness how the gardens heighten

our visitors’ appreciation of nature.”

Our Award- winning Director

Visit HARTMUSEUM.ORG for more information.

Visit TARPITS.ORG for more information.

For plant-growing tips, visit the Your Garden page on NHM.ORG/nature.

Natural History Family of Museums

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum

Summer in Pit 91Pit 91 is moving into its busy summer

season and that means visitors will

catch excavators from the La Brea

Tar Pits and Museum at work 15 feet

below them in the asphalt seeps.

Pit 91 has yielded spectacular finds

over the years, including: skulls

of saber-toothed cats, dire wolves,

horses, giant ground sloths, and

a short-faced bear.

The microfossils unearthed

there, including freshwater shells,

seeds, insects, fish, reptiles, birds,

and small mammals, are treasures

too. Recently, research on fossil

insects, for example, is helping to

illuminate how L.A.’s climate and

habitat has changed over the past

40,000 years. NHM’s knowledgeable

Gallery Interpreters and volunteers

will be on hand at the active excava-

tions and inside the Museum to

share with visitors surprising details

about what these discoveries are

revealing about Ice Age L.A.

William S. Hart Museum

Reading at HartWilliam S. Hart was a world-famous

swashbuckling silent-movie star.

He was also an author who was

committed to opening up that

Western cowboy world to all of his

fans. When visitors take a tour of

the Hart Museum, they’ll see a book

written in Braille — the tactile writing

system used by the blind and visually

impaired — on display in the Guest

Bedroom. The novel, Hoofbeats,

written by Hart in 1933, is a fast-

moving Western thriller with “cowboys,

hidden treasure, troopers, mustangs,

and guns,” according to the book’s dust

jacket. The museum’s collection also

includes a three-volume Braille version

of Hart’s autobiography, My Life East

and West. Hart’s investment in books

for the visually impaired is attributed

to the fact that when he was young,

his father, Nicholas, almost lost his

eyesight to an injury. Visitors to the

hilltop mansion will see hundreds

of other Western artifacts and movie

memorabilia, each with a unique story

to share.Find Bornstein’s books at the Museum Store and at SHOP.NHM.ORG.

Image by Mario de Lopez

Nat

ural

ist

June

/ Ju

ly 2

016

3


WINGED REPTILES

TOUCH DOWN AT NHM!


Size aside, pterosaurs also evolved to have

many modes of locomotion. They flew with their

fingers, for instance, and walked on their wings.

Dr. Nathan Smith, Associate Curator of the

Museum’s Dinosaur Institute, says pterosaurs

often suffer from mistaken identity. Though they

fly, they aren’t birds or bats. While they aren’t

dinosaurs, they evolved from the same family tree

as those charismatic giants. “One way to think about

it is that more than 250 million years ago, little

long-legged reptiles were running around as terres-

trial predators, and then two paths diverged in that

reptilian world,” Smith says. “Dinosaurs ultimately

became giant terrestrial predators and herbivores,

while pterosaurs took to the air.”

The largest exhibition about these flying reptiles in

the United States, Pterosaurs pulls visitors into the

sweeping story of the first animals with backbones

to fly under their own power. As they move through

the galleries, visitors will see life-size models,

interactive exhibits that will immerse them in the

mechanics of pterosaur flight, as well as the latest

research discoveries — all part of a self-propelled

adventure through the dinosaur age.

Instantly, visitors will marvel at the incredible

diversity of pterosaurs. More than 150 species of

all shapes and sizes spread across the planet over a

period of 150 million years until they went extinct

66 million years ago. Some pterosaurs were gigantic,

as large as a two-seater plane. Others could fit in

the palm of a hand. As they enter the gallery, visitors

will encounter full-size models of one of the largest

and one of the smallest pterosaur species ever found:

the colossal Tropeognathus mesembrinus, with a

wingspan of more than 25 feet, soaring overhead

and the sparrow-size Nemicolopterus crypticus, with

a wingspan of 10 inches, displayed nearby.

Above: This large pterosaur species, Thalassodromeus sethi, had a crest three times larger than the entire rest of its skull and a wingspan of 14 feet. © AMNH 2014

When visitors step into the temporary exhibition Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs, they will swiftly take off into an ancient world where the skies were ruled by the winged reptiles, and dinosaurs, their close cousins, dominated the land.

MEMBER PREVIEW DAYS

Friday, July 1, and Saturday, July 2

Timed tickets available now.

Visit nhm.org/pterosaurs

Free for Members

Pterosaurs is sponsored by Hasbro and Macy’s

Opposite page: The colossal Tropeognathus mesembrinus model soars overhead at the entrance to the exhibition, above. © AMNH/R. Mickens; the Fly Like a Pterosaur exhibit, where visitors can “pilot” a flying pterosaur over a prehistoric landscape in a whole-body interactive exhibit, below. © AMNH/D. Finnin.

Nat

ural

ist

June

/ Ju

ly 2

016

5


independence of pterosaurs when they peek inside

a cast that reveals a pterosaur curled up, its wings

wrapped around its body, ready to be unfurled.

The exhibition continues with a section devoted

to how these reptiles lived on land. When pterosaurs

walked, they used all four limbs. Proof of these

ancient quadrupedal strides is on display — a sand-

stone slab from Utah that is marked with criss-

crossing pterosaur tracks. And often when pterosaurs

ambled around in the Mesozoic Era, they had com-

pany. The exhibition offers proof — a cast fossil from

Morocco shows footprints of pterosaurs and dino-

saurs treading on the same stones. Just like birds,

they landed between flights to rest, eat, find shelter,

and lay eggs before becoming airborne again.

PTEROSAUR MEET DINOSAUR

Meet Quetzalcoatlus northropi, the colossal pterosaur with

a wingspan of around 33 feet! Discovered by a geology student

in southwestern Texas, Quetzalcoatlus was larger than any other flying animal known.

KING OF THE AIR

Nathan Smith, Associate Curator of NHM’s Dinosaur

Institute, says this scene could have happened in the

Late Cretaceous, 69 million years ago in what is now Texas.

This massive Quetzalcoatlus might have swooped down while

hunting for prey and buzzed the head of a Tyrannosaurus

during the end of the Mesozoic Era when pterosaurs and

dinosaurs thrived together on Earth. Dr. Smith says other

terrestrial giants, such as the long-necked titanosaur sauropod

Alamosaurus, which stretched about 90 feet from head to

tail, may well have experienced this pterosaur fly-by too.

EVERYWHERE, PTEROSAURS

The exhibition organizes the mind-bendingly long

history of pterosaurs on Earth into sections, each of

which explores the three environments where the

versatile and varied pterosaur species thrived: land,

air, and water. Since pterosaur fossils are extremely

scarce, and their closest living relatives — crocodiles

and birds — are vastly different, even the most

elementary questions of how these extinct animals

flew, fed, mated, and raised their young are still

mysteries. But recent discoveries have provided

new clues.

A cast of an exquisitely preserved fossil ptero-

saur egg, found in China in 2004, shows that the

young reptiles were likely primed for flight soon after

hatching. Visitors will see evidence of the early

6 N



TALKING PTEROSAURS WITH DR. MICHAEL HABIB

Q&A

Dr. Michael Habib, Research Associate with NHM’s Dinosaur Institute and the exhibition’s consulting scientist, talks about pterosaur anatomy, what they ate, and his favorite flyers.

N You’re an expert on flight. Which

wing is better, a bird’s or a pterosaur’s? H Neither is better, really. Feathered

wings are typically better for going

very fast and the membrane wing is

better for flying more slowly, and for

big animals. The fastest flying animal

on Earth is a bird. The biggest flying

animal on Earth was a pterosaur.

N Did pterosaurs start to fly soon

after they hatched? H As far as we can tell, they could

fly right away. Babies weren’t helpless

and probably didn’t require parental

care in order to survive. They came

out and off they went.

N What did those babies eat?H Commonly, baby reptiles eat

higher-protein meals than the adults.

That’s because babies are growing and

need a higher intake of food. Many

baby pterosaurs likely started out on

insects. But that first meal is going to

be whatever it could fit in its face,

pretty much.

N How did they live so long on Earth —

for 150 million years?H In general, in terms of evolution, we

can measure success as having either

lots of species, or lasting a long time, or

being really widespread. In the history

of life, all four groups of powered flying

animals — insects, birds, bats, and

pterosaurs — have done all three things.

N Are pterosaur fossils hard to

excavate?H Yes, because pterosaurs could

fly to places that are remote. There

are probably millions of pterosaurs

that died over the open ocean, on

a mountain slope, or over a desert

that we will never find.

N Do you have a favorite?H Yes, it’s Quetzalcoatlus, a pterosaur

that soars on thermals over long

distances on land. It’s an animal that’s

become a signature of my work. The

close runner-up would be Anhanguera,

a long-winged marine animal. It has

fantastically weird anatomy, even as

pterosaurs go. It’s got an enormous

head, huge wings, and the pelvis and

abdomen are miniscule. It was an

ocean-crossing champion. It could

probably go months at sea if it wanted.

Above photo by Gus Ruelas.

On the Dinosaur Hall’s

mezzanine, look for rare

trackways and a giant,

crested Pteranodon longiceps.

Hint: Here’s Dr. Nathan Smith,

Associate Curator of NHM’s

Dinosaur Institute, standing

in front of the display.

FIND THE PTERANODON IN THE DINOSAUR HALL

Opposite page: Illustration of Quetzalcoatlus northropi © John Sibbick; illustration of T. rex by the Dinosaur Institute’s Stephanie Abramowicz. Above: Dr. Nathan Smith, Associate Curator of NHM’s Dinosaur Institute, in the Dinosaur Hall. Photo by Deniz Durmus. Watch a Pterosaurs video, featuring

Dr. Habib, at YOUTUBE/nhmla.

Find out from an

NHM paleontologist!

Take the quiz,

starting in July, at

NHM.ORG/pterosaurs.

WHICH PTEROSAUR

ARE YOU?N

atur

alis

t Ju

ne /

July

20

167


Flight allowed pterosaurs to travel long dis-

tances, exploit new habitats, escape predators, and

swoop down from above to seize their prey. Each

visitor to Pterosaurs will have a chance to experience

that adventure in the Fly Like a Pterosaur whole-body

interactive exhibit. Visitors can “pilot” two species

over several prehistoric landscapes — forest, sea,

and volcano —and experiment with the principles of

pterosaur aerodynamics in a virtual wind tunnel that

responds to the movements of their hands.

After they land, they’ll see displays nearby

that reveal how the King of the Air, with its heavy

muscles, was able to rule the skies. Pterosaurs

were biomechanical marvels. Their wing bones,

for instance, were lightweight hollow tubes with

walls no thicker than a playing card. The wings were

also stabilized by long fibers that allowed them

to be stretched taut or folded up like a fan. Other

flight-enhancing engineering qualities include a

longer ring finger that made it easier for the reptile

to steer and a membrane on the tail for balance.

GONE FISHING

Having traversed the land and air with pterosaurs,

visitors can greet reptiles of very different shapes

and sizes in the next section — water. They’ll notice

that some pterosaurs soared above oceans and lakes,

diving to catch fish or sea animals, while others may

have walked through shallow waters and congregated

in flocks. Thalassodromeus, which means “sea runner,”

would glide over the water while dipping its narrow

jaws to snatch fish on the surface. It had a 14-foot

wingspan and a large, flat head crest that may have

helped it slice through the water without wiping out.

Another water lover was Pterodaustro, a pterosaur

species that scooped up food and seawater, and

An interactive display

shows that the feeding

habits of pterosaurs

varied widely, ranging

from Pteranodon diving

for fish, to Jeholopterus

chasing insects through

the air. Tapejara, above,

probably ate fruits and

seeds from trees.

WHAT DID THEY EAT?

FLIGHT OF

THE PTEROSAUR

When visitors tilt their heads

up at the entrance to the next

section — air — they’ll see the

exhibition’s superstar overhead:

a full-size model of a 33-foot-

wingspan Quetzalcoatlus

northropi, the world’s largest

flying animal. (Quetzalcoatlus

also towered around 16 feet high

when parked on all four limbs.)

Nearby that colossus are the fossil

remains of another pterosaur

unearthed in Romania just a few

years ago, which point to a new

species that was even stronger

and heavier than Quetzalcoatlus.

Above photo: Two Thalassodromeus pterosaurs swoop down to catch Rhacolepis fish in their toothless jaws in this large diorama showing a detailed re-creation of a dramatic Cretaceous seascape. © AMNH/R. Mickens

8 N



VIP OPENING RECEPTIONThursday, July 7, 6:30–9:30 pmMembers at the $2,000 Fellows level and above are invited to a private opening reception of Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs, with cocktails and NHM experts. Join the Fellows today by visiting NHM.ORG/fellows or calling 213.763.3253.

PALEO PTALKPALEO ADVENTURES! FIELD STORIES BY REAL PALEONTOLOGISTSTuesday, July 12, 6–9 pm Picks, shovels, brushes, wind, and dirt. Get the inside scoop on fossil excavation! Join us for an evening with NHM’s Dinosaur Institute paleontologists as they share their adventures from the field. Following the discussion, take a tour of our Dinosaur Hall and Pterosaurs.

FAMILY DAYS Saturday, July 16, and

Sunday, August 14, 10 am–3 pm Bring the family and take part in special weekend programming to learn more about these ancient kings of the sky. Meet Museum paleontologists, see rare specimens from our collections, and spread your creative wings with hands- on activities.

PTEROSAURS, DAY AND NIGHT

Free for Members.For more information, visit NHM.ORG/pterosaurs.

Sponsored by Hasbro and Macy's.

used many bristle-like teeth to strain out the tiny

prey. Flamingos and baleen whales do that today.

(In Age of Mammals, see ancient baleen whales

“swimming” overhead.)

Visitors will be able to dive deeper into the

world of Pterodaustro at the exhibit’s iPad stations

and see animations of different species of pterosaurs

flying, walking, eating, and displaying crests. They

can explore behavior and anatomy and see video

clips featuring commentary from curators and

other experts.

“Pterosaurs inspire us like few animals do,”

says Dr. Michael Habib, a Research Associate with

the Museum’s Dinosaur Institute and the exhibition’s

science consultant. “Something about large, flying

reptiles from the distant past kind of feels alien to

us, but they were real animals and that makes them

all the more fascinating.”

Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org).

MEMBER PREVIEW DAYS

Friday, July 1, and Saturday, July 2

Timed-tickets available now.

Visit nhm.org/pterosaurs

Free for Members

Pterosaurs developed unique adaptations for flight, including thin, hollow bones. Inspection scope stations invite visitors to compare pterosaur bones with those of a dinosaur, a reptile, a mammal, and a bird. ©AMNH/D. Finnin

9 N

atur

alis

t Ju

ne /

July

20

16


Inside the Butterfly Pavilion, which opens this

summer, hundreds of winged wonders will be

flitting around in all-new digs. In our airy and

roomier Pavilion, visitors will delight in the more

than 30 species of butterflies that have taken

up residence there. They may stop to admire a

chrysalis and marvel as colorful winged creatures

alight on nectar-filled flowers. They will spot

monarchs, gulf fritillary, and western swallow-

tails flitting around the butterfly bush or Allen

Chickering sage. NHM’s Gallery Interpreters

will be in the Pavilion, too, to help with butterfly

identification, and to offer tidbits about meta-

morphosis and butterfly anatomy.

In the Nature Gardens, the immersion into

all-things-butterfly continues. The Museum’s

botanical showroom of water-thrifty plants

features 600-plus species of native and non-

native plants that grow well in Southern

California’s Mediterranean climate. The Nature

Gardens’ Pollinator Garden, in particular, is

a butterfly magnet. Visitors will see a host of

them getting a dose of the sugary nectar of lilac

verbena and California aster. They may also spot

the cloudless sulphur, which lays eggs on the

flower tips of the feathery cassia plants. Whether

outside in the gardens or in the new Pavilion,

visitors are certain to see a bevy of show-

stoppers in flight. An Improved Butterfly Home Comes to NHM Visit NHM.ORG/butterflies

for more information.

Butterflies!FIRST STOP

A NEW BUTTERFLY PAVILION OPENS

Photography by Mario de Lopez

10 N



We've launched a new print-

on-demand website so you can

bring stunning photographs from

the Museum's collections and

gardens home. Pick from dozens

of prints of botanicals, gems,

minerals, insects, and dioramas.

Members receive a 10% discount.

Visit prints.nhm.org!

The Art of Nature

11 N

atur

alis

t Ju

ne /

July

20

16


NHM’s popular adults-only sleepover is back, featuring curator presentations, a scavenger hunt, and a munchie buffet with craft beer and wine. Must be 21 or older. Visit NHM.ORG/sleepovers.

Spend an ALL-NIGHTER

at NHMFriday, June 17Buggy Nights: Insects in Tinsel Town

Saturday, July 16 Up OWL Night

RSVP required. Call 213.763.3499 or e-mail [email protected]. Free for Members at the Patron Family– level ($220) and higher.

L.A. has been a coastal town for millions of years, and we have the fossilized remains of sea creatures in our collection to prove it! Come see snapshots of L.A. with an NHM paleontologist.

18JUNE

SEAFOOD THROUGH TIME

Members at the $2,000 Fellows level and above are invited to a private cocktail reception for the new temporary exhibition, Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs.

Join the Fellows today by visiting NHM.ORG/fellows or call 213.763.3253.

VIP Opening Reception Thursday, July 7, 6:30–9:30 pm

Sponsored by

Learn about sponges, from reefs to fiber optics, with an NHM scientist!

SPONGES: BEYOND THE BATHTUB9

JULY

Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org).

Naturalist A

pril / May 20

1612


NHM has a new hub for the exploration of L.A.

nature — and you are a huge part of it! The Museum’s

Urban Nature Research Center (just a few months

old) brings together NHM scientists, citizen scien-

tists, and educators in the largest urban biodiversity

survey in the world. Participants are helping scien-

tists to gather data that will help to spotlight ways

to boost and sustain the incredible biodiversity here,

and ultimately make L.A. a more hospitable place

for wildlife — and us — to thrive.

To support the UNRC we recently kicked

off a new crowdfunding campaign. Every day, we

are reaching out to nature, science, and history

enthusiasts, who have not only made monetary

contributions but have also connected with our

scientists to support their work in other ways.

So far, donors have helped spread the word about

the UNRC, submitted photos for citizen science

events, and even brought in specimens for the

L.A. Spider Survey. Donations have supported

essential science gear and research supplies, such

as a drum of ethanol for preserving specimens,

a high-quality microscope, and a weather station

to monitor local temperature and rainfall.

We collaborate with UNRC scientists to

develop donation-reward levels that coincide with

their research and interests. For instance, the

$250 level includes admission for two to Fine Wine

and Flies on June 15, where NHM Entomologist

Emily Hartop will teach you to draw a distinguishing

feature of phorid fly species while you enjoy wine

and crudité. Other premiums include lizarding field

trips, lunch with a curator, and a BioBlitz of your

backyard by the UNRC team.

Help us hit our $120,000 goal. Give to the

UNRC today!

Visit NHM.ORG/unrcgive

for more information.Donate to the Urban Nature Research Center

By Bailee DesRocher If you would like to donate products that will help UNRC scientists, please call 213.763.3253.

To explore sponsorship or make a gift online, visit NHM.ORG/nhmnext.

Nat

ural

ist

June

/ Ju

ly 2

016

13


MINERALSPretty and Practical

Fluorite(shown below)

used in toothpaste

Kaolinite a thickening agent in milkshakes

Perovskite used for new types of high-capacity batteries, solar cells, and in fiber optics.

The otherworldly crystals that

sparkle in a rainbow of colors in the

Gem and Mineral Hall are, no doubt,

stunners. But minerals can also save

lives and help clean up the planet,

and Dr. Aaron Celestian, NHM’s

new Associate Mineralogy Curator,

knows all about that.

Dr. Celestian, who received

his bachelor of science degree in

geology from the University of

Arizona and both master’s and

doctorate degrees from Stony Brook

University, says his mission is to probe

the secrets of how Earth materials

grow, and then unlock their power

to promote public health. A lot of

environmental problems, he says,

have to do with heavy metals —

products of fuel cycles or industrial

processes — and he’s adept at figuring

out how to deactivate them. Celestian

helped to develop a mineral that

neutralizes a toxin found in radio-

active soil. Now, children in Fukushima,

Japan, which in 2011 suffered a nuclear

disaster, can eat their vegetables

grown in heavily contaminated soil

and not get sick. Celestian’s minerals

research has also helped to create

drug therapies to treat vexing

medical conditions.

“Radioactive waste, CO2 in

the atmosphere, heavy metals in the

environment — we can use minerals

to help clean those up,” he says.

“There’s a huge potential impact.”

At NHM, he plans to keep growing

the gem and mineral collection —

the biggest in the Western U.S. —

for other researchers locally and

around the world to study.

A professor for eight years before

coming to NHM, Celestian sees the

place as one very large, fun classroom.

In the Gem and Mineral Hall

amidst the children marveling at

the displays, he points out one of

his favorites — mesolite. This mineral,

which resembles a bright white

porcupine, has a surprising practical

application close to home. It breaks

down hydrocarbons, he says, and

so could one day be employed to clean

tar off of the fossilized bones of Ice

Age creatures that are being excavated

daily at the La Brea Tar Pits.

Fluorite is one of hundreds

of sparklers in the Gem and Mineral Hall.

Visit the Gem and Mineral Hall’s Gem Vault and see Celestian’s favorite gems — African opals that shoot out holographic rainbows.

Written by Jessica Portner Above: Dr. Aaron Celestian, NHM’s new Associate Mineralogy Curator, in the Gem and Mineral Hall. Photo by Deniz Durmus.

14 N



Fossil Hunters in the Tropics

To discover fossils, some Museum

paleontologists drill into stone in the

desert heat or brave chilly mountain

climbs, while others search for the

remains of ancient creatures in more

hospitable locales. NHM’s Invertebrate

Paleontology Collections Manager

Dr. Austin Hendy and Assistant

Curator of Marine Mammals Dr. Jorge

Velez-Juarbe returned recently from

the beaches and jungles of Panama.

They combed road construction sites

and coastal cliffs for the remains of

the sea dwellers of ancient marine

eco-systems in order to bring speci-

mens back to the Museum to study.

Their fieldwork involved explor-

ing sites both along the Caribbean

coastline and in Panama’s Chiriquí

Province. Their discoveries may help

solve the controversial question of

when the Isthmus of Panama formed

and the Central American Seaway —

an ancient body of water that was

once a highway of marine bio-

diversity — slowed to a trickle.

Early in the trip they found

toothed whale fossils and part of a

skull of a seven-million-year-old

baleen whale, discoveries that will

help them piece together the evolu-

tionary history of these ocean giants.

On their last day in the field, the

pair found a tooth of the ancestor

of Carcharocles megalodon, a shark

that lived 16 million years ago and

was about the size of a school bus.

“We could look down at our

feet, like we were walking on an

ancient seafloor,” says Velez-Juarbe.

Hendy added: “You can imagine the

scenario — 20 million years ago, large

sharks feeding on the fish, barnacles

living on whales and nautiluses

washing up on the sand of nearby

tropical beaches.”

Even in paradise, there are

fossil-hunting challenges. Despite

construction and coastal erosion,

tropical jungle vegetation soon takes

over and destroys what has been

exposed. Back at NHM, with their

marine bounty, they will set to work

digitally cataloging their collections

to share with researchers from around

the world. “This is a window into

a critical period of ecological and

evolutionary change,” says Hendy,

“one that we are hopefully helping

to open up to the world.”

Hear Dr. Austin Hendy, NHM’s Invertebrate Paleontology Collections Manager reveal his latest discoveries at a Scavenger’s Safari on June 18.

18JUN

Above: NHM's Assistant Curator of Marine Mammals, Dr. Jorge Velez-Juarbe, excavating a whale from seven-million-year-old marine deposits along the Caribbean coast of Panama. Photo by Austin Hendy.

Nat

ural

ist

June

/ Ju

ly 2

016

15


Events

Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs Member Preview DaysFriday, July 1, and Saturday, July 2Bring your entire family to marvel at this fascinating temporary exhibition that brings to life a 200-million-year-old world where the skies were ruled by these winged creatures, and dinosaurs — their close cousins — dominated the land. Visit NHM.ORG/pterosaurs.

VIP Opening Reception for PterosaursThursday, July 7, 6:30–9:30 pmMembers at the $2,000 Fellows level and above are invited to a private opening reception for our latest temporary exhibition. Enjoy cocktails and conversations with NHM experts and get an exclusive look at this extremely successful group of flying reptiles. Join the Fellows today by visiting NHM.ORG/fellows or calling 213.763.3253.

Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs CelebrationSaturday, July 30, 8–11 amMembers at the Patron level and higher are invited to celebrate Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs with an exclusive morning exhibition viewing, a hands-on activity, and a private walkthrough of the brand new Butterfly Pavilion. Complimentary breakfast will be provided. RSVP at nhm.org/patronparty. Not a Member at the Patron level ($220) or higher? Visit NHM.ORG/upgrade or call 213.763.3499.

For more information about all events, visit NHM.ORG/calendar.

JUNE

Overnight Adventure Once Upon a Butterfly6:30 pm Saturday, June 11 to 9 am Sunday, June 12 for Girls OnlyFlutter over for this sweet, nectar-filled sleepover that will inspire your Junior Entomologist to be a lepidopterist, a person who specializes in the study of moths and butterflies. Enter the enchanting world of butterflies as seen through the eyes of two of the tiniest fairy-tale characters. For girls only with accompanying adult.

All-NighterBuggy Nights: Insects in Tinsel Town7 pm Friday, June 17– 8 am Saturday, June 18NHM’s popular adult-only sleepover is back! Put on your fancy PJs for an ultimate “nerd chic” experience with music, trivia, craft beer and wine, and a munchie buffet. Hear a curatorial talk with Assistant Collections Manager of Entomology Emily Hartop and get a behind-the-scenes tour with Assistant Collections Manager of Entomology Lisa Gonzalez. For adults 21 years and older. Register at NHM.ORG/sleepovers.

Camp Tar PitsFriday to Saturday, June 25–26, 6:30 pm–9 amLearn about the La Brea Tar Pits and the titans that lived there during the last Ice Age by experiencing the Titans of the Ice Age 3D film! Register online at NHM.ORG/overnights. For children with accompanying adult.

Events with this icon are reserved for Members. Visit NHM.ORG/renew or call 213.763.3426 to upgrade your membership.

Members Only

Scavenger’s Safari:Seafood Through TimeSaturday, June 18L.A. has been a coastal town for millions of years, and we have the fossilized remains of sea creatures in our collection to prove it! Come see snapshots of L.A. with an NHM paleontologist. RSVP required. Call 213.763.3499 or e-mail [email protected]. Free for Members at the Patron level ($220) and higher.

Sponges: Beyond the BathtubSaturday, July 9Learn about sponges, from reefs to fiber optics, with an NHM scientist! RSVP required. Call 213.763.3499 or e-mail [email protected]. Free for Members at the Patron level ($220) and higher.

Butterfly Pavilion This summer, be the first to see more than 30 native North American butterfly species and an array of plants in a new living habitat! Free for Members. Timed-tickets required. Visit NHM.ORG/butterflies for more information.

L.A. Urban Nature FestivalSaturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26Join us for a two-day celebration of nature in the city! Don't forget to pick up your free gift, while supplies last. Nature Fest is sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Members Only

Pterosaurs programs are sponsored by

Members receive free admission to all programs unless otherwise noted.

16 N



Ongoing Activities

ONGOING AT NHM Dinosaur EncountersGet closer to dinosaurs than you ever thought possible in these amazingly real performances.

Gallery Exploration TourIn NHM’s award-winning tour, a Gallery Interpreter takes you on a journey featuring a new fascinating topic each day.

Gallery Highlights TourJoin a Gallery Interpreter and explore Museum highlights, including the Dinosaur Hall.

Meet a Live AnimalDrop by to meet different animals daily, from bugs to boas.

Nature Gardens Exploration:Looking CloserExplore the habitats of Los Angeles right here in our own backyard.

For a schedule, visit NHM.ORG/calendar.

ONGOING AT THE LA BREA TAR PITS AND MUSEUMIce Age EncountersCome face to face with our Saber-toothed Cat — don’t worry, she’s a puppet — and learn about life in the Ice Age.

Titans of the Ice Age Journey to a world lost in time, buried in ice, and ruled by giants in this exciting 3D film. Free for Members. For information, visit TARPITS.ORG/titans.

Presented by

L.A. Urban Nature FestivalSaturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26A two-day celebration of nature in the city! Museum scientists and local nature experts are joining forces for a weekend filled with hands-on, fun family activities, including live animal presentations, workshops, behind- the-scenes tours and more. Visit NHM.ORG/nature. Sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

JULY

Summer Nights in the GardenFridays, July 8 and July 22Awaken your senses with great music, garden-inspired cocktails, hands-on garden and science projects, botanical tours, food trucks, and more. Visit the Members Lounge to participate in a hands-on craft, enjoy complimentary snacks, and access a private cash bar. Visit NHM.ORG/summernights. Summer Nights in the Garden is sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Paleo PtalkPaleo Adventures! Field Storiesby Real PaleontologistsTuesday, July 12, 6–9 pm Picks, shovels, brushes, wind, and dirt. Get the inside scoop on fossil excavation! Join us for an evening with NHM’s Dinosaur Institute paleontologists as they share their adventures from the field. Following the discussion, take a tour of our Dinosaur Hall and temporary exhibition, Pterosaurs.

Pterosaurs: Family Days Saturday, July 16, and Sunday, August 14, 10 am–3 pm Forget the beach. This summer, NHM is celebrating pterrific pterosaurs! Let your imagination soar with a visit to our temporary exhibition. Bring the family and take part in special weekend programming to learn more about these prehistoric kings of the sky. Meet Museum paleontologists, see rare specimens from our collections, and spread your creative wings with hands-on activities. For more information, visit NHM.ORG/pterosaurs.

Up OWL Night!: Owls and Other All-Nighter Birds7 pm Saturday, July 16 to 8 am Sunday, July 17Put on your fancy PJs for an ultimate “nerd chic” experience with scientific programming with one of our experts, trivia, music, and, a munchie buffet with craft beer and wine. Get a bird’s- eye view of taxidermy with Ornithology Collections Manager Kimball Garrett. For adults 21 years and older. Register at NHM.ORG/allnighters.

Overnight AdventureCamp Tar Pits (Outside)6:30 pm Saturday, July 23–9 am Sunday, July 24Learn about the La Brea Tar Pits and the titans that lived during the last Ice Age by experiencing the Titans of the Ice Age 3D film! Optional: Bring your tents to pitch outside to sleep among the asphalt seeps in this Summer sleepover! For children with accompanying adult. Register online at NHM.ORG/overnights.

Teacher Institute: Evolution and the Cross-Cutting ConceptsWednesday, July 27 to Friday, July 29 Join educators and scientists as we explore Museum collections, exhibits, and the NGSS. Visit NHM.ORG/education.

LEGEND

Natural History Museum

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum

William S. Hart Museum

Overnight Adventures

Offsite Adventure

NHM Member Events

NHM Fellows Events

Paid Events

Nat

ural

ist

June

/ Ju

ly 2

016

17


In This Issue:Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs OpensNew Butterfly Pavilion Opens

Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAIDLos Angeles, CA Permit no. 13945

Membership Office900 Exposition BoulevardLos Angeles, CA 90007Telephone 213.763.3426www.nhm.org/membership

16-0

066

ExclusiveArt Printsfrom the NHM collection

Shop today at PRINTS.NHM.ORG


Documents

Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs