Human skin is rather unusual for a mammal. We have sparse hair covering our bodies while almost every other mammal has a coat of fur. By looking at ourselves, we can find evidence that human ancestors were once furred too. One of these clues is our goose bumps.
Read MoreAmong the many seasonal flavors of winter, peppermint is one of my personal favorites. Whether it’s peppermint-flavored coffee, candy canes, or just the peppermint wafers themselves, there’s something for everyone in peppermint this time of year. While chewing on some peppermint candy, you may notice a cold feeling in your mouth. Peppermint doesn’t actually cause the temperature to decrease in your mouth; it feels cold because of a particular quirk of biology.
Read MoreBy teaching students coding skills at a young age, we’re giving them the tools to build a better future for themselves and society. By 2020, there will be over one million unfilled jobs for computer programmers! There’s never been a better time to learn about coding, and never a better place for it than Greenwich schools.
Read MoreSanta Claus famously lives and works at the North Pole, but which North Pole? There are actually two North Poles of the Earth. One is the Geographic North Pole. This pole is aligned (but not exactly) with the rotational axis of the Earth and is the northernmost place on maps. The second North Pole is the Magnetic North Pole, the location that compasses will point to as north. If Santa wanted to keep his home on the Magnetic North Pole he’d have a hard time of it. Magnetic North is always moving.
Read MoreA 52 million year old fish fossil, a large predatory fish, Phareodus encaustis from the Green River Formation, was excavated in a Wyoming quarry and brought back to the Field Museum for fossil preparation in 2015. This fossil would eventually end up as a centerpiece of the Bruce Museum's Secrets of Fossil Lake exhibition, but first it needed to be prepared!
Read MoreThe Bruce Museum is proud to participate in Hour of Code for the second year in a row. The Hour of Code is a global computer science initiative that creates a fun and creative environment for students to be introduced to the concepts of computer programming.
Read MoreIn school, students are generally taught that species are groups of organisms that are capable of breeding amongst themselves and producing fertile offspring. As an explanation, it makes sense. Horses and donkeys form a classic example of this definition in action. While they can breed, their mule children are sterile. It would be nice if all species distinctions were this clear cut, but nature is far too complicated to be bound by this rule. There are many situations in which this definition cannot be clearly applied, and some that it cannot be used at all.
Read MoreWhen you think about Thanksgiving, science is probably not the first thing that comes into your mind. It seems much more aligned with history, and of course, the culinary arts. However, beneath the eating and thanking, there’s a lot to be learned!
Read MoreStories about animals and artifacts by scientists at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT
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