The Houston Museum of Natural Science has been a member of the Houston Community since 1909. We were established by the Houston Scientific Society, whose members had names like Ideson, Attwater, Westeimer and Kirby. We have so many ties to Houston history that it seems every time the wrecking ball swings we lose a part […]
If you live in Texas, then chances are you might have had a brush or two with poison ivy. I know I have! It’s a sneaky unassuming vine that can cause weeks of itchy blister-filled anguish. Poison ivy, Toxicodendron radicans, belongs in the family Anacardiaceae, more commonly known as the sumac and cashew family. Can […]
Special Event – Tasty Toxic Tuesday Learn about things in nature that are potentially deadly but have been prized and eaten by humans for thousands of years. David Temple, Associate Curator of Paleontology and co-curator of the new exhibition “Death by Natural Causes” will lead this evening of gustatory mayhem. This multi-media presentation will […]
For the past couple weeks you’ve probably been hearing about the dust plume settling over the Bayou City, producing beautiful sunsets while also wreaking havoc with our sinuses. You’ve probably wondered why exactly this is happening, if its’ a result of climate change and if we should be worried. This blog will provide some answers […]
Lecture – Murder, Mayhem and Death By Natural Causes by Nicole Temple Calling all fans of true crime! Join exhibit curator and fellow true-crime enthusiast Nicole Temple for a lecture regarding the darker side of Death By Natural Causes. As this lecture will contain a bit of murder and mayhem, it is not recommended for […]
Everyone knows that traveling is a rewarding experience, but there seems to be a misconception as to how far you have to go to attain this elusive “reward”. I’m not the most seasoned traveler on earth, but I’ve been to a few different countries and some pretty exotic destinations and I’m here to tell you […]
With National Pollinator Week behind us, it may be easy to focus on other issues and forget that pollinators need our help to bounce back. While many people only envision little honeybees when they think about pollinators, they couldn’t be a more diverse group of animals, including mammals, birds, insects, and even reptiles! Here […]
Behind The Scenes Tour of Our Cockrell Butterfly Center Plus Greenhouses Go behind the scenes with Museum entomologists and horticulturists who care for the plants and animals in the three-story rainforest terrarium. The tour includes areas not open to the public–the greenhouses on the 7th floor of the parking garage and containment room. Tuesday, July […]
The Big Dipper is above the North Star, with its handle pointing up. From that handle, you can ‘arc to Arcturus’ and then ‘speed on to Spica’; those stars are in the west at dusk. Leo, the Lion, is also in the west at dusk. Jupiter is to the left of Spica in […]
Happy Independence Day! Are you going to blow some stuff up today? Well, before you do why don’t we examine just why exploding things is an appropriate way to show everyone how happy we are to be free. It all started in China. Way back (some sources say it was around 200 B.C.) someone discovered […]
