Rules of the Rainforest | Inside the Cockrell Butterfly Center

Up view of conservancy of green plants in sunlight

Visiting the Cockrell Butterfly Center is a wonderful, sometimes cathartic experience. To make sure every plant, animal, and human has the best experience possible, I sat down with CBC Manager, Lauren Davidson, to document a helpful list of so-called “Do’s and Don’ts” to consider when visiting our fluttery friends. Don’t worry, it’s mostly a fun […]

Why that Rock in Your Backyard is (Almost) Never a Dinosaur Egg

Man sits in dirty taking photo of large fossilized bone peeking out of the earth

At least once a week, David Temple receives a breathless message about an oddly-shaped rock or stony object some individual came across in their backyard or while on a nature hike. Almost everyone thinks they have found a priceless paleontological artifact that will change their lives forever. Sorry, but it’s not a dinosaur egg. As […]

Summer Solstice | June 2022 Sky Happenings

Distant view of plant earth from within a spacecraft

Editor’s Note: Each month, the astronomers of the Burke Baker Planetarium shed starlight on the night’s sky happenings. Take note of what’s out there for June 2022. Venus remains in the morning sky this month.  Venus outshines everything except the Sun and the Moon, so you can try to find it low in the east […]

Magic of our “Prehistoric Planet” comes to Apple TV

Animated image from "Prehistoric Planet" of Mosasaurus underwater

What do you get when you combine the talents of executive producer Jon Favreau, naturalist Sir David Attenborough, composer Hans Zimmer, and the power of prehistoric life in ultra-high-definition? Why, Apple TV’s newest series, “Prehistoric Planet”, which has unfolded this week on the streaming service in five parts. One early review from CNN applauded the […]

An Insider’s Guide to Mixers & Elixirs

Group of people dancing in front of dinosaur fossils

Hey, Houston! Mixers & Elixirs is back for its 2022 Summer Series. The tradition brings back many of the familiar attractions back to the halls of the Houston Museum of Natural Science but there are a few new tidbits guests may want to keep in mind when planning to attend and actively enjoying the event. […]

Seashell Queen Reveals Most Common Treasures Found on Texas Beaches

As the Associate Curator of Malacology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Tina Petway is our resident queen of the seas. At 75 years young, the native Texan has spent her whole life walking along the nearly 3,400 miles of the Texas Gulf Coast shoreline. “Mother Nature has been remodeling our coastline for thousands […]

HELIUM BALLOONS ARE KILLING MARINE LIFE IN THE THOUSANDS

Various colors of tangled balloon strings on a black background

Written by Tina Petway, Associate Curator of Malacology and Marine Invertebrates While we all love to watch things fly up into the sky such as helium balloons, we do not see them when they eventually come back to earth.  Unfortunately for marine and land animals they prove to be the instrument of death. Whales, porpoises, […]

Buck Off, Buck Moth | Houston Area Stingers

It’s springtime, and we all know what that means! Bright and cheerful flora; adorable, baby animals; a newfound will to embrace the mentality that life is a breath of fresh air/a box of chocolates/any other idiom that instills hope and wonder… But also… stinging caterpillars. The gift that keeps on giving… rashes, burning sensations, nausea, […]

HMNS Celebrates Charro, the Green Iguana

Written by Celeste Castro, Animal Care Supervisor We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved iguana and Cockrell Butterfly Center resident, Charro. He died peacefully in his sleep on 5/6/2022 just 2 days after celebrating his 23rd birthday. He joined the CBC in the summer of 2009 and delighted visitors with his antics […]


Editor's Picks The Real Moon Hoax That You Haven’t Heard Of Is Darwin relevant today? Oh The Hermannity! The Story of Houston’s Most Beautiful Green Space A Few Member Benefits Most HMNS Members Don’t Know About What The Loss Of The Museu Nacional in Rio de Janeiro’s Collections Means To The World What Is The Deal With Brontosaurus?!
 

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