If you really want to go back in time I suggest a visit to the Ladd Observatory. But what is its connection to a certain downtown coffee shop? Seen here is observatory curator Michael Umbricht next to an old clock from the R.I. Electric Protective Co., a company originally located at 32 Custom House Street, …
Today is the 132nd birthday of the Ladd Observatory. Each week, staff astronomer Francine Jackson sends out a newsletter with skywatching updates. For instance (weather permitting, grrrr) “We have a meteor shower this weekend, the Orionids, appearing to originate from Orion, the Hunter. As the Moon will have set as Orion rises, you should be …
(10.14) This Saturday, weather permitting, Rhode Islanders will have an opportunity to observe an annular solar eclipse. Being well beyond the path of annularity we will not see the “ring of fire” but we can still get a good look at the partial eclipse. Staff astronomer over at the Ladd Observatory, Francine Jackson, advises in …
Weather permitting of course. And last Tuesday the weather was finally permitting and that main telescope was aimed at Saturn. The public has a standing invitation to visit the Ladd Observatory on Tuesday evenings, but if it is rainy or even overcast, nobody will be there. On hand last week to show us around were …
Director Christopher Nolan wants to take moviegoers inside the explosion of an atomic bomb. Yikes . . . I like movies, and I like science, but should I bring sunblock? The much anticipated ‘Oppenheimer’ hits theaters on Friday, July 21, and while we usually write up movies closer to the date, tickets seem to be …
The folks over at the Roger Williams National Memorial will be creating a “livlie experiment” this Saturday for those in town looking for intellectual enrichment in a beautiful park setting. Join rangers, birders, face painters, the Zoomobile, Rhode Island Black Storytellers, and others for an afternoon of fun. These events are designed mainly for young …
German geologist, botanist, geographer, and explorer, Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), was arguably the most important naturalist of the 19th century. Place names honoring him are not even limited to planet earth; on the moon, both a crater and lunar sea bear his name. Parks, forests, cities, counties, and mountain ranges from Tasmania to China to …
(6.17) Join the Rhode Island Historical Society and the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium for a day of activities as we celebrate Sally Ride’s legacy as an astronaut, physicist, educator, and advocate for young people. Dr. Sally K. Ride became a national icon of achievement in science and space on June 18, 1983, when …
Dinosaurs come roaring back to life at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in “Dinosaurs Among Us.” This immersive walk-through will take you back to the Mesozoic Era, the age of dinosaurs before that terrible, horrible, very bad day. The exhibit starts Friday, April 7, and remains up for four months. Anyone who has watched the …
(3.18) Why are children better at learning new languages than adults? How do optical illusions work? And does practice really make perfect? The Brown Brain Fair is back, live and in person. Meet real scientists . . . make brain art . . . touch real human brains! Join university students, in partnership with the …
Don’t forget to set your clocks forward one hour before going to bed tonight. According to the Commerce Department (Hi Gina) the change to daylight saving time will occur at 2am, Sunday morning. This is usually where we write about efforts to abolish the biannual time changes, but the arguments are the same as last …
Hooray for science. Head over to the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium all this week for ‘Mission Space.’ Activities include: building a rover, learning about our solar system, discovering what it takes to go into space, fun crafts, special Mission Space museum quest, and more. Check out the ‘Our Place in Space’ planetarium show. …
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Spend a fun afternoon learning science things. Head over to the Providence Public Library this Saturday for Mad Science: Fire & Ice. Join us as we welcome Mad Science to PPL! This spectacular show thrills audiences with impressive science experiments and includes foggy dry ice storms and demonstrates how giant beach balls can float in …
A bit of history today inspired by the incredible art installation, in Pursuit of Venus [infected], shown last month at the Bell Gallery: On the morning of June 3, 1769 merchant Joseph Brown pointed his newly acquired, and very costly, scientific equipment at the sun, in what was essentially an international research project. Florence Simister …
Fans of Triangle Forest may not know that Brendan Britton is also a professor of astronomy at CCRI. And the students at CCRI may have no idea of what really keeps him up at night. (And you thought he was grading papers.) Prof. Britton is one of several astronomers featured in a recent article by …
This topic could not be more timely. Not surprisingly, “Bat Superpowers” brought NOVA filmmakers to the Breuer Bat Lab at Brown University, where researchers study the mechanics and dynamics of bat flight. This is a fascinating look into why bats can harbor viruses — many deadly to humans and other mammals — without themselves getting …