All upcoming Science & Nature programs

Avocados are one of today’s most beloved foods, valued for their rich flavor, healthy fats, and essential nutrients. But long before, avocados evolved as nourishment for giant Ice Age animals like sloths and mammoths. When those creatures vanished, humans stepped in, reshaping the fruit through domestication and forest management. Archaeobotanist Heather Thakar follows the avocado’s history from the highlands of ancient Honduras to today’s grocery stores.

Go on a voyage through the Southern Ocean to follow the lives of Antarctica’s penguins through an unforgettable season on the ice. Amanda Hunter, a marine biologist and polar expedition guide, explores their migrations, fierce challenges, and moments of new life as they navigate one of the harshest climates on Earth. Discover what makes these birds so remarkably resilient and why their story matters now more than ever.

Poland has 23 national parks, ranging from very small to well-known throughout Europe. Tour guide Christopher Skutela leads a visual journey to several of them, including a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the site of the country’s highest mountain, and a 220-square-mile park.

Sam Gennawey, a former urban planner, theme park historian, and author of Sacred Landscapes: One Van Lifer's Six-Year, 175,000-Mile National Park Journey likens the National Park Service (NPS) to a meticulously curated museum that showcases the nation’s most culturally significant landscapes. As he examines nature-focused parks and the architecture that frames them—from vintage “Parkitecture” lodges to modern visitor centers—he offers his unique perspective on landscape storytelling, his experience visiting nearly 390 parks, and his insight as a longtime NPS volunteer.

Alzheimer’s disease, and the dementias in general, are among the most-feared consequences of being lucky enough to survive into older age. Barry Gordon, a nationally recognized expert on memory and memory disorders, sheds light on these debilitating conditions and provides guidance on what you need to know to take the most informed and active steps if faced with one of them—whether personally or in a family member or friend.

For centuries, mariners spun tales of gargantuan waves in the open ocean, annihilating walls of water measuring 100 feet high or taller. Though once dismissed as impossible, new evidence has led oceanographers to determine that we have underestimated how the seas behave at their most ferocious. Journalist and author Susan Casey provides a look at these colossal, ship-swallowing rogue waves—noting that as scientists scramble to understand this phenomenon, others, including extreme surfers, view the giant waves as the ultimate challenge.

When it comes to sex and love, ancient peoples tell us a lot about topics including what was forbidden; opportunities for premarital and extramarital sex; their ways of lovemaking; and how members of the same and the opposite gender expressed love for one another. Drawing from a multitude of cultures, professor emeritus of classics Robert Garland discusses what we know and don’t know about sex and love in the ancient world. This lecture discusses mature themes. Viewer discretion is advised.

Indulge in a colorful midwinter escape as horticultural expert Keith Tomlinson leads a series of virtual visits that highlight the beauty of notable botanical gardens in settings as varied as Singapore, the Arizona desert, and the American Midwest. In vibrant visuals he explores how each garden has taken a unique approach to design and interpretation as they celebrate plant collections, conservation, education, and the distinctive environments and landscapes in which they bloom. This session focuses on the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.

Indulge in a colorful midwinter escape as horticultural expert Keith Tomlinson leads a series of virtual visits that highlight the beauty of notable botanical gardens in settings as varied as Singapore, the Arizona desert, and the American Midwest. In vibrant visuals he explores how each garden has taken a unique approach to design and interpretation as they celebrate plant collections, conservation, education, and the distinctive environments and landscapes in which they bloom. This session focuses on the Boyce Thompson Arboretum and the Desert Botanical Garden in Arizona.

Indulge in a colorful midwinter escape as horticultural expert Keith Tomlinson leads a series of virtual visits that highlight the beauty of notable botanical gardens in settings as varied as Singapore, the Arizona desert, and the American Midwest. In vibrant visuals he explores how each garden has taken a unique approach to design and interpretation as they celebrate plant collections, conservation, education, and the distinctive environments and landscapes in which they bloom. This session focuses on the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.