DECEMBER 2015 – JANUARY 2016

Sparks!A Newsletter for Members and Friends of the Museum of Science

Inside This Issue • Wild Waters of Africa • Computer Science Fun • Member Perks

Awe-Inspiring Adventure Take the trip of a lifetime through the wildest continent on .

large and environmentally diverse place, Africa is surrounded by vast oceans and seas and features , the world’s A largest waterfall, and countless rivers. Water is the lifeline for this continent’s wildlife, as you’ll witness in the new giant-screen film, BBC Earth’s , now showing on the IMAX® Dome screen.

Nations of Wonder

Dive into the and visit spectacular coral reefs that are home to an array of species. Travel thousands of feet into the air to Kenya’s snow-covered mountains. Between these elevation extremes, you’ll see the striking contrasts of that border oceans, erupting volcanoes, the enormous Victoria Falls, wide-open , and many other eye-catching landscapes.

Along this journey through 12 of the nations that make up Africa, you’ll meet a large cast of real-life animal characters, including a family of mountain gorillas in a Rwandan forest, hundreds of thousands of flamingos performing a unique mating ritual in Kenya’s

Continued on next page Continued from cover volcanic Lake Bogoria, hungry crocodiles waiting for the annual migration to water holes in the Serengeti, elephants desperately searching for water, and snakes and lizards in Namibia’s barren finding water in their food.

Your odyssey concludes in the swamps of southern Africa, where water’s ultimate role as a lifesaver is on display. Follow , zebras, and gazelles as they embrace the monsoon that brings them the rain they need.

Technology into the Wild

With filming taking place over two years in a wide variety of environments, the production team from BBC Earth had to use many techniques, even some they invented, to capture everything for the camera. Challenging, but Worth It “To achieve this, we had to ... assemble a unique mix of talent, The crew faced many challenges along the way. The production so we could film in the toughest wild locations, using a whole team described some of them: range of photographic techniques to put giant-screen audiences right in the heart of some of the most awesome landscapes “Over the course of filming, the crew withstood being sandblast- and dramatic wildlife on Earth,” co-director and producer ed, bounced over the roughest terrain, swept down mighty rivers, said. and kept submerged for hours on end.”

Among the technological feats in the production was the Fortunately, you won’t have to endure the same hardships when first-ever vertical cable dolly shot from a canopy you journey to this incredible land packed with countless wild- to a forest floor, so you and other viewers will feel like you life dependent on the always necessary, but sometimes elusive, are jumping into the environment. water. Be sure to visit Wild Africa, now showing at the Museum of Science! Thanks to these new filming innovations, you are brought into the action like never before as you fly over the summit  A BBC Earth Production. of , get up close with marching elephants, travel down the rapids of the lower River, and surf a giant Sponsored by wave along the coast!

Ride a Waterfall It’s never a safe idea to ride a waterfall, but with the magic of film, you can do just that. Through ingenious methods, including the use of a remote control-operated camera just inches from the water’s surface, the makers of Wild Africa captured the first-ever horizontal cable dolly shot over the lip of Victoria Falls, the largest waterfall on Earth. Feel as if you are the one flying over the waterfall that sits on the /Zimbabwe border before traveling down 350 feet at a high speed!

Wild Africa Now Showing in the Mugar Omni Theater Let’s Celebrate Computer Science Participate in a weekend of activities featuring robots, programming, and inspiration!

Photo (right) © Ashley McCabe

There’s a lot more to computers than using them for posting We’ve Got Robots! on social media and writing papers for class. They are the Art and technology combine for the Art Bots exercise. Take doorway to a world of creativity and design with limitless home a work of art created by a machine you design. Look possibilities. Find out more about this during the Museum’s for more activities with robots throughout the weekend, our Computer Science Education Weekend in December. As latest in a series of themed events. Museum visitors recently part of a nationwide effort to get young people interested in put on their archaeological and meteorological hats, and more computer science, this event will feature hands-on activities fun weekends are in store! and a chance to learn from the experts. Free with Exhibit Halls admission. For more information: mos.org/events.

Take Control

Design, build, and test different materials that allow you to control a computer at MaKey MaKey, an invention kit for the Mother of Computing 21st century and one of many activity stations. Here, you have the opportunity to make a game controller and even get a little The weekend of activities brings a goofy when you play a piano with potatoes. fun end to the nationwide Computer Science Education Week, which takes Stay with the food theme for the Fruit Loops Programming place in recognition of pioneer Admiral Maze, where you become the computer! Program your way Grace Murray Hopper (December 9, through an orchard to pick fruit. For a food-free experience, 1906 – January 1, 1992). Known as try your hand at Code Games, where you can practice the mother of computing, Hopper programming basics in fun online games with software developed the first computer compiler engineers from Microsoft. and the first computer programming And your hands will be busy with the Squishy Circuits language while working at Harvard. activity, which invites you to design, build, and test circuits A US Navy rear admiral who served made from dough. Plus, create a sculpture that lights up, until age 79, a naval ship is named in buzzes, or moves! her honor.

Wild Africa Now Showing in the Mugar Omni Theater Computer Science Education Weekend December 12 – 13 ESCAPE THE COLD WITH

Photo © TMP Images

SEE YOUR FAVORITE PIXAR CHARACTERS BEFORE THEY LEAVE, WATCH A FILM, AND VISIT THE BUTTERFLIES!

You might not have asked for it, but winter has arrived. And with this seasonal change comes the lower temperatures and precipitation that may have you looking for a vacation even before the December school break starts! After all, inside the Museum, the atmosphere is warm and there’s nothing to get in the way of the many sights, sounds, and interactive opportunities that await.

With your membership, you can enjoy the Exhibit Halls for free. Take in more than 700 interactive exhibits, including the Hall of Human Life and Dinosaurs: Modeling the Mesozoic; attend a Lightning! show in the Theater of Electricity; and more! And for just $5 each, there are many extras to enhance your experience, including your last chance to see our popular special exhibition The Science Behind Pixar, large-format and 4-D films that bring you to exotic places around the globe, out-of-this-world Planetarium shows, and the tropical Butterfly Garden!

“We want our members to make the most of their membership and take advantage of everything the Museum has to offer,” says Sue MacLaren, director of membership. “With school vacations coming up, now is a great time to visit the Museum and see some new shows or revisit favorite exhibits.”

Nothing Lasts Forever

Since opening in June, The Science Behind Pixar has been a major hit with Museum visitors. But there’s not much time left to enjoy it because the exhibition’s final day Image © Disney / Pixar is Sunday, January 10. Even if you’ve already seen it, there’s so much to take in that What’s Hot at the Museum

Photo © Michael Malyszko Photo © Ashley McCabe Photo © Ashley McCabe it’s worth another visit (or two…). Don’t miss out on your last Garden of Oohs and Ahs chance to enjoy this unique look into the Pixar process! With their majestic wings, few things are quite as beautiful as Feel the Season! butterflies. These colorful creatures welcome you to their home among exotic plants in the Butterfly Garden. It’s Hop aboard and grab a spot in our 4-D Theater for a special the perfect antidote to a chilly winter’s day. holiday treat. The Polar Express™ 4-D Experience is back for In addition to the free-flying residents, seasonal showings through Sunday, January 3. Enjoy this there are various displays and activi- condensed version of the cherished film—the most mem- ties that give you insight into the orable scenes are enhanced with thrilling special effects for an lives of the animals, including immersive, unforgettable experience for the whole family. It’s like the Emergence Box that taking a trip to the North Pole and back without ever leaving your seat! reveals their most Visit a faraway land in another direction in the Mugar Omni fascinating feature— Theater with the film Jerusalem, also returning for a limited the metamorphosis engagement. The ancient and holy city is treasured in Juda- from caterpillar to butterfly.Check ism, Christianity, and Islam, and people of all three faiths call mos.org for entry times. the small, but important, place home. Follow three young residents and their families through the city and learn what As you’ll see, there is makes it so special—and contentious. much to explore this winter at the Museum Continue your world tour with the new Omni film Wild Africa! of Science, with (Find out more about this awe-inspiring land in our cover opportunities to feed story.) Additional films are showing in both theaters and in all your senses, spark the Planetarium, including an opportunity to visit everybody’s your mind, and create favorite dwarf planet Pluto with Inside NASA: From Dream to memories for the whole Discovery. Check mos.org for showtimes. family. Don’t miss out! Calendar of Events December 2015 – January 2016

search Cover Photo © Nicolaus Czarnecki Information is subject to change. Please confirm all dates and times: CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS 617-723-2500, mos.org.

December January

Order Gift Memberships New Year’s Day 5 Order by today for guaranteed postal 1 Museum is open 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Saturday Friday delivery of membership packet and card by December 24. All orders, regardless of date, Holiday Week Ends include a printable certificate via email to 2 Museum is open 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. present to your gift recipient. $ Saturday The Polar Express™ 4-D Experience Book Club for the Curious 3 Closes 10 Join a discussion about The Wright Brothers Sunday Thursday 4-D Film—Last chance to go on an extraor- by David McCullough. Cambridge Innovation dinary adventure to the North Pole this holiday Center. 5:30 p.m. season on THE POLAR EXPRESS™! M ! $

Computer Science Education The Science Behind Pixar Closes 12 Weekend Saturday 10 Don’t miss your final opportunity to learn Sunday Enjoy a wide range of hands-on computer about the filmmaking process through science activities throughout the Museum, hands-on activities inspired by some of including fun with robots. Also, December 13. Pixar’s most treasured films. M ! $

24 Christmas Eve Book Club for the Curious Thursday Exhibit Halls and all venues close at 2:00 p.m. 14 Join a discussion about On the Move: A Life Thursday by Oliver Sacks. Cambridge Innovation Center. Christmas Day 5:30 p.m. 25 Entire Museum is closed. Friday The Amazing Nano Brothers Juggling Holiday Week Begins 16 Show Opens 26 Exhibit Halls are open: Saturday Saturday This Museum favorite is back for a new season! Saturday – Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Virtuoso jugglers Dan and Joel provide a Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. comical introduction to atoms, molecules, and nanoscale forces. 12:00 and 2:00 p.m. Continues most Saturdays through April 30.

Summer Courses Note: Hours are subject to change; call or check 21 Member registration begins for morning Thursday mos.org to confirm. and afternoon classes for students entering grades 1 – 8. Register at mos.org/courses. M ! $ SYMBOL KEY M Members may reserve tickets in advance and/or receive discounts. ! Reservations are either required or strongly recommended. $ A fee is associated with this event or exhibit. Mugar Omni Theater Last Chance! Humpback Whales Through Sunday, January 3 Featuring New England’s only IMAX® Dome screen. For showtimes, tickets, and a complete list of films now playing: Join these giants of the sea on a whale-sized adventure 617-723-2500, mos.org. Service charge waived for members. as they sing, communicate, play, and care for their young. Shows run approximately 50 minutes. Member price: $5. Dinosaurs Alive! Sponsored by Witness paleontology’s evolution, from the discovery of fossilized dinosaur eggs in the Gobi Desert to more FEATURED FILMS recent finds in the American Southwest.

New! Wild Africa Go on a spectacular journey through the most dramatic continent on Earth. Meet the amazing creatures that call Africa home and learn the secrets of a land where the real world is more awe-inspiring than any fiction.

Jerusalem You can again experience the beauty and majesty of this ancient, beloved city as you discover its many hidden secrets.

Sign Up for Summer Courses!

Looking for stimulating fun for your kids this summer? It’s not too early to sign up for a week (or more!) of science courses running July through August. Sign up begins Thursday, January 21. Students entering grades 1 – 8 can choose from morning or afternoon classes—or create a full day of fun!

• For more information and to register: mos.org/courses. • Summer courses are offered early to Museum members. Not a member? Join today: 617-723-2500, mos.org/members. Exhibit Halls For more information: 617-723-2500, mos.org/exhibits.

Last Chance! The Science Behind Pixar Through Sunday, January 10 This interactive exhibition showcases the science, technology, engineering, and math concepts used by the artists and computer scientists who help bring Pixar’s award-winning films to the big screen. Photo © Nicolaus Czarnecki CHANCE!LAST Through Sunday, Butterfly Garden

January 10 Explore a living exhibit filled with sunlight, plants, and free-flying butterflies. Timed tickets required. Member price: $5.

Thrill Ride 360° Take a ride on a roller coaster you design or fly an airplane over Boston in this full-motion experience! Timed tickets required. Member price: $5. World Premiere Exhibition FEATURED PRESENTATION Enjoy a unique, first-time look into the Live presentations are offered throughout the day every day Pixar process, and explore the science and in the Exhibit Halls. For current schedules: 617-723-2500, technology behind some of the most beloved mos.org/daily. animated films and their characters. Top 10 Science Stories of 2015 Daily in December and January; 2:30 p.m. Special Member Price: $5 The Gordon Current Science & Technology Center team has kept up with scientific news all year, from the latest • Admission at the member rate is limited to the medical advances to the New Horizons flyby of Pluto. In number of Exhibit Halls entries permitted with an annual tradition, the team highlights its picks for the your membership level. ten most interesting, important science stories of 2015! • Admission is by timed ticket only. Advance Generously supported by Cabot Corporation. reservations are highly recommended.

This exhibition was developed by the Museum of Science, Boston in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios. Image © Disney / Pixar.

Purchase tickets at mos.org/pixar Charles Hayden Planetarium

For showtimes and tickets: 617-723-2500, mos.org. Service charge waived for members. Shows run approximately 35 – 45 minutes. Member price: $5.

FEATURED SHOWS

Big Bird’s Adventure: One World, One Sky Journey with Big Bird, Elmo, and their friend from China, Hu Hu Zhu, and learn about the Big Dipper, the North Star, the Sun, and the Moon.

Inside NASA: From Dream to Discovery Coming Soon! Experience the extreme nature of spacecraft engineering Yawkey Gallery on the and the life cycle of a space mission—from concept to Charles River completion! Produced by the Museum of Science. The area behind the Information Desk has been Explore: The Universe closed for several months as we transform the Leave the Earth behind and blast off to explore our solar space into a new signature experience for our system, the Milky Way, and beyond. Journey through the visitors. Construction is winding down, and the cosmos with a Planetarium educator as your star pilot. Museum will unveil the new Yawkey Gallery on the Charles River in early 2016! Laser Shows This multi-level gallery and exhibit will capitalize Friday and Saturday evenings on the Museum’s unique riverfront location to Enjoy sensational light displays set to popular music! bring to life the connections between the area’s Lineup features pop icon Lady Gaga, unique electronic natural environment and the engineered urban duo Daft Punk, and legendary rock band Pink Floyd. landscape of Boston and Cambridge.

Special Hours and Closings

Holiday Week Schedule December 24 Museum closes at 2:00 p.m. December 25 Entire Museum is closed. December 26 – 30 and January 2 Open 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. December 31 Open 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. January 1 Open 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Gilliland Observatory: Seasonal Closing The Museum’s rooftop observatory is closed temporar- ily due to colder temperatures. It is scheduled to reopen Friday, March 4 (weather permitting). 4-D Theater For showtimes and tickets: 617-723-2500, mos.org. Shows run approximately 15 minutes. Member price: $5.

Last Chance! The Polar Express™ 4-D Experience Through Sunday, January 3 Go on an extraordinary adventure to the North Pole this holiday season on THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the 4-D Give the Gift of Membership! version of the Holiday Classic! THE POLAR EXPRESS and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s15) Your friends and family will enjoy a full year of inspiring discoveries and great benefits— Returning! Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs including discounts to special exhibitions such The 4-D Experience as The Science Behind Pixar. All orders are Opens Monday, January 4 accompanied by a certificate via email to print for your gift recipient. Order by December 5 to Get ready for an adventure of mammoth proportions – Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs – The 4-D Experience! guarantee postal delivery of packet and cards Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs™ & © 2015 Twentieth Century Fox Film by December 24. Corporation. All rights reserved. Members enjoy these additional benefits: : The 4-D Experience • Free or discounted admission to our special Embark on the ultimate polar expedition and experience venues, including temporary exhibits. the white wilderness of the Arctic and Antarctic as you have • Invitations to exclusive member events. never seen them before, and may never see them again. • Reciprocal admission privileges to over 400 Frozen Planet: The 4-D Experience, a BBC and BBC Earth production. The BBC and BBC Earth are trademarks of the British Broadcasting Corporation museums, science centers, and zoos nationwide. and are used under license. BBC logo © BBC 1996 • Valuable discounts and special offers. • And much, much more! Dora & Diego’s 4-D Adventure Join your adventurous amigos on Nickelodeon’s It’s so easy to give a membership: high-speed, eye-popping chase from the warm just call our member specialists rainforest to the icy Arctic. at 617-589-0180; © 2015 Viacom International Inc. All rights reserved. Nickelodeon and all 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily. related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Photo © Nicolaus Czarnecki by calling617-589-0180. Sign [email protected] or Museum news,andexclusiveonline offers. receive membereventreminders, late-breaking Sign upforourmonthlyMemberE-News to Stay Informed! •  •  vacation weeks: your memberprivilegesduringschool ‘Tis theseasontomake themostof Member Tips •  •  •  •  Bring yourcurrent for membershipcard mos.org/hours. Take ofextendedholidayhours: advantage timed showsarenotpermitted. shows toallowtimeforparking.Lateentries Arrive atleastonehourbefore scheduled served. Garagepaymentbycreditordebitcardonly. after 3:00p.m.Museumparkingisfirstcome, Avoid peaktimesbyarrivingbefore10:30a.m.or capacity. Seemos.org/parking forideas. for parkingincasetheMuseumgaragereaches Take orhaveabackup plan publictransportation just afew daysbeforeyourarrival. handling fees. Call617-723-2500orvisitmos.org Reserve tickets inadvance.We’ll waivethe in theMuseumgarage,store,andcafé. immediate ExhibitHallsentryaswelldiscounts

Photo ©Nicolaus Czarnecki Events For more information: 617-723-2500, mos.org/events. January No Gift Wrap Necessary! Book Club for the Curious Thursdays, December 10 and Annual Fund gifts make the excitement of January 14; 5:30 p.m. scientific discovery available to thousands of Feeling inquisitive? Looking for good Museum visitors each year. conversation? Love science and books? Free and open to the public, these As the end of 2015 approaches, we invite you monthly discussions focus on science, to make a tax-deductible Annual Fund donation technology, and their impact on society. today. Your gift will make a substantial impact; we rely on charitable support to cover nearly • Location: Cambridge Innovation Center, One 30% of our operating expenses. A gift of any Broadway, 14th Floor, Cambridge, MA. amount makes an enormous difference—and • December 10: The Wright Brothers by David McCullough. you won’t even have to wrap it! • January 14: On the Move: A Life by Oliver Sacks. Please consider making a gift to the Museum • Presented in partnership with the Cambridge Innovation Center. of Science. Call 617-589-0370 or visit mos.org/donate today. Computer Science Education Weekend Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13; Note: The Explorers Society and Discoverers Society offer special benefits for donors making Annual Fund 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. gifts of $300 or more. For more information, visit Enjoy a wide range of hands-on computer science activi- mos.org/explorers or mos.org/discoverers. ties throughout the Museum. Interact with robots, build and test circuits made from dough, learn programming basics, and much more!

• Free with Exhibit Halls admission.

The Amazing Nano Brothers Juggling Show Most Saturdays, January 16 – April 30 12:00 and 2:00 p.m. Join virtuoso jugglers Dan and Joel as they provide a comical, unforgettable introduction to atoms, molecules, and nanoscale forces while juggling everything from baseball bats to potted plants—even atop seven-foot unicycles! Who knew physics could be so much fun?

• Free with Exhibit Halls admission. • Length: 40 minutes. • Check schedule at mos.org/amazing-nano-brothers.

The Museum of Science gratefully acknowledges the support of our The Museum’s exhibitions and educational programs receive Premier Partners: important support from individual members and donors like you. Additional support provided by:

The Massachusetts Cultural Council Media Partner Cover Photo © Nicolaus Czarnecki

Museum of Science 617-723-2500 mos.org 1 Museum News

1 Colby Award and Walker 4 Party for Pluto Prize Honors Pluto was the solar system’s hottest topic this The 2015 Colby Society Event on September summer when the New Horizons spacecraft 21 featured recognitions of longtime Museum captured never-before-seen images of the dwarf supporter Richard M. Burnes Jr. with the Col. planet in a flyby. The Museum celebrated the Francis T. Colby Award and Harvard science historic event with a Pluto Party that featured professor Lisa Randall with the Walker Prize. Photo © Pat Piasecki Photo © Pat various programs, including a Planetarium 2 Burnes, who chaired the board of trustees show, a Design Challenge to create soaring sat- from 2004 to 2010, and his wife Nonnie made ellites, and a “friendly debate” between experts their first gift to the Museum in 1968, and in (with audience participation) on whether Pluto recent years have provided key support for should be considered a planet. Over 1,000 virtually every Museum fundraising priority. visitors voted, and 66% felt that Pluto should Randall, who studies theoretical particle still be called a planet. physics and cosmology, is a celebrated author who has received numerous recognitions. 5 EiE Website Earns Praise The American Association of School Librarians 2 Tween Fiction Teaches Food Safety recognized the Engineering is Elementary® The Contaminated Case of the Cooking Contest, (EiE®) website (eie.org) with a 2015 Best Website a new adventure book by Museum educator for Teaching & Learning Award. EiE director Peter Wong and science education advocate Christine Cunningham said the site “offers a Pendred Noyce, teaches young people about large suite of helpful tools and resources that 3 food safety through a fictional story featuring educators can use as they respond to changing middle school students who meet real-life academic standards that integrate engineer- scientists from the past and present. This is ing with science instruction.” A project of the the ninth book in Tumblehome Learning’s Museum’s National Center for Technological Galactic Academy of Science series. Wong Literacy®, EiE is an award-winning curriculum develops middle school curriculum for the used in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Museum. Noyce, honored as a Star of STEM and US military bases. by the Museum in 2013, is a medical doctor and longtime Museum supporter.

3 Pollan Picks Up Washburn Award Celebrated writer Michael Pollan received

Photo © Fran Collin Photo © Fran the Bradford Washburn Award during an 4 October 22 dinner ceremony at the Museum. Pollan is a journalist and author of several bestselling and critically acclaimed books, including The Omnivore’s Dilemma and Cooked. His writing focuses on the places where nature and culture intersect: on our plates, in our farms and gardens, and in the built environment. The Washburn Award annually recognizes those who have made an outstanding contribution toward public understanding and appreciation of science. Photo © Tyler Trahan Photo © Tyler EXHIBIT HALLS HOURS General Information • Saturday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Open until 7:00 p.m. July 5 – Labor Day) • Friday 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. • Thanksgiving Eve and Christmas Eve 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. • Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day Closed Subject to change and extended during Massachusetts school vacations. See calendar. For updates: mos.org/hours.

TICKETS AND MEMBERSHIP Advance reservations recommended. For current prices and to purchase tickets: mos.org.

For membership information: 617-589-0180, [email protected], mos.org/members. Photo © Nicolaus Czarnecki

DIRECTIONS AND PARKING QUESTIONS? Call Science • PLAN AHEAD A state project on the Longfellow Bridge is rerouting traffic in front of the Central at 617-723-2500. Museum. Please allow extra travel time or consider taking public transportation. For updates: mos.org/traveltips. • Address 1 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114 • Detailed Directions mos.org/directions Sparks! DECEMBER 2015 – JANUARY 2016 • Parking Museum garage parking is available first come, first served. Members receive a discount. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS BOSTON DUCK TOURS Director: Carl Zukroff Tickets sold on the front plaza. DUCKs depart from the driveway near the T. rex. Tours run daily, Editors: Christopher DelConte, April – November. For reservations: 617-267-3825, bostonducktours.com. Jonathan Friedman Art Director: Lori Sartre EVENT PLANNING Designers: Fanny Dines, Nicole Guzzo, Host your next event at the Museum of Science! Food services provided by Wolfgang Puck Lianne Stoddard Catering. For information: 617-589-0125 (Monday – Friday), [email protected]. Members are CONTRIBUTORS eligible for special rates. Cynthia Berger, Anna Brophy, Gail Jennes, Gabriel Mosse, William Walsh ACCESSIBILITY For information or accommodation requests: 617-589-3102, [email protected], Sparks is published bimonthly. mos.org/accessibility. Please request ASL interpreters at least two weeks in advance. Circulation: 55,000. © 2015 Museum of Science, Boston. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES All rights reserved. Field Trips For information about Museum field trips and other opportunities for educators, such as the Teacher Partner Program: [email protected], mos.org/educators. STAY CONNECTED WITH Traveling Programs THE MUSEUM COMMUNITY! Bring a fun and interactive Museum program to your pre K – 8 school or community center! For updates, special offers, and fun science: For information and reservations: 617-589-0354, [email protected], mos.org/travelingprograms.

Member E-News at mos.org/members WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE LOWER LOBBY? @ The area behind the Information Desk is under construction as we develop the Yawkey Gallery on the Charles River, a new signature experience that will capitalize on the Museum's unique river location to introduce visitors to the natural and engineered worlds. Look for an early 2016 opening! Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Salem, NH Permit #151

Wild Africa See cover story

DECEMBER 2015 – JANUARY 2016

Sparks!A Newsletter for Members and Friends of the Museum of Science

LAST CHANCE! Exhibit Closes January 10 STILL ONLY $5 FOR MEMBERS! Photos © Michael Malyszko; © Nicolaus Czarnecki Photos © Michael