Boston Flora

Tag: Lorna Gibson

  • Tuesday, January 16, 6:30 pm Eastern – The Fascinating Feathers of the Sandgrouse, Live and Online

    The birds that populate the Arnold Arboretum rarely have to go far to find water. In the deserts of Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, it’s a different story, and the sandgrouse that lives in these arid environments has developed a fascinating adaptation to stay hydrated: these birds have a unique ability to absorb and hold water inside of their feathers. But how do their feathers hold water so efficiently? Dr. Lorna Gibson, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT, has found the answer. Join Dr. Gibson on January 16 at 6:30 pm for a lecture to learn about these fascinating birds and the science behind them. For registration for either the virtual or live option, click HERE.

  • Tuesday, May 14, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm – How Birds Work: Eggs

    Lorna Gibson, PhD, Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, MIT , will speak in the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, on Tuesday, May 14 from 7 – 8 on How Birds Work: Eggs.

    How does an egg become an egg? Why do chickens continue to lay eggs day after day? What controls the shape of eggs? Why do eggs of different species of birds have different colors? And how strong are eggshells?

    In this talk, which follows previous talks about bird flight, migration, and feathers, Lorna Gibson answers common questions about bird eggs.

    Fee Free, but registration requested.

    Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

  • Wednesday, October 18, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – On the Wing Part II

    On Wednesday, October 18 at 6:30 pm, the Arnold Arboretum hosts Lorna Gibson, PhD, Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in a free lecture (registration required at 617-384-5277, or email adulted@arnarb.harvard.edu).

    What do you get from a bird-lover who is a materials science engineer? A close look at feathers. In this second installment of On the Wing, Lorna Gibson discusses how down keeps a bird warm, how the structure of the feather shaft reduces its weight, and how adaptations of flight feathers produce or suppress sound.

  • Tuesday, May 9, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm – On the Wing

    What do you get from a bird-lover who is a materials science engineer? A close look at feathers. In this talk, Lorna Gibson, PhD, Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology will speak  at the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum about the microscopic structure of feathers and explain how their structure makes hummingbirds feathers iridescent, ducks feathers water repellent and owl ruff feathers collectors of sound.  Free, registration requested.  Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.