Boston Flora

Tag: Oxford University Press

  • Wednesday, September 23, 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm Eastern – Invasive Species, Humans, and Where We All Belong, Online

    In the early 20th century, U.S. government scientists and their European colleagues went to great lengths to seek out and bring home from abroad new seeds and cultivars for farms, gardens, and orchards. But in many cases these “plant explorers,” though much vaunted in their day, wound up triggering what we now consider ecological disasters: Some of their discoveries are among the 21st century’s most detested invasive species, joining others that arrived via the pet trade or through the simple carelessness of an earlier era. How did Western attitudes toward imported plants and animals change so completely within a century? The answer is a story of evolving scientific understanding, shifting political winds, and changes in how humans think about nature and our place within it.

    Through case studies, historical surveys, exploration of media coverage over the years, and conversations with both experts and the community members who serve as foot soldiers in the war on invasive species, journalist Amy Crawford explores how confronting anxieties about nature and the role of humans in a changing world can place unwanted plants and animals in a new light—and teach us all to be better stewards.

    Crawford’s new book, Undesirable: Invasive Species, Humans, and Where We All Belong (Oxford University Press), is available separately for purchase on the registration page. Lecture: $20 Smithsonian Members, $30 nonmembers. https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/invasive-species

  • Thursday, October 14, 10:00 am – Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes

    The October meeting of The Garden Club of the Back Bay will be held Thursday, October 14, beginning at 10 am at The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston.  The Club begins its year long examination of Water with a lecture on hurricanes, quite appropriate for the season, we believe.

    Dr. Kerry Emanuel is a Professor of Atmospheric Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he has been on the faculty since 1981, after spending three years as a faculty member at UCLA. Professor Emanuel’s research interests focus on tropical meteorology and climate, with a specialty in hurricane physics. His interests also include cumulus convection, and advanced methods of sampling the atmosphere in aid of numerical weather prediction. He is the author or co-author of over 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and two books, including Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes, released by Oxford University Press and aimed at a general audience, and What We Know about Climate Change, published by the MIT Press.

    “Imagine standing at the center of a Roman coliseum that is 20 miles across, with walls that soar 10 miles into the sky, towering walls with cascades of ice crystals falling along its brilliantly white surface. That’s what it’s like to stand in the eye of a hurricane.”

    Kerry Emanuel, one of the world’s leading authorities on hurricanes, gives us an engaging account of these awe-inspiring meteorological events, revealing how hurricanes and typhoons have literally altered human history, thwarting military incursions and changing the course of explorations. Offering an account of the physics of the tropical atmosphere, the author explains how such benign climates give rise to the most powerful storms in the world and tells what modern science has learned about them. Interwoven with this scientific account are descriptions of some of the most important hurricanes in history and relevant works of art and literature.  The lecture is free and open to the public, but reservations are essential.  There will also be a luncheon following the meeting, for which we must charge $20 per person.  To reserve, or for more information, email info@bostonflora.com. Members of The Garden Club of the Back Bay will receive written notification of the meeting.

    http://www.capitalweather.com/images/Oct2_05/divine_wind.jpg

  • Tuesday, March 9, 3:30 pm – Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes

    The Environmental Institute at UMass Amherst announces the first of its free Spring Lectures, to be held Tuesday, March 9 at 3:30 pm in the Bernie Dallas Room of the Goodell Building.

    Dr. Kerry Emanuel is a Professor of Atmospheric Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he has been on the faculty since 1981, after spending three years as a faculty member at UCLA. Professor Emanuel’s research interests focus on tropical meteorology and climate, with a specialty in hurricane physics. His interests also include cumulus convection, and advanced methods of sampling the atmosphere in aid of numerical weather prediction. He is the author or co-author of over 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and two books, including Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes, recently released by Oxford University Press and aimed at a general audience, and What We Know about Climate Change, published by the MIT Press.

    “Imagine standing at the center of a Roman coliseum that is 20 miles across, with walls that soar 10 miles into the sky, towering walls with cascades of ice crystals falling along its brilliantly white surface. That’s what it’s like to stand in the eye of a hurricane.”

    Kerry Emanuel, one of the world’s leading authorities on hurricanes, gives us an engaging account of these awe-inspiring meteorological events, revealing how hurricanes and typhoons have literally altered human history, thwarting military incursions and changing the course of explorations. Offering an account of the physics of the tropical atmosphere, the author explains how such benign climates give rise to the most powerful storms in the world and tells what modern science has learned about them. Interwoven with this scientific account are descriptions of some of the most important hurricanes in history and relevant works of art and literature.  The lecture is free and open to the public.

    http://www.capitalweather.com/images/Oct2_05/divine_wind.jpg