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Tag: Elizabeth (Pooh) Gephart

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Spotlight: George and Pooh Gephart

April 18, 2017 maryalicehartsock Featured, People

A legacy of leadership

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The oldest natural history museum in North America. Open Wednesday-Sunday. Save $2 on your timed tickets 🎟 visit ansp.org

We promise our dinosaurs don't bite! Paleopalooza,

We promise our dinosaurs don't bite! Paleopalooza, our annual festival of fossils and all things dinosaur, kicks off this weekend with a Junior Scientist Workshop. Link in bio to learn more. ⁠
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📷 by recent visitor @texasrho who said "Another day of discovery. It's the dinosaurs, reptiles and amphibians for him. Soakin' up the saurs"! Thanks for visiting and sharing your adventures!

A #TBT from the contents of the Academy's Library

A #TBT from the contents of the Academy's Library and Archives! Chōga rinpin tensha hyō, or The Pressed Specimens of Butterflies and Moths, was created by the Nawa Entomological Laboratory using a method of lepidochromy developed by Yasushi Nawa, allowing for the wings of butterflies and moths to be permanently preserved while the bodies were painted in gouache.

Our #FishOfTheWeek is the daisy parrotfish (Chloru

Our #FishOfTheWeek is the daisy parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus). It is widespread throughout the reefs of the Indo-Pacific. Parrotfish are named for their parrot-like beaks which are formed by their tightly packed teeth. These beaks grow continuously and are worn down during feeding on algae covered corals. After the parrotfish digests the edible portions from the rock or coral, the rest is excreted as sand. Parrotfish feeding prevents algal overgrowth of reef structures and is a major producer of sand for beaches and islands. Before going to sleep the daisy parrotfish secretes mucus from its mouth which forms a protective cocoon. This cocoon’s purpose is not fully understood but it could hide its scent from predators or protect the fish from parasites. The daisy parrotfish is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning they are born female and change sex to male when they reach a total length of 40 centimeters. Our specimen from the Indian Ocean is 22 centimeters long and still female. ⁠
📷: Jack Ivie @jcivie

Happy #NationalFossilDay! Of course, we love fossi

Happy #NationalFossilDay! Of course, we love fossils here at the Academy and it's almost time for one of our favorite festivals – Paleopalooza! Visit the link in bio to check out the full line up of events during our annual festival of fossils.⁠

We want to know: what is your favorite fossil at the Academy? Let us know in the comments!
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📷 by recent visitor @mdushaio, thanks for visiting!

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Academy of Natur

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University acknowledges that we are located on Lenni Lenape land. We have a responsibility to our natural world and the land upon which we work, and that means critically reflecting on our history and illuminating the stories and knowledge of Indigenous communities and their cultures.⁠
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We celebrate our staff and friends who identify as Indigenous. Please visit the link in our bio to read an article from the National Museum of the American Indian that explores the importance of shifting focus of this day from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Did you know that we have a fossil prep lab in the

Did you know that we have a fossil prep lab in the back of our Dinosaur Hall? Our friends @bbpaleo just discovered some dinosaur bones in Montana and are now working on getting them cleaned up. Next time you visit the museum be sure to stop by and see what they are working on! ⁠
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Oh, and did we mention that Paleopalooza is coming up? Check out the link in bio to learn more about our festival of fossils!

The recent passage of Hurricane Ida, and Tropical

The recent passage of Hurricane Ida, and Tropical Storm Isaias before it, reminded us of the physical vulnerability of the Greater Philadelphia region to extreme precipitation. While climate change is likely making flooding worse, communities such as Eastwick in Southwest Philly have endured repeated, catastrophic flooding for decades. ⁠
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Join us for an Academy Town Square on Saturday, October 16. Residents of Eastwick will share their challenges as well as their determined spirit — describing the history of a remarkable community organizing effort and raising awareness of what we can do to support it. Link in bio to register.

Our special exhibit, Gideon Mendel: Drowning World

Our special exhibit, Gideon Mendel: Drowning World is only here for a few more days. This powerful exhibit explores the impacts of extreme precipitation across the globe through stunning images and stories. Plan your visit by October 17 to see it. ⁠
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Link in bio to learn more about the exhibit.

A #tbt from the Academy Library and Archives! Thes

A #tbt from the Academy Library and Archives! These illustrations of shells are by Helen Lawson and were published posthumously in Amos Binney’s “The Terrestrial Air-Breathing Mollusks of the United States, and the Adjacent Territories of North America”. Academy malacologist H.A. Pilsbry considered the plates of these volumes to be the finest shell illustrations ever made. 🐚✨

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