Media
Nerd Nite #56 - The Film Cat-alogue: A Hiss-tory of Felines in Meow-vies
This illustrated lecture provides an overview of the history of cats in movies, including their character types, their narrative functions, the notion of the “feline gaze,” and, of course, cuteness ratings on a scale from 1 to ZOMG KITTEH!!!
About Jen Proctor:
Jen is a filmmaker and Associate Professor of Journalism and Screen Studies at UM-Dearborn. In her spare time, Jen studies abnormal feline behavior.
Media
A2Energy Power Hour
This fun and informative event explains how your house can be made more energy efficient and whether solar power might be an option.
Presenters include:
-MI Saves: to explain their contractor network and financing options.
-DTE
Media
Author Event | Jennifer Pharr Davis
Author Jennifer Pharr Davis visited the Library to discuss her incredible accomplishments in the world of endurance hiking, backpacking, and trail running, and her latest book, The Pursuit of Endurance: Harnessing the Record-Breaking Power of Strength and Resilience.
Jennifer Pharr Davis founded Blue Ridge Hiking Company with the belief that "the trail is there for everyone at every phase of life" and with the goal of getting people–especially women and children–outdoors on their own terms. Pharr Davis is an ambassador for the American Hiking Society, she was featured as one of National Geographic's Adventurers of the Year in 2012 and her record-setting Appalachian Trail hike in 2011 was named "Performance of the Year" by Ultrarunning Magazine. Jennifer Pharr Davis has hiked with her husband and young daughter in all fifty states and she is currently hiking the Continental Divide Trail in sections through the Rocky Mountains.
Media
Nerd Nite #52: Is It Cold In Here or Is It Just Me?
Maris Wicks — Is It Cold In Here or Is It Just Me?
Everything you ever wanted to know about Antarctica, and probably some stuff you didn’t (like that time I pooped in a bucket).
About Maris:
Comic book artist and writer with an insatiable appetite for science. Especially science in strange places
Media
Water 101 | City of Ann Arbor 2018 Sustainable Ann Arbor Forum
This forum is about the lifecycle of water in Ann Arbor. There is a video about extreme storms in Ann Arbor, presentations from some experts in the field, even a trivia game!
Sustainable Ann Arbor is an annual series presented by the City of Ann Arbor and hosted by the Ann Arbor District Library. The series includes four events held monthly through April, each with a focus on a different element of sustainability from Ann Arbor’s Sustainability Framework. This event is cosponsored by the City of Ann Arbor and details of the series will be posted online on The City of Ann Arbor's Sustainability site. For information and videos from current and past Sustainable Ann Arbor Forums, please visit the City’s Sustainability website.
Media
Can Stress be Beneficial? Perspectives from Wild Animals
Stress is constant in our lives. From the breakup of a relationship, the death of a loved one, or the frustrations associated with your morning commute, many of us unfortunately experience daily stressors associated with these types of situations. These adverse experiences can be associated with the release of stress hormones such as cortisol. If the situation that is causing us stress is short term, we usually cope and recover. However, if we experience stress for a long period of time (“chronic stress”), this may have very negative effects on our physical and mental health and overall well-being.
From an evolutionary perspective, this is somewhat puzzling. Why would such a system evolve where our physiological responses to challenging situations have negative consequences to our health and well-being? If stress is “bad”, then why do all animals (not just humans) experience it? Could there be situations in which stress is actually good, at least from an evolutionary perspective?
This presentation focuses on understanding the benefits of stress in wild animals from an evolutionary perspective. It presents examples of our research examining how stress experienced during pregnancy may have beneficial effects on offspring, at least in squirrels, and how elevations in stress may cause highly social animals like meerkats to be more cooperative.
Media
Nerd Nite #54: The Primate That Wears its Heart on its Sleeve
Have you ever been curious about animal behavior? Have you wondered how animals communicate with one another? Do you love primates? Learn about gelada monkeys – Ethiopia’s unique and wonderful highland monkey.
Gelada monkeys are nicknamed “bleeding-heart monkeys” because of a patch of exposed red skin on their chests. Adult male gelada chest patches get brighter red when they’re excited, but this doesn’t happen for adult females, young males, or non-breeding males.
Could the chest patch be an ornament to attract females, like a peacock’s plumage? Or does it signal to other males to back off? How does the environment influence signaling? Patsy discusses all of this and more about her field research in the Simien Mountains.
Media
Nerd Nite #54: Thinking Like a Primate
Humans are a really weird species. In particular, we cooperate a lot, and this helps us build up complex societies. What kinds of mental abilities help us to cooperate, and do other species also use similar mental abilities to help them cooperate? To start answering this question, Bettle talks about cooperation in our closest living relatives: chimpanzees.
About Rosie Bettle:
Rosie Bettle is a PhD student at the University of Michigan who studies how primates think about the world. When she isn’t thinking about the mental lives of monkeys, she is usually exploring Kerrytown, trying to find new nature-y spots, or sampling a different craft beer.
Media
Vietnam Vet Tim Keenan Discusses His Journey On The Appalachian Trail and His Book "The Good Hike"
In 1967, Tim Keenan grew to loathe the impenetrable jungle of Vietnam during his one-year tour of duty as a combat soldier. For the 47 years following, he couldn’t shake his dread of the woods, until he confronted his fears head-on and began a hike of the 2,178.3-mile Appalachian Trail.
The Good Hike is Keenan’s story of finally coming to peace with himself, buoyed by the healing powers of nature and his fellow hikers. His story weaves in the beautiful towns and mountains of the great Appalachian Trail with his experiences in the jungle and battle zones around Dak To, including the infamous Hill 1338.
Media
Author Maureen Dunphy Discusses Her Michigan Notable Book "Great Lakes Island Escapes: Ferries and Bridges to Adventure"
The Great Lakes Basin is the largest surface freshwater system on Earth and there are more than 30,000 islands dotted throughout. A surprising number of islands—each with its own character and often harboring more than a bit of intrigue in its history—can be reached by merely taking a ferry ride, or crossing a bridge, offering everyone the chance to experience a variety of island adventures.
Author Maureen Dunphy made numerous trips to a total of 135 islands that are accessible by ferry or bridge in the Great Lakes Basin. On each trip, Dunphy was accompanied by a different friend or relative who provided her another adventurer’s perspective through which to view the island experience. Her book, Great Lakes Island Escapes: Ferries and Bridges to Adventure, explores over 30 of these islands.
This 2017 Michigan Notable Book covers islands on both sides of the international border between the United States and Canada and features islands in both the lakes and the waterways that connect them. Anyone interested in island travel or learning more about the Great Lakes will delight in this comprehensive collection.