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Free online lectures: Explore a world of ideas

Funding provided by:

New England Aquarium

Opened on the Boston Waterfront in 1969, the New England Aquarium is one of the world’s first modern aquariums. Visitors can explore the ocean and visit thousands of marine animals in three levels of world-class exhibits. Combining education, entertainment and action to address the most challenging problems facing the ocean, the New England Aquarium aims to create a new generation of ocean stewards. Since 1972, the Aquarium has been providing free lectures and films by scientists, environmental writers, photographers and many more. Through the generosity of the Lowell Institute, the Aquarium Lecture Series is free and open to the public. Registration is requested and all programs start at 7 p.m. in the Aquarium's Simons IMAX Theatre, unless otherwise noted. Programs last approximately one hour. For more information or to join our mailing list, visit: www.neaq.org/aquariumlectures

http://www.neaq.org/

A Case Study of Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trade: The 2015 Philippine Turtle Crisis

Thu, Oct 29, 2015

In late June 2015, more than 4,000 critically endangered Palawan forest turtles were confiscated by authorities in the Philippines. The turtles had been illegally collected and were destined for the international illegal wildlife trade. Dr. **Charles Innis**, one of the first responders to the Palawan turtle confiscation, describes the natural history of this species, and the rescue, rehabilitation, and eventual release of these turtles back to the wild in Palawan. The complexities of the global illegal wildlife trade, deforestation, variable legal enforcement, range country socioeconomics and politics will be explored. He will also highlight the rapidly deployed network of private and institutional partners that made this effort successful.

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New England Aquarium
Saving the Unorthodox Whales of Sri Lanka

Thu, Nov 12, 2015

Sri Lankan blue whales are a unique, non-migrating, endangered subspecies. They breed six months out of phase with other pygmy blue whales in the Southern Hemisphere, are half a meter shorter and have a unique vocal call. Most unusually, this population does not migrate to Polar regions, but remains in warm tropical waters year-round. Their confinement within the Northern Indian Ocean makes this population increasingly vulnerable to human activities. In particular, their high-use areas overlap with one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, and whale deaths due to ship-strikes are well documented and likely to increase. This talk describes ongoing efforts to mitigate whale death by ships and highlight the importance of coupling both science and engagement for the long-term protection of this unique population of blue whales. Image: [Lanka.com](https://www.lanka.com/activities/whale-dolphin-watching/ "Sri Lankan Whale")

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New England Aquarium
The Narrow Edge: A Tiny Bird, an Ancient Crab and an Epic Journey

Thu, Sep 24, 2015

Each year a sandpiper, the red knot, flies 19,000 miles from one end of the earth to the other and back. The migration is fueled in part by the eggs of horseshoe crabs, one of earth’s oldest animals, whose blue blood safeguards human health. Author **Deborah Cramer** followed the birds and horseshoe crabs to remote, windswept beaches along the Strait of Magellan; in bug-infested hunting preserves and gleaming oyster banks in South Carolina; in Delaware Bay—an avian Serengeti and the world’s greatest concentration of horseshoe crabs; inside the research warrens of Massachusetts General Hospital; and up into the icy, inhospitable tundra where the birds nest. She reads briefly from her book.

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New England Aquarium
Living Fossil and Blue Blood: the Horseshoe Crab and Human Health

Thu, Aug 13, 2015

The American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is an ancient marine arthropod with a lineage that goes back 440 million years. It is an important species for both its pivotal place in the ecosystem and for its valuable use in everyday human health; biomedical manufacturers and conservationists alike have a vested interest in making sure this species continues to thrive and flourish. As stewards of the environment, we have a responsibility to preserve, protect and strive to achieve balance between our need for this valuable material and the livelihood of the animal that provides it. In this presentation, we’ll discuss how these animals experience challenges in and out of their natural habitat and also review the significance of their remarkable blue blood to human health and the innovative technology that further safeguards this species and assures the sustainability of this important resource.

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New England Aquarium
Helping Endangered Species in Our Backyard

Thu, Jul 30, 2015

We may not have wild pandas and snow leopards, but New England is full of regionally endangered and threatened plants and animals. To maintain and restore the diversity of our natural heritage, we need to intelligently and actively help many of our rare wild neighbors. Come and learn about hands-on projects, in which Massachusetts school children and adults are helping us protect rare species, with a focus on our threatened freshwater turtles. (Photo: [Turtle Conservancy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_Conservancy "")) Visit [Grassroots Wildlife Conservation](http://www.grassrootswildlife.org/ "") to participate in protecting the state's endangered species in your own backyard.

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New England Aquarium
Where Leatherback Sea Turtles Spend Summer Vacation (and Why It's Important)

Mon, May 18, 2015

Ever wondered what leatherback turtles do on their summer vacations? Dr. Bryan Wallace will show off actual leatherback home videos, which provide a turtle's-eye view of the underwater smorgasbord of massive jellyfish on which turtles gorge each summer in Nova Scotia to fuel their high-energy lifestyle. Dr. Wallace will explain how leatherbacks' summer activities allow them to acquire the energy they need to migrate and reproduce, how not all leatherback vacation destinations are the same, and why all of this matters for marine conservation.

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New England Aquarium
Notes from the Field: Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay

Thu, Jun 4, 2015

Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay are bordered by 50 communities, home to 1.7 million people, all of whom impact our local bays in one way or another. **The MassBays National Estuary Program**, one of 28 _NEP_s established under the [Clean Water Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Water_Act "About the Clean Water Act"), is charged with assessing that impact, and reporting on trends over time. They address questions like, “Is water quality in the bays improving?” and “Are herring coming back to our rivers?” and even, “Can our salt marshes survive sea level rise?”. Join MassBays Director **Pam DiBona** for a report on the State of the bays based on a recent scientific symposium, and **Samantha Woods**, Director of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, who brings hundreds of volunteers to the task of finding answers to these questions.

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New England Aquarium
Project Puffin: The Improbable Quest to Bring a Beloved Seabird Back to Egg Rock

Tue, May 5, 2015

Project Puffin is the inspiring story of how a beloved seabird was restored to long-abandoned nesting colonies off the Maine coast. As a young ornithology instructor at the Hog Island Audubon Camp, Dr. Stephen W. Kress learned that puffins had nested on nearby islands until extirpated by hunters in the late 1800s. To right this environmental wrong, he resolved to bring puffins back to one such island—Eastern Egg Rock. Yet bringing the plan to reality meant convincing skeptics, finding resources and inventing restoration methods at a time when many believed in letting nature take its course. Dr. Kress’s amazing story is brought to life by the incredible photography of co-author Derrick Z. Jackson. (Photo: projectpuffin.audubon.org)

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New England Aquarium
Luminous Seas: The Photography of Brian Skerry

Thu, Apr 23, 2015

Immerse yourself in the latest amazing stories from beneath the waves as a master underwater photographer reports on his most recent National Geographic assignments. **Brian Skerry’s** surprisingly intimate portraits of marine life have captured the imagination of a generation. From a fascinating look at dolphins’ intelligence to a profile of the enigmatic Bluefin tuna, Skerry’s camera illuminates long-held mysteries of the deep. Explore the netherworld of seamounts and journey through the interconnected ecosystems of the Mesoamerican Reef in this special lecture event.

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New England Aquarium
Protecting the Ocean's Giants: The Future of Manta Ray Conservation

Wed, Apr 15, 2015

Manta rays are one of the most charismatic marine species on the planet, and a top attraction for dive and snorkel tourism. Despite their popularity with the public, we know almost nothing about these enormous, enigmatic rays. As targeted fisheries around the world increasingly threaten manta populations, conservation scientists are racing to learn more about their fundamental ecology to support effective conservation and management action. Learn more about the biology and ecology of these graceful ocean giants, the fisheries that threaten their existence and the research and conservation efforts currently underway to keep these icons around to inspire future generations. (Photo Credit: [Wikimedia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manta_birostris-NOAA.jpg "Manta Ray"))

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New England Aquarium

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