Welcome to the tremendous, amazing, Big Asheville Science Salon!
Our mission: Cultivate curiosity and build community by sharing the coolest, grooviest, and fascinating-ist scientific discoveries. And have a beer (or wine or soda).
How it do: Each month, a bona fide expert takes us on a thrill ride of science awesomeness (i.e., talk about their research and probably show pretty pictures). Afterwards, a lively Q&A segues into general mingling and chatting about why science is so cool.
When: First Wednesday of each month.
Doors: 6:00pm; Presentation: 7:00pm; Socializing: 8:00pm
Where: The Mule (at Devil’s Foot Beverage) 131 Sweeten Creek Rd., Asheville, NC 28803
No cover charge – just bring your brain!
March:
Everything is Illuminated with entomologist Sara Rivera.
Fire-bob. Lamp bug. Glow-worm. Candle-fly. Lightning bug. Or, if you lean taxonomic, a member of the family Lampyridae (from the Greek for “marsh” and “fire”).
A firefly, by any other name, would shine as bright – and would still be truly, deeply peculiar (you try lighting up the sky with only your luminous hindquarters).
For many of us, the incandescent insects are a common sight, adding a bit of magic and “Ooo” to summer evenings. But, with more than 2000 firefly species currently identified, what do we really know about these bioluminescent beetles? A closer look reveals trickery, romance, and, of course, the source of that signature glow.
At our March salon, entomologist Sara Rivera will shed light on the glorious, glowing wonders of the Lampyridae. A bona fide North Carolina native, Sara completed their graduate work at Western Carolina University, researching the evolution of predatory fireflies and contributing to the FirefLI database project. Sara continues research at WCU and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making sense of the incredible insect diversity of this region. They are also founder of THEM in STEM, a queer- and family-friendly science engagement initiative that uses Storytimes, Wildlife Walks, and public talks to make science accessible and fun for all.