Welcome to the tremendous, amazing, Big Asheville Science Salon!
In August:
Diagnosing the Lesula monkey with evolutionary biologist Dr. James Fuller.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose,
By any other name would smell as sweet.” – W. ‘Wild Willy’ Shakespeare
In a remote forest of Congo’s Lomami Basin region, researchers stumbled upon an odd looking monkey. Encountering monkeys in this part of the world is certainly not uncommon and, it’s safe to say, most are not classically handsome. But to the team of experienced field biologists, what made this particular primate peculiar was that it looked completely unfamiliar. Circulating photos of the mysterious monkey to experts around the world was not much help, with most responses ranging from “I guess it looks kinda like …” to “What the hell is that?”
So, was this a “new” species? Certainly not to the local Mbole people who, for generations, had called the monkey Lesula. But to the scientific community, the lesula seemed to be an undiagnosed, undescribed unknown. But how does one go about confirming, definitively, that some critter is a distinct species with its own evolutionary trajectory?
At the August salon, get to know the lesula with evolutionary biologist Dr. James Fuller and examine how new species arise and how we diagnose them. Dr. Fuller has investigated the behavior and evolution of African primates for nearly three decades, with field studies in Congo, Kenya, and Uganda. His research examines the evolution of social behavior, with a focus on vocal communication systems. James is a member of the New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, an adjunct professor at Columbia University as well as Mars Hill University, and is rumored to do something with the Big Asheville Science Salon.
Doors: 5:00 PM. Explore interactive science models, have a drink with old friends, meet new ones, and get ready for some serious science in a seriously un-serious setting.
Presentation: 6:45. Then, stick around for Q&A, discussion, and general mingling.
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!
Doors open at 5:00. Have a drink with old friends, meet new ones, and get ready for some serious science in a seriously un-serious setting.