Welcome to the tremendous, amazing, Big Asheville Science Salon!
SEPTEMBER:
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 not far from Congo’s mighty Lomami River, researchers stumbled upon an odd looking monkey. Given that monkeys are not uncommon in rain forests and many, alas, are not classically handsome, such an occurrence is hardly remarkable. To the experienced field biologists, however, this particular primate proved peculiar because it looked completely unfamiliar. Sharing photos of the mysterious monkey with experts around the world was little help, with most responses ranging from “What the hell is that?” to “I guess it looks kinda like …”
So, was this a “new” species? Certainly not to the local Mbole people who, for generations, knew this animal as Lesula. But to the scientific community, the lesula seemed to be an undiagnosed, undescribed unknown. But how does one go about confirming, definitively, that an organism is a distinct species with its own evolutionary trajectory?
At the September 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 be involved with the 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!
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.