Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

This #FossilFriday we want to celebrate local paleontologist Frank Perry Frank retired from his position as Museum Curator for the Capitola Historical Museum last month, but this isn't goodbye. He's just too good at keeping busy! Whether through exhibit design, publications, lectures, or other special projects, for decades Frank has been an essential part of sharing our natural and cultural history with this community, often on behalf of the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History where he started his Museum career as a teenager. We're grateful for his ongoing service on our Collections Committee and look forward to continued collaborations with Frank as he embarks on his next adventure. Frank, you rock!

"The programs and resources offered by the Museum boost my confidence (and lower my stress levels!) because they are well-vetted, and expertly prepared and researched." - Julie V., Watsonville As a leader in environmental education in Santa Cruz County, we serve more than 30,000 children and adults each year. Though our programs this year look a little different, we are proud to be able to support local teachers and students through digital resources. Support our current Santa Cruz Gives campaign which is raising funds to expand and improve our virtual resources for learners of all ages. https://santacruzgives.org//santa-cruz-museum-of-natural-/

We are excited to announce the launch of our newest virtual exhibit, "The First Peoples of California." Explore the many ways Native Californians have survived and thrived through their knowledge of and relationship with the natural landscape. Text, video, slideshows, and learning extensions bring the Museum’s physical exhibit to life in the digital realm for learners of all ages. https://www.santacruzmuseum.org/first-peoples-of-californi/

In honor of Halloween, we’re exploring the curious, the scary, and the strange all week during our series, Museum of the Macabre. And what’s scarier than a deep, dark cave? For this special Halloween Pop-Up, Gavin and Graham will explore the different ways that caves form. About the Series: Join the Geology Gents, Gavin and Graham, for monthly conversations about rocks live on Facebook. Each month we’ll explore a different geologic topic, from Santa Cruz formations to tips for being a more effective rockhound. Graham Edwards and Gavin Piccione are PhD candidates in geochronology with the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UC Santa Cruz

Caves are an intersection between natural destruction and creation, where existing rocks are eroded away, and new rocks are continuously formed. Dig deeper into the formation of caves and their many special qualities in this month's inaugural edition of our latest blog series, "Rock Record: Musings on the Mineral World," written by our beloved program partners Gavin Piccione and Graham Edwards (aka The Geology Gents). https://www.santacruzmuseum.org/rock-record-caverns-of-tim...e/ Read this month's post "Caverns of Time" in advance of tuning in for todays Special Halloween Rockin' Pop-Up: Caves! live on Facebook at 3 p.m. Photo of the Sinks of Gandy, a karst cave in West Virginia.

Still curious about the phenomena of wunderkammers? Learn about the history of curiosity cabinets and go behind the scenes with Collections Manager Kathleen Aston in this recorded Collections Close-Up program: https://www.santacruzmuseum.org/collections-close-up-cabin/

Big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) are insectivores that emerge at dusk, consuming pests that are harmful to agriculture and an annoyance to humans. Studies have shown that some bats can consume 70% of their body weight in insects during a single night. So lets give thanks to our favorite flying mammals of the night this Halloween season.

The western jack-o'-lantern (omphalotus olivascens) may not be the flashiest of fungi, but this unassuming organism has a few Halloween horror stories to tell if you pay attention. Not only does it resemble a carving pumpkin's orange color, it also carries with it its own flame of sorts: bioluminescence. The fungus produces an enzyme called luciferase in the gills, which acts upon a compound called luciferin, leading to the emission of light. Another Halloween treat with this mushroom is actually a trick. Often confused for the prized edible genera of chanterelle, this species is quite toxic (though not lethal). Explore more mushrooms mysteries this Thursday, October 29 at 6 p.m. during Macabre Mushrooms: Ghouls of the Woods with Christian Schwarz. Photo by Christian Schwarz.

One of the most enjoyable parts of planning our annual Museum of the Macabre event was choosing a curious concoction to serve. While we're not hosting our gathering this year, we've still found a way to cook up something haunting for you to enjoy at home as you dig through our line-up of virtual offerings... Allow us to introduce "On the Rocks: Curated Cocktails from the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History." This month we'll walk you through how to make "The Macabre Martini" a mysterious mixture obscured by the darkness of a homemade sesame syrup. Read the recipe: https://www.santacruzmuseum.org/on-the-rocks-the-macabre-m/.

Let's see those pumpkins, people. We challenge you to create a jack-o'-lantern that puts a spotlight on the nature of Santa Cruz County. Share your creations in the comments! Need some inspiration? We've put together some free downloadable templates on our website: https://www.santacruzmuseum.org/nature-pumpkin-templates/