September 2, 2010
Eric Baer
A walking tour of the building stones of Highline
Where on campus can you find a 75 ton rock that comes from the Canadian Cordillera? Where can you find impact craters made from rain falling 275 million years ago? Where can you find the remnants of a 500 million year old giant coral reef? While most of Highline’s campus is built of concrete and steel, there are several buildings that have amazing rock used as part of the construction. We'll do a quick introduction to the building stones of the campus and then go on a short walking tour to see these amazing rocks.
October 1, 2010
Marie Esch-Radtke MN, RN
Cesarean Section: The Unkindest Cut of All
The development of the cesarean section operation has saved countless mothers' and babies'
lives. But what happens when the cesarean section rate in a country rises to 30%, 40% or even higher? Find out
where this technology began, how it happens now, and where we’re going with it. Warning: This science seminar
will have explicit medical photos and video clip.
October 8, 2010
Darin Smith
Superhuman: Making the Body Better, Stronger, and Faster
We can rebuild him; we have the technology. Better than he was before: better, stronger, faster.
This is the classic opening line from the Six Million Dollar Man TV show. Although we are still waiting for the
technology to make the world’s first bionic man, we have made significant strides in the field of
exercise science that have advanced human performance to levels previously thought impossible.
This seminar will explore the adaptations the human machine is capable of achieving in muscular
strength, cardiovascular endurance, power, and flexibility; and will offer some mission
objectives on how to rebuild your own body to be better than it was before.
October 15, 2010
No Science Seminar
Campus closed for Professional Development Day
No description.
October 22, 2010
Dr. Lonnie Somer
The Fate of the Neandertals
Who were the Neandertals? Were they knuckle-dragging brutes, sensitive flower children, or something in between? What happened to them? How are they related to modern humans? Find out about the latest discoveries, DNA analyses, theories, and controversies.
October 29, 2010
Carla Whittington
A Summer In Utah: Mesozoic Rocks and Jurassic Dinosaurs
Looking for exciting and unique summer adventures? Find out where you can find them! Last
summer, Carla Whittington spent 12 weeks as an intern at Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in
Utah. Located in a remote part of the San Rafael Swell, a geologist’s paradise, the quarry has
the densest concentration of Jurassic age dinosaur bones anywhere in the world! You can hear
about her adventures, learn a little about Utah geology and the strange animals that left their
bones there. Carla will also share information about a number of organizations that provide
internships and other summer opportunities on public lands.
November 5, 2010
Steve Swope
Respiratory Diseases and Disorders: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
In the famous words of the American Lung Association, "When you can't breathe, nothing else matters."
But the number of ways our lungs can be attacked is incredible – from cancer to asthma, to infections like influenza and
SARS, our lungs are constantly subjected to an onslaught of pollution and microbes.
November 12, 2010
Rich Bankhead, Gregory Reinemer, Ben Thomas
The Fourth Annual Physics Magic Show
Three departments, one science seminar. Who will have the most fiery performance? Will the force be with them? Just how shocking will it be? Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one!
November 19, 2010
Heather Price
A Special Green Week Event: Sunglasses or umbrellas? Global warming effects on the Northwest
We have been hearing a lot about large-scale changes in climate from global climate change. This has important impacts on the Pacific Northwest. Come find out what we are in for … snow? heat? uncertainty? dreariness? Certainly there won’t be dreariness in 3-102 on Friday at this special Science Seminar.
November 26, 2010
Thanksgiving Holiday
The campus is closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
No Science Seminar today.
December 3, 2010
Stephaney S. Puchalski
Chitons in the fossil record
What we know about ancient life is based almost entirely on the fossil record. Yet that record is biased and imperfect – the chances of any one individual being preserved is miniscule. Whole species probably existed without having even one individual preserved. Stephaney Puchalski has been studying both fossil and modern chitons (a marine animal related to clams and snails) to figure out just what these biases might be. There are currently almost 1000 species of chitons in the world (the largest of which lives here in the Puget Sound). These beautiful invertebrates have been on Earth over 500 million years - since before mammals, dinosaurs and even most fish. As a result, they are a terrific organism to look at what fossils can tell us about the environment that they came from and, more importantly, how the fossil record could be deceiving us. Come find out what it takes to make a fossil, and how fossils can be imperfect communicators of the past.
