This sunglass-wearing fish skeleton thinks MLML is the coolest! When you come to the MLML Open House, be sure to take a stroll around the Ichthyology Lab. The fish skeletons reconstructed by MLML students are sure to impress you. The guy wearing the sunglasses is a giant seabass, while the large fish skull in the foreground is from a Hawaiian grouper. They hope you’ll say aloha in a couple of weeks!
MLML Open House is Saturday, April 30 & Sunday, May 1.
Sometimes we all need a break from the daily grind. What’s a good way to take a breather? How about taking some time for arts and crafts!
These MLML students are taking some time after-hours to paint the aquarium scene for the 2009 puppet show. MLML alumna Heather Hawk lent her expertise and drew the fantastic backdrop, then directed her peers to fill the corals in with the proper colors.
If you’d like to see the 2009 Open House puppet show featuring Harry Spotter, take a look here!
Open House is a great chance to take a hands-on approach to science. Geological Oceanography Lab student Briar Kitaguchi shows visitors how wind can sort sand grains by size by moving them different distances. Ocean waves and currents can do the same thing, allowing geologists to interpret the history of sediment movement by looking at the size of the grains.
How do biological oceanographers identify the phytoplankton in water samples they collect at sea? They can use a technique called chromatography that separates the pigments that phytoplankton use for photosynthesis. The major groups of plankton contain different pigments, and those pigments produce a color spectrum when they separate by weight. Scientists can use this color spectrum “fingerprint” to identify the type of phytoplankton the pigments came from.
You can try your hand at chromatography at MLML’s Open House thanks to the Biological Oceanography lab! Did you know that pen ink is composed of many different pigments? Watch the ink separate into a spectrum of colors to see for yourself!
Did you ever think that using a video game controller could be a useful scientific skill? At Open House you can get the chance to pilot SCINI, a remotely operated vehicle. SCINI stands for Submersible Capable of under-Ice Navigation and Imaging, and helps MLML researchers explore the frigid waters of Antarctica. With the touch of a button, you can make SCINI dive and surface, and move side to side – just without the Antarctic chill!
MLML Open House is Saturday, April 30 & Sunday, May 1.
Open House is not only a great educational opportunity, it’s the biggest fundraiser for the MLML student body. The event is free to attend, but you can support us by buying tickets for the opportunity drawing. We will have a bunch of amazing prizes you won’t want to miss!
Have you ever looked a rockfish square in the eyes and felt its slippery scales? Open House is a chance to discover interesting creatures and explore exciting careers – maybe Katie from the ichthyology lab is helping nurture a future fisherman or fish biologist!
If you come to Open House, be sure not to miss our puppet show, where we give popular songs a science twist! Last year’s smash hits were “Chemoautotrophy” (sung to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”) and “Vertical Migration (sung to Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer”). You can watch last year’s puppet show on-line to get pumped up for the next one!
Have you ever tried fish printing? It’s easy: choose your favorite fish, apply the paint, press and BOOM you have an amazing fish print. Label your artistic masterpiece and let it dry while you explore the rest of the Open House. Making fish prints is a great way to learn about the fish located here in Monterey Bay and have some fun!
Make sure to stop by the Ichthyology Lab during Open House and see the different kinds of fishes we have in Monterey Bay. They have many skeletons of fish – be sure to examine the teeth of the fishes and see how their shape is adapted to eating different kinds of food. The wolf eel above can eat abalone and use its large mouth to swallow them!
