Fjateeeee, Fjateeee En Tu Secretaaaaria

Fíjateeeee, fíjateeee en tu secretaaaaria…

My love for these two is still going strong haha.

Throwback Thursday! Do you remember the 1970s? 💃🕺 Saturday Night Fever was playing at the theaters and disco was pumping at Studio 54. What was happening at the Museum? We were opening a groovy Gems and Minerals Hall, complete with carpet, a sunken pit, and cave-like lighting. This archival photo, snapped in 1976, depicts visitors in the hall as it appeared shortly after opening. Its design was meant to simulate the Earth from which the exhibited specimens were extracted.

During the years since then, the fields of mineralogy and geology have advanced significantly. The Museum’s Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals—which now features more than 5,000 specimens—were redesigned to reflect these changes. Today, this space tells the fascinating story of how the vast diversity of minerals arose on our planet, how scientists classify and study them, and how we use them for personal adornment, tools, and technology.

Photo: Image no. ptc-2027 /  © AMNH Library

The "Dad of the Year" award goes to this flathead catfish on the Black River in North Carolina. A sudden drop in water level caused the fish to be stranded at the base of a rotting tree. I wondered why it didn't leave as the water receded-until I saw the pile of pink eggs by its tail. I realized the fish was trapped by staying to care for its offspring.

It's common for males to watch over eggs and defend them from potential predators-and, in some cases, even from the mother. Of all the things I've seen in swamps, this was one of the most striking examples of survival.

Cypress swamps are difficult places to thrive. Seasonal fluctuations of water shape these ecosystems and the residents that call them home. Although I didn't stick around to see what happened to this father, I was encouraged to see that the water levels did come up just a few days later.

i think we should all consider getting emotional over this xkcd. as a group. let's get emotional about it