Science Spotlights: The Secret Lives of Fruit Flies & Why Are There Holes In My Plant?

Name: Science Spotlights: The Secret Lives of Fruit Flies & Why Are There Holes In My Plant?
Start: 2026-05-23T14:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-23T15:30:00-04:00
Location: Harvard Museum of Natural History

Schedule

Sat May 23 2026 at 02:00 pm to 03:30 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Harvard Museum of Natural History | Cambridge, MA

Meet up-and-coming scientists and learn about questions at the forefront of research today in this series of short talks.
2:00–2:30 pm – The Secret Lives of Fruit Flies
Speaker: Bronwyn Miller, Graduate Student in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, the Ben de Bivort Lab
How do fruit flies ALWAYS seem to find your ripe bananas? Believe it or not, not all fruit flies want to steal your fruit. In fact, there are an estimated 4,000 species of fruit fly! This includes species that develop on poisonous death cap mushrooms and a species whose head looks like a hammerhead shark’s! How did this diversity come about? What can their brains and behavior tell us about their evolution? Join Harvard scientist Bronwyn Miller to explore the amazing world of fruit flies and uncover the secrets of their hidden lives.
3:00-3:30 pm – Why Are There Holes In My Plant?
Speaker: Fitz Dougherty, Graduate Student in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, theHolbrook Lab
Did you know that plants have microscopic holes in their leaves and flowers that are important for different functions? They can acquire CO2 for photosynthesis, cool leaves on a hot day, and even release nectar in flowers to attract pollinators. Join Harvard scientist Fitz Dougherty as he talks about what we know and still don’t know about two different types of holes in plants, and learn how even the smallest features can reveal big scientific mysteries.
Recommended for ages 10 and up. Regular museum admission rates apply.