2020 has been an unusual year, to say the least. A pandemic, murder hornets, an Iowa derecho, hurricanes, racial injustice, wildfires, and most recently a discovery on Venus that points to potential alien life. It is a lot to take in and it can be a relief to bury oneself in reading. What else couldContinue reading “Books for 2020: unusual books for an unusual year”
Author Archives: Laurie Neuerburg
Find a comfortable place to study at the Sciences Library!
Head to the Sciences Library for a comfortable, quiet place to study! We offer a variety of study spots. There are many computer stations, study carrels and booths with USB and outlets for phones and computers, tables, and large mobile monitors to use for sharing your computer screen. This year we have new paint, newContinue reading “Find a comfortable place to study at the Sciences Library!”
Derecho Out of Iowa
On Monday, August 10 many Iowans were left stunned by the ferocity and destruction left in the wake of a band of storms accompanied by straight-line winds that blew through the state with the force of a hurricane. But in the aftermath, media references to a “derecho” caused many of us to scramble to theContinue reading “Derecho Out of Iowa”
The Adventures of a Monarch Butterfly: Milkweed, Metamorphosis, and Migration
Watch a video showing a monarch caterpillar transforming into a chrysalis on the Sciences Library YouTube channel! In the chrysalis, the monarch caterpillar appears to be dormant on the outside, but changes inside are happening quickly, from the breakdown of tissues no longer needed to the growth of new wings, proboscis, and compound eyes thatContinue reading “The Adventures of a Monarch Butterfly: Milkweed, Metamorphosis, and Migration”
Countdown for Liftoff
While we humans below the branches of a tall cottonwood tree along the Iowa River at Coralville’s Iowa River Landing have been preoccupied with the effects of coronavirus on our communities, a pair of Bald Eagles has been raising a family of two young eagles in that tree as if nothing were more important! AccordingContinue reading “Countdown for Liftoff”
Antiracism Resources for the Sciences
After #ShutDownAcademia, #ShutDownSTEM, and #Strike4BlackLives on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, there is a need to continue education and action about anti-racism. The CEO of American Association for the Advancement of Science, publisher of the journal Science, said that “When we hold up a mirror to the scientific enterprise, we see that it’s not only politiciansContinue reading “Antiracism Resources for the Sciences”
Pride Month Virtual Book Display
Enjoy a book safely at home during the novel coronavirus pandemic to celebrate Pride Month! Also, UI Pride 2020 offers Pride at Home kits containing fun activities to do at home! Students, staff, and faculty may request that a print book from the University of Iowa Libraries be mailed to their residence. To make theContinue reading “Pride Month Virtual Book Display”
Anyone can listen with a scientific ear!
In his newest book, Birdsong for the Curious Naturalist, Donald Kroodsma invites us to listen to bird sound not simply to make a quick species identification, but to listen “for deeper understanding of each singing bird,” encouraging us to think scientifically about birds through their songs by posing our own questions about the behavior weContinue reading “Anyone can listen with a scientific ear!”
All are invited to Sciences Library Trivia Night!
All are welcome to join the Sciences Library for Trivia Night at 5 PM central on Fridays through July 10th! We will use Zoom and Kahoot, so join Zoom on your computer to see the trivia questions and use the browser on your smartphone to input your answers. We will do two rounds of questionsContinue reading “All are invited to Sciences Library Trivia Night!”
Do You Hear What I Hear?
The pandemic has found some of us out taking more walks than usual. In some places human noise has subsided and it’s possible to hear more nonhuman sound than usual. Perhaps you’re hearing more bird sounds and wonder what they are. Donald Kroodsma, an authority on bird vocal behavior, believes that “seeing bird sounds” isContinue reading “Do You Hear What I Hear?”