Trips to the Museum: Art and Science

This time of year the weather does not always encourage outdoor activities. A wet day in February can be quite unpleasant and therefore difficult to cultivate your love of nature. This is where museums come in. We love going to museums as a family as it is a great way to see a wide variety of different artefacts and learn about them. They can create a fascination and interest in the world around us and support our understanding of science and nature. 

Studying the Geological Collection 

Oxford University Museum of Natural History 

 Being half-term we wanted to do something a bit more interesting so we decided to go to Oxford. When deciding what to do it did not take us long to all agree on the Natural History Museum. We were not disappointed. Their collection was incredible and well informed. We spent a total of four and a half hours pouring over fossils, rocks and animal exhibits. The way the museum was set up to tell the story of evolution of our world was exceptionally informative. I always find being reminded of how we came to be incredible and humbling.

Beautiful Natural Patterns 

Fossilised Fern

We each had a favourite bit. My daughter was fascinated with the natural patterns that nature has produced in the fossil record. She was trying to determine if there were mathematical patterns present. This came from my wife exploring fractals in her art work. My highlight was the section on human evolution. I always love looking at the way that we have changed from Australopithecus africanus (lucy) through Homo habilis and Homo erectus to the modern day humans. It was nice to sit back and look at how the changes had taken place over time.

Coral

Ammonite

Back in Worcester we went to the Worcester Museum and Art Gallery. Whilst much smaller in terms of exhibits it still had an engaging collection of fossils and animals that we were all very interested in. It was nice to see some of the pre-historic animals that lived in the Worcester area millions of years ago and to learn about the geology of the local area.

Jurassic Ammonite found in the Cotswolds

The strength of the museum in Worcester is that is has a widespread range of things that can connect a variety of backgrounds and ages. There is something for everyone. From science to art, history to geology to anthropology. This is what is needed as it connects a much broader range of people and then encourages them to learn about other areas of interest. Whilst only a small museum we had a lot of fun exploring and learning. I think that the sign above their back door sums it up: Art and Science. Science is vitally important but we also need art to help encourage new ideas and brighten up our world.

Carboniferous Seed Fern from Wyre Forest

Art and Science

In addition to our museum visits we have been involved in the hands-on pop-up science centre in Cheltenham that has been taking place all of half-term (Cheltenham Science Group). This was set up to engage a wide range of people in science, technology, engineering and maths with the hope to show that there is a need for a permanent hands-on centre in Cheltenham. It has been a huge success and this is because it has a range of different activities that have engaged a wide range of ages and backgrounds. There were exhibits on light, sound, heat and energy. There has also been information about perfumes and mathematical art.

Koch Snowflake by Ann-marie Ison

Setting up the Art stand at the Science Centre

As part of the science centre my wife has been displaying her mathematical art. Her art work has been developing mathematical principles, such as fractals and the fibonacci sequence, in an artistic way to try and engage as many different people in maths as possible. It would be a much duller world if we were to keep the two worlds apart. And it was clear from the response of the people of Cheltenham that they liked the concept.

Pop-up Art at the Pop-up science Centre, Cheltenham

Volunteering is always a lot of fun and rewarding, however, what made this experience so special was the way the people in Cheltenham engage with science and maths, so much enthusiasm. The hands on experience really helps people connect and to see how the scientific or mathematic knowledge can be used in a wider context. It is clear that the people of Cheltenham really want to engage more with science and maths and they would clearly benefit from a permanent centre; this is why I am so keen to support, help and get involved! But I also think that all towns and cities would benefit and and embrace such a centre.

The Team of Volunteers for the First Day

People Engaging in Science

A lot of the pop-up science exhibits have come from @bristol. We are crowdfunding to raise money to make some of our own to use in schools, at future events and become part of the centre when we have one.

Investigating Pressure

Christ Church Meadow, Oxford

Big Garden Birdwatch and Other Surveys

Over the last week we have been involving ourselves with various different volunteer wildlife surveys. The work of many wildlife organisations is greatly enhanced by members of the public going out to their local area and providing the experts with valuable and widespread data. Getting lots of people involved also means that more people understand the importance of the work the different organisations are doing. They are a lot of fun and can creates a bit of extra meaning to the outdoor experience.

Doing the Big Garden Birdwatch in Our Local Park

Robin

As part of my job I co-run a year 7 science club. On Wednesday 27^th January our activity was to do the Big Schools Birdwatch. I took a total of 29 year 7's out side into the school grounds bird watching. The students had a fabulous time looking, identifying and counting all the birds on the school site. Most of the students were not aware of quite how many species of bird there were to be found around the school. A total of 12 species were spotted! It was a real privilege providing them with that opportunity and getting them closer to the local wildlife. Whilst I was outside with the small groups birdwatching the rest of the students were making bird feeders. This was in order to take home so they could participate in the Big Garden Birdwatch. I hope that we inspired many of them to get involved!

Year 7's Preparation for the Birdwatch

A Pied Wagtail at The Chase

Inspired by the enthusiasm of the year 7 students I was very excited to carry out the Big Garden Birdwatch myself. Due to not actually having a meaningful garden to watch birds in we headed to the park. Our local green space is Fort Royal Park in the centre of Worcester. Despite the weather being bitterly cold we were not put off and had a lot of fun counting the maximum number of each species at any one time. This was a relatively difficult task for us as it was particularity windy. We did manage to spot a total of 14 species.

Blue Tit At Fort Royal Park

A unusual flyover of Geese - Not counted!!

The RSPB survey started in 1979 and has given us valuable information in the changes of bird life in our gardens over the last 36 years. Unfortunately lots of the results of the surveys have been disappointing, such as a 80% decline in starlings, 70% decline in song thrushes and a 58% decline in House Sparrows. To be a little positive there has been an increase in the numbers of Blue Tits and Goldfinches.

Carrying Out The Birdwatch

Another survey that I have carried out is a survey that is looking into the numbers of Pochards. Pochards are beautiful little diving ducks that spend their winters on the waters of Britain. We are lucky to have good numbers of they visiting my Birding patch at Grimley. The survey is the count the flock size and the sex ratio. Male Pochards tend to dominate the more productive wintering sites that are closer to the breeding sites. This means that the females have to travel further and potentially increasing the chance of predation and fatigue. This contributes to the differences in the male and female numbers of Pochards. The survey will help give information about the population structures and understand the changes in survival rates between the sexes. At Grimley there where more males than females!

Pochard

House Sparrow in Fort Royal Park

The final survey is one that I have not, as yet, had an opportunity to get involved with. It is a survey to record the location of starling murmurations for the University of Gloucestershire and the Royal Society of Biology. Starlings carry out magnificent aerial displays, murmurations, which are breath taking to watch. However, we are not really sure why they do them. In addition, starling numbers are in critical decline. The survey hopes to help build a greater understanding as to why starlings do these murmurations and why the numbers of starlings are declining sharply. Unfortunately, this year I have yet to observe a murmuration. Perhaps this is as a result of their decline!

 Picture The Garden Birdwatch by a Friends Daughter

I have been really encouraged by the numbers of people who have been sharing their experiences of getting involved. I have been inspired by the number of young children who have enjoyed the experience. For me these surveys have two aims. First to get widespread information to get a national picture in the changes to our wildlife. The second is to engage the wider public in wildlife , conservation and scientific issues. As a scientist I feel it is so important to engage as many people in the scientific process as possible; science is for everyone. These surveys do just that and they also encourage people to get out and enjoy the wildlife on their door steps, something we all need more of.

Snowdrops Fort Royal Park