Reefs As Never Before Seen: A World Premiere
The stunning underwater realm of fluorescent coral reefs and exotic sea creatures will overwhelm your senses, as the Hayden Planetarium’s dome is transformed by the renowned video installation artist Lynette Wallworth into an immersive view of ocean life few have ever witnessed. This unique event, presented in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History, takes audience members on a journey through the teeming community of coral reefs, an environment responsible for the health of the biosphere. Leading researchers share their insights on coral reefs prior to the world premiere of Wallworth’s film, Coral: ReKindling Venus, and set the stage for a remarkable evening of art and science. Tickets include cocktails and an optional after-hours tour of the museum’s “Bioluminescence” exhibit with Wallworth and the scientists.
Presented in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History.
Moderator
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Bill Ritter
Bill Ritter began his journalism career as a newspaper reporter, for the Los Angeles Times and others, before moving into television. His work in local and national television has taken him to every political convention since 1996. More »
Participants
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Lynette Wallworth
Multimedia Artist Lynette Wallworth is an Australian artist whose immersive video installations reflect on the connections between people and the natural world. More » -
Anya Salih
Marine Biologist Anya Salih studies the glow-in-the-dark fluorescent proteins that light up coral reefs in a kaleidoscope of colors. She has investigated the diverse biological roles these proteins play, including regulating how much light the corals take in and helping them reduce the stresses associated with climate change, and her work has helped establish the science of fluorescent protein biology as a rapidly growing new discipline. More » -
Nancy Knowlton
Marine Biologist Nancy Knowlton researches the ecology, evolution and conservation of coral reef organisms as the Sant Chair in Marine Science at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Her book Citizens of the Sea reveals the strange and wondrous creatures that inspired her and thousands of other scientists to carry out the Census of Marine Life, a 10-year international effort to map out the diversity, distribution and abundance of ocean organisms. More »
