SCIENCE / MEDICINE : Bionics, Transplants in Medicine Exhibited
It wasn’t so long ago that bionic men and women were found only in the realm of fictional television programs. Today, however, bionics and transplants are a very real part of the medical world.
The progress in biomedical technology and the broadened scope of this field are explored in an exhibit, “Bionics and Transplants: The World of Replacement Medicine,” at the California Museum of Science and Industry through April 22.
Skin grafts, heart valve replacements, improved artificial limbs and increasingly common organ implants and transplants have spelled the difference between life and death for many people.
Items on exhibit include a “spare parts” mannequin, showing the range of devices available, sections on circulation, vision, and body chemistry and computerized polling stations where visitors can register their opinions on ethical questions raised by the exhibit.
Call (213) 744-7400.
ENVIRONMENT
Naturalists from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will lead a kayaking trip to explore the unique ecosystem of the Newport Back Bay on Feb. 24 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. No experience is necessary; participants will be taught basic kayaking techniques. Call (213) 744-6912.
ORNITHOLOGY
Research biologist Steve Laymon will discuss the endangered spotted owls at the Los Angeles Audubon Society meeting Tuesday, 8 p.m. in Plummer Park in West Hollywood. Call (213) 876-0202.
The Nature Conservancy will be restoring and creating habitat for the rare yellow-billed cuckoo as part of its riparian restoration project at the Kern River Preserve Saturday and Sunday. Call (619) 378-2531.
Lake Cachuma’s birds, including wintering bald eagles, will be studied in a trip to the area sponsored by the Sierra Club’s Natural Science Section on Feb. 24 and 25. Call (714) 650-0654 or (805) 963-1770.
BOTANY
The plant communities of the Santa Monica Mountains will be discussed at a program of the Native Plant Society on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Clubroom A of the Westwood Recreation Center. Call (213) 933-8993.
The society is also sponsoring a field trip to Towsley Canyon, near Newhall, to explore the plant communities of that area on Feb. 24. Call (213) 472-5464.
EXPEDITIONS
The Foundation for Field Research will be having an informational program featuring scientists discussing their research projects. Volunteers share in the work and cost of the projects. Studies include Pleistocene megafauna, Anza Borrego archeology and Chiapas wildlife. Reservations are required. Feb. 25, 9 a.m. to noon at the UCLA Faculty Center. Call (619) 445-9264.
ASTRONOMY
That intrepid spacecraft, Voyager I, is scheduled to take a 64-photograph “family portrait” of our solar system as seen from outside Pluto’s orbit on Wednesday, Valentine’s Day. Although you won’t be able to see Voyager, it will be in the constellation Hercules. The Griffith Observatory’s recorded Sky Report has information about what you might see up there. Call (213) 663-8171.
The past, present and future of space photography will be the topic of the Santa Monica College Planetarium program on Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. The feature show follows the 7 p.m. Night Sky Show. Call (213) 452-9223.
Astronomy instructors Hal Jandorf and Dennis Leatart will discuss midwinter night sky constellations on Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Moorpark College’s Charles Temple Observatory. The program will be conducted outdoors, with the college’s telescope trained on the Orion Nebula. Members of the Ventura County Astronomical Society will also have telescopes set up for viewing. Call (805) 378-1408.
SCIENCE POLICY
Inventor Paul MacCready of Gossamer Albatross fame will discuss creativity, discovery and using innovative thinking to address global problems in a lecture sponsored by the Southern California Skeptics, Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium. Call (818) 356-4652.
