Science / Medicine : Prehistoric Beasts in Exhibit Spotlight
Many people who visit the nearby desert areas during this time of year miss some of the interesting things to see there, such as the skeletons of prehistoric animals found in the current exhibit at the Palm Springs Desert Museum.
“Ancient Beasts of the Coachella Valley” includes the complete cast skeletons of two such animals once found there--the giant ground sloth and the saber-toothed cat.
Other huge creatures once lived in what is now a desert, such as the Imperial mammoth and the giant camel. The plants and animals that existed in what was a very different environment are profiled in the exhibit, which runs through Jan. 5. Call (619) 325-7186.
ASTRONOMY
The big event of the New Year will be the “ring of fire” annular sunset eclipse on Jan. 4, which will be visible from many Southern California locations. Remember, do not look directly at the sun during an eclipse. For eclipse observing information call the Griffith Observatory’s Sky Report, (213) 663-8171.
Also at the Griffith Observatory is the annual holiday planetarium program “The Christmas Star” showing daily except Wednesday through Dec. 29. Call (213) 664-1191.
The Los Angeles Valley College Planetarium program will examine our Milky Way galaxy as well as our nearest galactic neighbors in “Galaxies, Our Neighbors in Space” on Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. Call (818) 781-1200, Ext. 335.
PALEONTOLOGY
Some of the favorite Kokoro animated dinosaurs have returned to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. The robotic replicas are three-quarters life size and include a triceratops mother and her two babies, an armored ankylosaurus mother and two babies and a 15-foot tall tyrannosaurus rex. The roaring, stomping giants can be seen through Jan. 12. Call (213) 744-3466.
HEALTH / MEDICINE
The Cedars-Sinai “Yes We Can” stroke club for stroke survivors, their families and care givers will discuss fitness issues on Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. in the Harvey Morse Auditorium. Call the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at (310) 855-3184.
ENVIRONMENT / ECOLOGY
Members of the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy will meet with visitors near the Dapplegray Little League fields for a morning exploration of nature trails and wildlife of the area on Saturday at 9 a.m. Call (310) 378-7317 or (310) 541-6440.
SCIENCE FOR KIDS
In a cooperative program for 9th- through 12th-grade students in the Los Angeles Unified School District who are on intersession break, UCLA Extension and UCLA Expo are offering classes during the winter 1992 break. An eight-session course on “Environmental Science,” focusing on both global and local ecological problems, begins Jan. 7. Call (310) 825-4191.
SCIENCE FOR EDUCATORS
Many L.A. Unified instructors will also be on intersession break and UCLA Extension will be offering four science classes for them in January. Designed to help K-6 teachers better integrate science into their curriculum, classes in chemistry, astronomy, biology and zoology will be available. Call (310) 825-2960.
