The Secret Science Club presents "Evolve!" on Wednesday, December 5 @ 8 pm

AMNH Paleontologist Michael Novacek lectures on Evolution, Biodiversity, and Mass Extinction @ 8 pm
Earth to humans, Earth to humans . . . is anybody there?

Michael Novacek of the American Museum of Natural History discusses how biodiversity and ecosystems evolved from the Age of the Dinosaurs onward to create an ideal environment for a novel new species--Homo sapiens. And now, Dr. Novacek warns, Homo sapiens is transforming that environment so rapidly that Earth may not be habitable in future.

In fact, Earth is experiencing what scientists call the Sixth Extinction as thousands of plant and animal species are pushed into oblivion by habitat destruction, overfishing and overhunting, the introduction of invasive species, pollution and climate change.

The provost of science at the American Museum of Natural History, a world-renowned dinosaur hunter, and the author of Terra: Our 100-Million-Year-Old Ecosystem—and the Threats That Now Put It at Risk, Dr. Novacek takes the long view and asks: Why are ecosystems essential to human survival? How did Homo sapiens co-evolve with other species? Can we change our ways and save the planet?

Don’t miss this (r)evolutionary tour of Earth’s history! And tumultuous future . . .

Plus!
--Groove to naturally selected tunes, and check out the apocalyptic video by scientist/filmmaker Alexis Gambis.

--Imbibe the "Hungry Hyena" a ferocious cocktail that will determine the survival of the fittest.

--Buy and have Dr. Novacek’s sign his awesome new book, Terra: Our 100-Million-Year-Old Ecosystem—and the Threats That Now Put It at Risk

The “Secret Science Club” meets December 5th at 8 p.m. in the basement @ Union Hall, 702 Union St. (at 5th Ave.) in Park Slope, Brooklyn, p: 718.638.4400 Subway: R to Union St.; F to 4th Ave.; Q, 2, 3, 4, 5 to Atlantic

No cover charge. Just bring your smart self.

Doors open at 7:30. LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE.

Beastly Video from the Taxidermy Contest

If you missed our taxidermy contest, take a peek at this feral video courtesy of New York magazine.

Long Live Taxidermy!

The 3rd-annual Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest--held at Union Hall on the Day of the Dead--was a beastly success! Check out all the photos on Flickr taken by Robert Marbury, Marco Repola, and Eric Harvey Brown. The Rump Ape--patron saint of the taxidermy contest--(pictured above with Union Hall co-owner Andy Templar) congratulates the winners!

The winners are:

Mike Zohn of Obscura Antiques received the Order of Carnivorous Knights Grand Prize for his "shadowbox mise en scene" of albino weasels posing as miniature polar bears:

Takeshi Yamada (last year's Grand Champion of Taxidermy) defended his title and received the Rump Ape Prize for Best Hybrid Creature:

Ryan Toth of the Evolution store in SoHo brought down the house with his two-faced cat skeleton, Frank & Louie, and won the Secret Science Club Prize for Best in Bones. Pictured below is Darrin Lunde of the American Museum of Natural History inspecting the cat(s):

For his skull--lovingly encrusted with rhinestones--William Graef won the special "Long Pig" Prize awarded by the Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists:

The Norman Bates Prize for Best Taxidermy went to Linda Darling for her exquisite bird of paradise:

Doug Klein received the Cabinet of Curiosities Prize for Most Interesting Biological Oddity for this tricky armadillo:

And the Most Twisted Prize sponsored by the Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists was shared by J. McGrath for his mysterious specimen (left) and Nate Hill for the A.D.A.M. Project (right). That's Adam's head--in case you were wondering.

And thanks to everyone who contributed their loose change to the Tasmanian Devil Research Fund.

Photos of arctic weasels, Takeshi Yamada, bifurcated cat, and bling skull via Dogseat's flickr; bird of paradise, armadillo, and unknown specimen via istolethetv's flickr; and Nate Hill via Robert Marbury's flickr.