SECRET SCIENCE CLUB @ THE DISCOVERY TANK ON PIER 57, Thursday, February 6 @ 6:30 PM, $10

THE INVISIBLE REVEALED! Secret Science Club teams up with Hudson River Park's "Ask a Scientist" in Manhattan to present the hidden world of microbes

Thursday, February 6 @ 6:30PM, $10. (Reserve your tickets.)

Secret Science Club flows into Hudson River Park's “Discovery Tank” on gorgeous Pier 57 to explore little-known microscopic organisms and their outsized impact on our city, waterways, and world.

While it may seem too early for spring in NYC, one of the first signs of the season is the late-winter “plankton bloom” in the Hudson River. As more sunlight reaches the water, photosynthesizing microorganisms—such as diatoms and dinoflagellates—begin to “blossom,” forming the base of the aquatic food chain and turning the river just a bit green.

On a global scale, phytoplankton produce half the world’s oxygen—and blooms can get so large that they can be seen from space. Of course, sometimes there’s too much of a good thing, and harmful plankton blooms can overwhelm local ecosystems or even be dangerous to people. Environmental scientists closely monitor how these mighty microorganisms interact with changing conditions.

Join us with Brooklyn College’s Theodore Muth and Joaquim Goes from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory as we explore the wild world of microbes—in our estuary and around the globe!

Before & After the Talks
--Check out the cool microscopes and interactive exhibits at the Discovery Tank

--Stop by the pier’s exceptional food court “Market 57” with vendors curated by the James Beard Foundation

--Groove to sweet and salty tunes in our “Ebb Tide Lounge”

--Imbibe tasty beers & soft drinks

--Ask a scientist (or two!) about our local microbiome, DNA barcoding, the “FlowCam,” what we can do to protect our waterways, and more!

Get $10 tickets here (drinks included!)

Joaquim Goes is a Lamont Research Professor at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University. His research focuses on the physiology and productivity of marine phytoplankton, carbon cycling in the sea, how ocean ecosystems and plankton are responding to climate change, and microplastics in aquatic ecosystems. He works with NASA’s PACE satellite which is deployed to study ocean health and identify types of phytoplankton blooming in the world’s oceans. Dr. Goes works to “sea truth” the satellite’s findings by conducting research cruises and deploying new technologies in waters from the Bay of Bengal to Long Island Sound.

Theodore Muth is a biologist and professor at CUNY’s Brooklyn College, where he researches urban microbes and microbiomes in our soils, waterways and even on subways. He and his lab are currently diving deep into the waters of the lower Hudson River estuary, unlocking the hidden stories of its bacterial communities. By sequencing these microbial populations, they are not only tracking water quality but also uncovering a fascinating connection between microplastics and the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs). Their research sheds light on the unseen impacts of pollution and offers crucial insights into the health of our waterways.

This program meets Thursday, February 6, 6:30PM at the Discovery Tank on Hudson River Park’s Pier 57. (The entrance to the pier is at the intersection of W. 15th St and 11th Ave in Manhattan.) Subway: A, C, E, L to 14th St/8th Ave; 1, 2, 3 to 14th St

Tickets are $10. Click here to reserve your spot!

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.