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The Harvard Museum of Natural History presents weekend afternoon programs for middle-school children and their families. Renowned authors, Harvard faculty, and other scientists offer educational and entertaining presentations on their latest work. Free with museum admission. 

 
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Dance, Dance, Evolution:
The Origins of Music and Dance in Man and Birds

Family program with Adena Schachner and Timothy Brady

Sunday, November 15, 2:00 pm

People of all ages and cultures enjoy music and dance. But why do we do it? Join Adena Schachner and Timothy Brady, Ph.D. candidates at Harvard and MIT, for an engaging program on the origins of music and dance. Examine how and why evolution happens, and learn about the presenters’ recent studies that show some birds can actually dance to a beat. Free with museum admission.

 
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The Size and Shape of Nature

Family program with L. Mahadevan

Sunday, December 13, 2:00 pm

How can it be that a tiny ant can lift many times its own weight, while a beached whale cannot support its own weight? Why are large mammals so rare while bacteria are so abundant? Why do some organisms live for hours, while others live for over a century? Using size as a beacon, L. Mahadevan, Harvard Professor of Applied Mathematics and 2009 MacArthur Fellow, will describe how the intersecting worlds of mathematics, physics, and engineering allow us to understand life's variations. Free with museum admission.