All Eyes on Dr. Chris Kirk’s Hot Science – Cool Talks presentation – Pre-talk Video Interviews

I had a great time visiting with Dr. Chris Kirk yesterday for a series of pre-talk interviews for his upcoming Hot Science – Cool Talks presentation, Your Eye, My Eye, and the Eye of the Aye-Aye, part of the awesome Hot Science – Cool Talks series, presented by the Environmental Science Institute.

Dr. Kirk is an amazing physical anthropologist and an Associate Professor with the Department of Anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin. As you’ll see in my video interviews with him, he has incredible energy and knowledge about primate evolution and the evolution of senses. Don’t miss his Hot Science – Cool Talks presentation on Friday, December 2, 7pm at Welch Hall, Room 2.224.  And if you can come early, there be lots of fun pre-lecture activities beginning at 5:30.

Thanks, Dr. Kirk, for the wonderful interview videos! I know everyone will enjoy learning more about primate evolution.

Here are the videos:

#1 A Peek at Dr. Chris Kirk’s Hot Science – Cool Talks Presentation

Find out why depth perception and detailed vision give humans the best eyesight out of any living mammal. (But what about extinct mammals and other living vertebrates?  You’ll find out!) Learn more about Dr. Chris Kirk’s specialty in primate evolution and the evolution of senses.

#2 Visiting Zoo Monkeys: What NOT to Do

Find out the interesting and unusual feature that human eyes have and that anthropoids do not. Oh, and also learn what NOT to do when you visit monkeys at the zoo!

#3 Battle Plan for Vertebrate Eye Evolution

Find out what mammal has the best combination of sensory adaptation and learn about the problem with compound eyes.  Then  discover how what you inherit from your ancestors has a profound affect on what your anatomy can do. Dr. Chris Kirk also describes how his love of anthropology growing up helped him find his niche as a physical anthropologist.

#4 44 million Year Old Invasive Species Revealed

Commander Ben holds a 44 million year old invasive species fossil in his hand. Learn more about the new species of primate, Mescalerolemur horneri, that Dr. Chris Kirk helped discover in West Texas.

Enjoy!

Commander Ben signing off…