Saturday DNA! Sessions

Pollen Tells a Story

Join us to learn how pollen might provide clues to one of history's oldest mysteries!

Discovered in the Italian Alps in 1991, the 5300-year-old mummy nicknamed Ötzi the Iceman has become an important source of information about the Neolithic. Still, there are many unanswered questions about his life and death. Join us to discover how pollen in Ötzi’s digestive system was used as a forensic tool to create a timeline of where he may have been in the final 36 hours before his untimely demise.

In this session, participants will:

• learn how to use a compound microscope;
• explore how pollen can be used to track an individual’s location;
• discuss theories about Ötzi’s untimely death; and
• view the DNALC Otzi exhibition, including replicas of the mummy and his belongings.

*Scholarships are available for students with a financial need. To request a scholarship, please email dnalc@cshl.edu with the student’s name and which session they would like to attend.

Agar Art

Join us to learn how to "paint" with bacteria and enter your art in the 2023 Agar Art contest!

Traditional laboratory techniques utilized by scientists to study the world on both a macroscopic and microscopic scale can also be used to create unique works of art. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn multiple techniques to create unique imageries by “painting” with harmless microbes that express colorful proteins as pigment. Pictures of Agar Art created in this workshop are eligible to enter the American Society of Microbiology’s Agar Art 2023 contest!

In this session, participants will:

• create Agar Art using genetically engineered bacteria; and
• gain an appreciation for the components of “BioArt” from both scientific and artistic perspectives.

A Day in the Life of the Iceman

Join us to learn about the mysterious Iceman and what his mummy can tell us about life in the Copper Age!

Five thousand years ago a man – now known as Ötzi the Iceman – lost his life on an alpine glacier near the border between Italy and Austria. Against all odds, his body and many of the items he carried were well preserved. In 1991, he was discovered by hikers and since then scientists have been using modern technology and analyses to uncover his secrets. Come join us to help unravel some of the Iceman’s deepest mysteries.

In this activity, participants will:

• investigate the scene of the Iceman’s discovery and what some of the items found with his body tell us about his life;
• use microscopes to determine what types of animals were used to create his “wardrobe” and some of his tools; and
• explore our exhibit and see the first full-size replica of the Iceman’s mummy, and his artifacts.

Past Event

Pathogens, Plasmids, and Petri Dishes–Oh My!

Join us to learn about an incredibly common life form that's both friend and foe–bacteria!

Bacteria have inhabited our planet longer than any other life form, and live almost everywhere on Earth! Humans rely on bacteria for their health and wellbeing, but there are a small fraction of bacterial species that are pathogenic to humans. Join us to investigate how we have learned to combat infectious bacteria over the last century.

In this activity, participants will:

• earn about the history of antibiotics and how they work;
• how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics;
• observe the effect of two antibiotics on two different strains of bacteria; and
• explore alternative methods to treating bacterial infections.