Nature’s Copycat: Convergent Evolution Throughout Time
with Nico Spadafora, Paleontologist, Founder of The Fossil Team
Please note this event takes place on Wednesday due to Election Night.
About the Lecture
We’ve all heard the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Turns out, nature seems to agree! From the fossil record to the animals living around us today, evolution has a funny habit of coming up with the same solutions again and again. Different animals can end up looking remarkably alike and sometimes even behaving alike despite evolving completely independently. This fascinating phenomenon is called convergent evolution.
In this fun and fascinating pub talk, paleontologist Nico Spadafora will take you on a journey through the weird, wonderful, and oddly repetitive world of convergent evolution. We’ll explore how it happens, why evolution keeps repeating itself, and what these evolutionary “reruns” can tell us about the incredible diversity of life on Earth.
Science Pubs are a casual lecture series located in fun venues across the region, recommended for ages 10 and over.
Tickets
$8 suggested donation | Advance tickets recommended
Zoom Option
If you are unable to join us in person, you can watch on Zoom. You must register in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
About the Speaker
Nico Spadafora is the founder of The Fossil Team, an education company and traveling museum dedicated to bringing the wonders of natural history to life. He has spent more than two decades studying paleontology, zoology, and the natural sciences, diving headfirst into the scientific literature and developing a deep knowledge of both living and extinct animals. In his teens, Nico earned an internship at the Oregon Zoo where he studied the anatomy, behavior, and traits of elephants, lions, rhinos, and many other animals. He later took his knowledge into the wild as a professional tracker and wilderness educator with Trackers Earth, following the trails and sign of bears, cougars, elk, and other wild animals. Today, Nico specializes in dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals and loves sharing the strange, spectacular, and sometimes downright bizarre stories hidden in the natural world. When he’s not studying, tracking, or obsessing over animals in the wild, he enjoys movies and games cuddled up with his house panthers Puma and Rufus.
Questions? Email sciencepub@omsi.edu
Ticketing questions call 503.797.4000 x0
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are unable to join us in person, you can watch on zoom. You must register in advance via the Zoom link above. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.s
To guarantee a seat at this event, we recommend you purchase your ticket in advance. Please show your ticket at the check-in table in front of the theater upon arrival.
We will always have tickets available at the door. They are first-come, first-served and admission will remain a suggested donation
Mission Theater offers pizza and sides, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. No outside food or drink is allowed.
The Mission Theater is wheelchair accessible. They have a ramp leading to the theater’s side entrance on 17th Avenue; just let McMenamins staff at the front door know you need ramp access.e
Street parking is available in the area surrounding the theater. Some spaces may be free, while others may require payment via Parking Kitty. Note that Parking Kitty does not require payment after 7pm.
Venue Information
McMenamins Mission Theater
1624 NW Glisan St
Portland, OR 97209
Sponsored by
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible Entrance