Mars and its secrets have fascinated and mystified humans since ancient times. Due to its vivid color and visibility, geologic kinship with Earth, and potential as our best hope for settlement, Mars embodies everything that inspires us about space and exploration. For the Love of Mars surveys the red planet's place in the human imagination, beginning with ancient astrologers and skywatchers and ending in our present moment of exploration and virtual engagement.

You’re invited to come learn alongside Matt Shindell, National Air and Space Museum curator, as he introduces viewers to historical figures across eras and around the world who have made sense of this mysterious planet. Shindell will highlight historical figures such as: 

• Mayan astrologer priests who incorporated Mars into seasonal calendars and religious ceremonies; 
• Babylonian astrologers who discerned bad omens; 
• figures of the Scientific Revolution who struggled to comprehend it as a world; 
• Victorian astronomers who sought signs of intelligent life; and
• 20th- and 21st-century scientists who have established a technological presence on its surface. 

Along the way, we will encounter writers and artists from each period who take readers and viewers on imagined journeys to Mars.

By focusing on the diverse human stories behind the telescopes and behind the robots we know and love, Shindell will show how Mars exploration has evolved in ways that have also expanded knowledge about other facets of the universe. Register now for this captivating voyage through time!

About the Author: Matthew Shindell, Ph.D., is a historian of science with a background in science studies. He is Curator of Earth and Planetary Science at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. He is responsible for the Museum’s collection of spacecraft, instruments, and other artifacts related to the exploration and study of our Earth and solar system. He co-hosts the Museum’s podcast, AirSpace. He curated the Museum’s permanent exhibition, Exploring the Planets, and is leading a curatorial team developing the exhibition Futures in Space. Shindell is the author of For the Love of Mars: A Human History of the Red Planet (2023) and The Life and Science of Harold C. Urey (2019), coauthor of Spaceships (2023), Our Future in Space (2023), and Discerning Experts (2019), and co-editor of Smithsonian American Women (2019).  

SCLD Online Authors Series

Registration required to view live. Register using the Event URL below.

Learn specific fire-resistant landscaping techniques to create defensible space around your home, reducing the risk of damage or loss due to wildfire. These landscaping practices can help protect homeowners in the Wildland Urban Interface as well as those living in urban areas. By the end of this session, you’ll have a list of prioritized action steps for your own property as well as suggestions for working together with your neighbors to start preparing right away.

Presented by Lynn Meyers, WSU Extension Spokane County Master Gardener Volunteer

Join us on the 2nd Wednesday of each month for a fun and informative Chamber Chat! We'll explore what ChatGPT, a smart AI assistant, can do for your business. Learn how it can improve your communication, boost productivity, and spark creativity. This session will give you a taste of the possibilities without going into the technical details. Don't miss this chance to see how ChatGPT can benefit your business!

The Chamber Chat is free to attend. If you're interested in learning how to use ChatGPT in more detail, sign up for our "Mastering ChatGPT: Hands-On Workshop" on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Registration is required, and there is a fee for this class.

Recreating in bear country can be done in a safe and enjoyable manner if certain precautions are taken before and during your outdoor adventure. Topics for this presentation include identification techniques for the two bear species native to northeastern Washington, basic bear biology and phenology, and how to respond if you encounter a bear in the field, including how to deploy bear spray quickly and effectively. If time allows, a brief bear spray demonstration will be conducted outdoors using inert bear spray. 

Presented by Matt Brinkman, wildlife biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Registration is required. Register using the Event URL below.

Social media marketing has created opportunities for businesses to reach more people with less cost than traditional channels. Your business’s online presence needs visibility, credibility, and the currency of trust so that your ideal customers notice and take action to work with you. Learn how to go “viral” and what that means for a small business, how to avoid being overwhelmed and making mistakes that erode your credibility and lose you clients, how to keep up to speed with ever-changing marketing technologies, and how to create a brand that is loved, respected, and easily monetized. 

Presented by SCORE

Need assistance identifying a garden pest or determining why a plant is not thriving? The Master Gardener Volunteers can help with a wide variety of horticulture issues, including plant selection, installation, and maintenance; plant problem diagnosis and treatment; environmentally sound gardening practices; pest identification* and management; and effective landscaping practices. 

*Due to limited space, samples for pest identification should be in a 1-gallon or smaller plastic zipper bag.

For additional information about preparing a sample for pest identification, call 509.477.2181 or email mastergardener@spokanecounty.org.

EVENT INFORMATION

Announcing the 2024 Spokane Youth Sports Awards Presented by STCU!

Join us as we honor the outstanding achievements of our region's finest high school student-athletes, coaches, and teams at the 10th Anniversary celebration of the Spokane Youth Sports Awards.

Celebrating a Decade of Dedication

For the past decade, the Spokane Youth Sports Awards have been a beacon of recognition for the remarkable dedication and unwavering determination of our local standout athletes and coaches. This year, we are thrilled to mark this significant milestone with our esteemed partners at STCU and SWX, amplifying our commitment to celebrating excellence in youth sports.

Help us congratulate the finalist and join us on Tuesday, June 25, at the historic Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox. The red-carpet arrivals kick off at 4 pm, followed by the award show starting promptly at 5:00 pm. 

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY: https://secure.foxtheaterspokane.org/802/1184

Let’s break out some paints and unlock our creativity. Create a scene of your own design on a wood background with rocks and pebbles that you paint. All supplies are provided. Ages 10–17

Kids must be at least 10 years old to attend.