Tama Matsuoka Wong did not set out to be a professional forager. But, slowly, as the then-corporate lawyer lived internationally, she developed an obsession for eating wild plants. Today, it’s her vocation as well. Wong will give a talk and tasting this Thursday, March 21, 2013, as part of the Museum’s monthly Adventures in the Global Kitchen series. We recently talked with her about her approach to eating from “nature’s garden.”

Nearly 3,000 people cast their vote during our first round of March Mammal Madness, narrowing the possible names for our hypothetical common placental ancestor down to 16. Help us narrow down the choices even further by voting for your favorites below. You have until 5 pm EDT on Tuesday, March 19, to make your selections.

On March 14, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt issued an executive order setting aside Pelican Island, Florida, as the very first national wildlife refuge. Today, it remains an essential breeding ground for migratory waterfowl—and one of 561 wildlife refuges overseen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Daniel M. Ashe, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, recently discussed what Pelican Island is like today.

The “Name Your Ancestor” contest resulted in more than 1,000 name suggestions for the hypothetical common placental ancestor that scientists described last month. The top 32 contestants, as selected by the Museum and WNYC’s Radiolab, range from serious to silly. Starting today, we need your help to pick the winning moniker for this small, furry, insect-eating mammal. 

Most of us know about blue whales, sperm whales, and dolphins (a type of specialized whale). But what about beaked whales, an elusive group that includes nearly a quarter of all living whale species?