A tale of paintbrushes, party drugs, cannibalism and obesity
23 January 2013
Join us for this special lecture by Professor Stephen Simpson as part of the 50th birthday celebrations for the School of Biological Sciences.
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Professor Stephen Simpson will talk about the link between locusts and human obesity |
Locust plagues are one of the most infamous insect scourges, affecting the lives of one in 10 people on the planet. But they have also provided important new clues into the causes of human obesity, how we age and the complex behaviour of crowds.
Professor Stephen Simpson takes us on a strange journey that begins in the midst of a locust swarm and ends with the human obesity epidemic. Along the way you will see what you can discover by ticking a locust's leg with a paintbrush, how recreational drugs turn shy solitary locusts into swarming party animals, how aircraft are being used to track swarms, the sinister role played by cannibalism in locust swarms and how a powerful appetite for protein can explain not only locust mass marching but also human obesity and ageing.
Time: 6-7pm
Location: Macleay Museum
Cost: Free
Contact: Cecily Oakley
Phone: 02 9351 4543
Email: 130b29283e04092602411127170f6a3303411c0c32
More info: http://sydney.edu.au/museums/events_exhibitions/macleay_exhibitions.shtml