Mark your calendar! Bigelow Laboratory of Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay has many opportunities for the public to learn about what its scientists are investigating and learning about the ocean.

The annual Café Scientifique series launches on Tuesday, July 14 at 6 p.m. at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor with a presentation by Postdoctoral Researcher Dr. Jarrod Scott on “Exploring the deep, dark mysteries of marine microbial diversity.” The series, designed to engage the public in a dialogue of scientific issues, will happen each Tuesday evening at the Opera House through August 25.

On Fridays, July 17 and August 14, the public is invited for a walking tour of the Laboratory’s state-of-the-art LEED platinum waterfront facility. The tours will highlight current research projects focusing on climate change in the Arctic, shellfish aquaculture, remote sensing, coastal food webs, and ocean acidification. Tours begin at 3 p.m. and last approximately 90 minutes. While the tours are free and open to the public, reservations are requested so the Laboratory can plan on number of guides needed. To reserve a space for one of these Fridays, call 207-315-2567, ext. 107.

On Friday, July 31, the Laboratory will open its doors from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be activities for all ages. A special treat this summer is "Tiny Giants," a photographic art exhibit on display at the Laboratory that brings invisible marine microbes to life in giant, colorful images. The exhibit was named in recognition of the vital role marine microbes play in keeping the planet healthy and balanced in spite of their diminutive size.

On Wednesday, August 19, a special Tiny Giants event and talk will take place at Waterman’s Community Center in North Haven, beginning at 7:30 p.m. This event is also free and open to the public.  

The calendar for the other Café Scientifique presentations on summer Tuesday evenings includes:

July 21: Dr. Steve Archer, Predicting ocean acidification over the next 100 years

July 28: Dr. Peter Countway, Moving DNA-technology out of the lab into the field and beyond

August 4: Dr. Paty Matrai, Investigating a rapidly changing Arctic Ocean

August 11: Dr. Steve Baer, Above and below: Research in the polar regions

August 18: Drs. Ramunas Stepanauskas and Jessica Labonté, Deep subsurface: Noah’s Arc for early life

August 25: Dr. Joaquin Martínez Martínez, Secret and ubiquitous viruses in the global ocean

Additional information for all of these events can be found on bigelow.org or by calling 207-315-2567, ext. 107