Splash Biography

Legend holds that, in the 1950s, three men were found dead at a campsite. There were no wounds. And no weapons. The killer? A poisonous California newt which had fallen into their coffee pot. In this 2-hour course we will teach you about some of the powerful poisons and terrifying toxins found in animals, and you will get the chance to see preserved museum specimens of toxic toads, poison frogs, venomous snakes, newts, monarch butterflies, and many more! Our research group is part of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and studies animal toxins. Museums are important places for research, and UC Berkeley has multiple natural history museums containing millions of specimens from all parts of the world. This course will also introduce you to natural history museums and the ways that biologists utilize these institutions.