Some things in nature are simply frightening. Coming across a snake in the wild is going to get your heart racing every time!

Just because something seems scary, however, doesn't mean that it is harmful. Celebrate the arrival of fall in a different way by learning about the science behind the things in nature that may scare you but are essential to their environments.

The Ambler Arboretum of Temple University and Temple Ambler EarthFest will host The Science of Scary on Saturday, September 21, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., in Bright Hall in the center of campus. Register for this family-friendly free event online.

Science of Scary is being held this year in tandem with the Temple Ambler Campout. Join us under the stars for a night of camping, tours, s'more and more! Learn more.

"Much like how Temple Ambler Campout is intended to encourage apprehensive new campers to explore camping in a low-stakes, community-centered environment, the Science of Scary is intended to familiarize people with possibly some of their biggest fears," said Sam McGuriman, Ambler Arboretum STEM Programs Specialist and EarthFest Programs Coordinator. "Familiarity and understanding help us to break down the things we're afraid of and hopefully, alleviate our fears of them."

The Ambler Arboretum, through its educational programs for all ages, has built partnerships with organizations throughout the region "that share the common goal of helping people learn how to make a positive impact within their communities while exposing them to science, research, plants and wildlife.

"Not only is it exciting to host an event that unites a variety of exhibitors working together to demystify the things we commonly fear, but it is also a wonderful opportunity to bring community members together to share in the passion of those exhibitors," McGurman said. "It's such a special opportunity to witness an exhibitor's love and passion for and dedication to snakes, spiders, or bees when those are the very things that might be scary for us. It builds a connection between exhibitors, community members and the things that are (hopefully no longer) frightening to us." 

Science of Scary 2024 exhibitors will include the Temple Ambler Field Station, Elmwood Park Zoo, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region III, Cordes Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3, the Tyler School of Art and Architecture Greenhouse Education and Research Complex, Temple's Department of Biology and Sewall Lab, the Ambler Student Life Board, and the Ambler Campus Library.  

Hands-on Citizen Science

At the Academy of Natural Sciences' exhibit table, Ambler Guzzi, School Programs and Outreach Educator at the Academy of Natural Sciences, said she'll be bringing along "a mini-Bug Fest," including cockroaches, isopods, worms, and other invertebrates some may find to fit the theme of "scary." 

"We will also have a microscope set up for guests to see what lurks within the waters of their local environment.," she said. "You don't always realize that an entire macro and microscopic world exists right beneath your feet, and I find that to be quite the fun mystery to explore!" 

Guzzi will provide a Stream Walk for Science of Scary and Temple Ambler Campout participants at 4:45 p.m. on September 21, which will travel a short way to Tannery Run Creek on campus.  

"You look at these little streams and you might pass by them all the time, not thinking twice about them — who lives there? We're going to catch some of the live animals that call this stream home and get to know them through the microscope as well," she said. "Then we'll talk about why these invertebrates are so crucial to the environment. Some of them are key indicators for water quality — these little runs and streams are part of Watersheds like the Delaware and the Schuylkill. This is especially important for all our clean drinking water, along with helping us understand how we can be better about point and non-point source pollution." 

A "tiny little stream," Guzzi said, "is the beginning of an entire ecosystem, leading us all the way up to animals like deer, bears, fish, ospreys, and countless other species that rely on these food sources — it goes all the way up the food chain." 

"We want to help people learn about respecting the natural world around you. One of the wonderful things about programs like Science of Scary for us is that we can highlight what goes on behind the scenes at the Academy," she said. "Our museum hosts massive dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus, live animals, and our historic dioramas, but behind the scenes there is active scientific research happening every single day. We want to get the science in people's hands and inspiring them to engage in citizen science of their own — I always want someone to leave with a cool fact or having had a new experience that they can now share with others." 

Bringing the Zoo to You

Sarah Peterson, Education Administrator at the Elmwood Park Zoo, (which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year) said many animals get a bad rap simply because of misinformation or through "urban legends" whispered down the lane. An opossum, for example, might have that long rat tail, but they are among the most docile creatures. They also serve an important purpose in nature — they eat a large number of insects, including thousands of ticks, every year.

"Elmwood Park Zoo educators are huge fans of engaging guests about the importance of the most misunderstood creatures including skunks, opossums, spiders, bats, snakes, frogs and vultures. These animals all serve vital roles in our ecosystem, and often provide direct benefits to humans — we will have a variety of these animals at Science of Scary," Peterson said. "Our ambassador animals act as representatives of their wild counterparts, helping guests to get an up-close and personal experience that will hopefully make a lasting impression! When a guest has a personal connection to these animals, it can lead to better understanding and more empathy towards the species and its habitat and will hopefully encourage positive action in protecting and conserving wildlife."

Peterson said events like Science of Scary are beneficial in "helping make conservation more accessible and relatable by allowing guests to engage with different aspects of the natural world that they may not have previously encountered or wouldn't be comfortable exploring on their own."

"It helps to introduce them to ways that they can personally be involved, even in a small way, through citizen science," she said. "Providing opportunities for the community to get a hands-on, up-close experience with natural science topics in a safe and fun environment can help prevent fear and build a better understanding of things that are normally deemed spooky, creepy, and scary."

Tarantulas and Bees and Corpse Flowers (Oh My!)

"In addition to the wonderful organizations who have supported EarthFest year after year, we also have some other Temple experts — in addition to the Ambler Arboretum and Field Station — who have shared their personal passions for creatures that might send others running," said Jim Duffy, EarthFest Communications Coordinator. "Sarah Howard, Certified Investigator Trainer at Temple University Harrisburg, for example, has a whole collection of tarantulas!"

Some people are dog people. Others are cat people. Still others have a marvelous menagerie of furry, feathery and scaly friends. Howard took a decidedly different path. Her passion is arachnids and insects. Her first eight-legged pet? A rose-haired tarantula (Grammostola porteri) named Doris, who has been joined by more than 80 other friends! Read about Sarah and her collection here. Learn more about tarantulas from Sarah Howard through our Science of Scary online content!

Vincent Aloyo maintains several of the honeybee hives in the Ambler Arboretum. He and Temple Horticulture alumnus Frankie Napoli will share information about the importance of bees and beekeeping at Science of Scary.

Honeybees pollinate a full one third of all of the food crops that we consume in the United States, according to Dr. Aloyo, an apiculture educator and master beekeeper.

"Honeybees are an essential part of our ecological sustainability, but they are disappearing at an alarming rate," said Aloyo. "We need bees to pollinate the fruits and vegetables that we eat every day. Honeybees also pollinate wildflowers, which are essential to birds and other animals. One way to help honeybees make a comeback is through 'backyard beekeeping.'"

If you don't think plants have a capacity to dial up the creep factor to 11, you haven't met the Amorphophallus titanium, or as it is more commonly known, the corpse flower. The Tyler School of Art and Architecture Greenhouse Education and Research Complex has had several rare corpse flowers grow in the last few years, including one earlier this year — their scent certainly lives up to their name!

According to Greenhouse Education and Research Complex Manager Ben Snyder, the Amorphophallus titanium is the largest "unbranched inflorescence" in the world. The tallest flowers grow to about seven feet in height while the leaves spread a full 12 feet and the tuber weighs in at a monster 150 pounds — "Feed me Seymour!" indeed.

"You have to be patient with these plants as it typically takes seven to 10 years for them to flower and, in some instances, it can take up to 15 years," Snyder said. "When they bloom, it's truly an event because it's still quite rare in cultivation and the bloom only lasts a couple of days. You have huge crowds come to see an Amorphophallus bloom."

The fact that it attracts so much in-person interest runs counter to its other most well-known trait — when blooming it smells like death to an eye-watering degree. It's not called a corpse flower for nothing!

"The stench, the speckled maroon and pink coloring, it is this flower's way of attracting pollinators," Snyder said. "Rather than bees and butterflies, it attracts anything that would naturally be attracted to rotting meat, such as beetles and flies."   

Want to explore more? Discover a treasure trove of Science of Scary content online!

For more information, contact duffyj@temple.edu or 267-468-8108.