USU's Science Unwrapped Encounters 'Croaky Shapeshifters' Friday, March 17

Frogs can teach us a lot about evolution and how organisms — including humans — adapt to an ever-changing world.

“Frogs go through a wild time of life called metamorphosis — an entire shapeshift,” says Molly Womack, assistant professor in USU’s Department of Biology and the USU Ecology Center. “They change not only everything they look like, but also all their insides and how those insides function. During this time, they often move from water onto land. You could think of this as the most extreme puberty you could ever imagine.”

Beyond their own, individual lifetimes, frogs are also changing from generation to generation according to Womack, who is an evolutionary biologist and a herpetologist.

Womack presents “Croaky Shapeshifters: How Frogs Shapeshift Within a Lifetime and Across Millennia” at USU’s Science Unwrapped at 7 p.m. Friday, March 17, in the Emert Auditorium, Room ESLC 130 of the Eccles Science Learning Center on campus. Admission is free and all ages are welcome.

Hands-on learning activities led by USU student groups and community volunteers, along with refreshments, follow Womack’s presentation. The talk will also be livestreamed via AggieCast from the Science Unwrapped website. This week’s presentation features ASL interpretation.

Directions and parking information are available on the program’s website.

Womack is the sixth speaker in Science Unwrapped’s 2022-23 “Ch-Ch-Changes” series, which explores the science of change from different scientific disciplines.

“With a nod to the late musical legend David Bowie, Science Unwrapped explores the science of change — including dramatic changes we see in our climate and environment, as well as a broad view of change from varied scientific perspectives,” says Greg Podgorski, Science Unwrapped chair, associate dean in the College of Science and professor in the Department of Biology. “We’re looking forward to hearing Dr. Womack’s talk about how frogs are adapting to a changing world.”

Established in 2009, Science Unwrapped is a public outreach program of USU’s College of Science. Science Unwrapped talks are recorded and posted online for continued viewing convenience.

For more information, call 435-797-3517, visit the Science Unwrapped website or view the Science Unwrapped at USU Facebook page and Twitter profile.