‘Vanishing Desert’ Exhibit Opens

California’s fragile desert environment and threats to the plant and animal life found there can be seen in a new exhibition at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in Exposition Park.

Through the use of photographs, photo murals, interactive displays and video, the exhibit, “The Vanishing Desert: California’s Threatened Habitat,” explores the delicate balance of life between the White Mountains, at 13,000 feet elevation, and Death Valley, 282 feet below sea level at its lowest point.

The area is home to 500 species of vertebrates, nearly twice as many plant species and thousands of insects and other invertebrate species, according to the museum. Visitors can view camouflaged or nocturnal desert inhabitants in some displays and see the effects of humans on the desert environment.

The exhibit continues through July 25. Call (213) 744-3466.

ASTRONOMY

* The secrets of Jupiter, the destination of the Galileo spacecraft that is approaching the giant planet, will be examined in the astronomy program of Santa Monica College on Friday and June 18 at 8 p.m. in Room 105 of the business building. The presentation follows the weekly Night Sky Show at 7. Call (310) 452-9396.

BOTANY

* Thomas W. Keeney, senior ecologist at the Point Mugu Naval Air Station, will discuss “Ecological Habitat Restoration on an Oceanic Desert Island” at the meeting of the California Native Plant Society, Los Angeles/Santa Monica chapter, tonight at 7:30 in the auditorium of the Brentwood Science Magnet School. Call (213) 933-8993.

ENTOMOLOGY

* Arthur Evans, director of the insect zoo at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, will offer adults an opportunity to learn about insects in an introductory course in entomology beginning Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Natural History Museum’s new facility in Burbank. Call (213) 744-3534.

SCIENCE FOR KIDS

* The geology of Franklin Canyon will be explored in an outing offered by the William O. Douglas Outdoor Classroom on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. near the Sooky Goldman Nature Center. It is particularly suited for families. Call (310) 858-3834.

* High school students from throughout the area will have the opportunity to participate in the Summer Science Institute at Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica and utilize the powerful scanning tunneling microscope, built by students, this summer. Designed to give students the opportunity to do meaningful scientific work, the institute begins Monday and continues through the summer. Call (310) 829-7391, Ext. 231.

* Children, ages 6 and older, can learn how to reduce, reuse and recycle to help the environment in workshops offered Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. at Kidspace Museum in Pasadena. Call (818) 449-9144.

* The importance of lizards, snakes and other reptiles to the environment will be examined in a workshop for children ages 4 through 7 offered by the Wilderness Institute on Saturday at 10 a.m. Call (818) 991-7327.

MATHEMATICS

* “MATHEMAGICS: The Art of Rapid Mental Calculation,” will be presented by Arthur Benjamin, professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, at the Skeptics Society Lecture on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Caltech’s Baxter Lecture Hall. Call (818) 794-3119.

ORNITHOLOGY

* The birds and other wildlife of Malawi, Zimbabwe and Botswana will be discussed by Charles Bragg at the Los Angeles Audubon Society meeting tonight at 7:30 in Plummer Park in West Hollywood. Call (213) 876-0202.