SCIENCE PUB 2025-2026
November 2, 2025, 4 pm, VTSU Castleton Campus
Actually, a Little Good News
with Bill McKibben, renowned environmentalist, activist and author
Our climate and our democracy are melting down, says Bill McKibben, who was one of the
first to sound the alarm about the climate crisis. But he insists the moment is also full of
possibility. Energy from the sun and wind is suddenly the cheapest power on the planet and growing faster than any energy source in history. If we can keep accelerating the pace, we have a chance. There’s no guarantee we can make this change in time, but it’s our best hope for rewriting our scientific, economic and political future. https://billmckibben.com/
December 7, 2025, 4 pm, Bomoseen Lodge
What Do You and Fungi Have in Common? (Did you guess eyes?)
with Andrew Swofford, Assistant Professor, Biology Department, Middlebury College
A rising star in evolutionary biology, Dr. Andrew Swofford investigates how sensory and
motor pathways originate and evolve across the tree of life. His research focuses on how
organisms perceive and adapt to their environment through the evolution of sensory systems like vision. We will explore the surprising sensory systems of fungi, the similarity of fungal and animal eyes, the consequences of sensory system evolution on the global spread of a frog-killing pathogen, and end with a peek into the future of sensory research.
https://www.swafford.bio/
February 1, 2026, 4 pm, Bomoseen Lodge
Sources to Seafood: How Pollutants Get Into Our Fish
with Dr. Celia Chen, Research Professor, Biological Sciences Department, Dartmouth College
Fish and shellfish are among our last wild food sources — and most of us love them.
Unfortunately, they accumulate contaminants that end up on our dinner plate. Dr. Celia
Chen has been studying the ways mercury and PFAS (known as “forever chemicals”) get into our food. What are their sources, how do they get into aquatic food webs, what are the potential effects on our health, and how can we reduce their presence? Come hear from a leading expert and excellent speaker.
March 1, 2026, 4 pm, Bomoseen Lodge
Can We Afford to Have Beavers in the Northeast? Can We Afford Not To?
With Robert Hyams, founder of Riverscape Ecology
Cutting trees, building dams, blocking culverts, flooding roadways…these are the things we see beavers do. But beavers also restore watersheds, improve water quality and create habitat. In fact, the dollar value of beavers’ work is astounding! Bob Hyams will highlight these keystone animals’ contributions and his ongoing efforts to alert us to their positive impacts on our land. He will end with some crowd sourcing with us to figure out how to reach two key audiences to promote more informed beaver policy: landowners and policy makers.
April 5, 2026, 4 pm, Bomoseen Lodge
Underground Allies: The Crucial Relationship Between Trees and Fungi
With Jordon Tourville, Staff Scientist/Terrestrial Ecologist, Appalachian Mountain Club
Without mycorrhizal fungi we would not have most of the plants we take for granted.
Our state would not even have its name, since our green forests are dependent on
these fungi for their survival. Yet research on their impacts on forests – especially in
the face of a warmer world as trees will likely shift to higher latitudes and elevations –
is still in its infancy. Using examples from Northeast forests he is studying, Dr. Jordon
Tourville will discuss how these relationships work and what we need to learn about
these unlikely allies. https://jordontourville.com/
https://biology.dartmouth.edu/people/celia-y-chen
About the Friends of the Castleton Free Library
Friends of Castleton Free Library was formed in 2008 to support our town library by encouraging community involvement through promotion of the library, fund raising and programming.
A Steering Committee of 5-9 members meets monthly to organize the Friends’ activities.
In its efforts to build community, the Friends sponsor book sales, an Ice Cream Social, a monthly book group, the popular Science Pub series, Maple Social and Green-Up Day breakfast. We also participate in many town events including the 4th of July Parade, after-parade party and tree lighting ceremony.
Friends’ donations have paid for furniture, subscriptions to magazines and newspapers, and passes to area museums and attractions.
Thanks to a generous bequest from Denise Nangle – a supporter and volunteer at the library – the Friends are currently partnering with the library in a major construction effort that will make the building accessible via an elevator.
We welcome your participation and support. For information about upcoming open meetings and events, please refer to our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofthecastletonfreelibrary
To contact the Director of the Steering Committee, Lynsie Johnson, please contact the library and we will forward your questions or requests.