Take a break from the spooks and scares and learn the facts behind some of the season’s most popular aspects. Experts from UT Austin share their knowledge on everything from creepy crawlies to the history of the vampire craze. Check back daily for new releases!
College of Natural Sciences: Bugs in Bugs Research Initiative—Creepy Crawlies Are Scared, Too!
Scared of spiders? Bugged out by bugs? Join Dr. Jo-anne Holley and her freshmen research initiative students as they share how creepy crawlies protect themselves against predators. Learn about hissing cockroaches and tarantulas in this video.
College of Natural Sciences: Fun with Chemistry—Pumpkin with a Tummy Ache
What happens when a pumpkin eats too much candy? Dr. Kate shows you by using lessons taught in chemistry class!
#RansomInAMinute: Victorian Blood Book
This #RansomInAMinute feature explores one of the most curious objects in English author Waugh Evelyn Waugh’s entire library, a large oblong folio decoupage book often referred to as the "Victorian Blood Book."
Created by Victorian businessman John Bingley Garland, the craftsmanship is exquisite. Its decoupage was assembled from several hundred engravings, many taken from books of etchings by William Blake, as well as other illustrations from early nineteenth-century books. An inveterate collector of things Victorian, Waugh's manuscripts and 3,500-volume library are housed at the Harry Ransom Center and available for research.
Visit the Center’s Digital Collections online to explore the “Victorian Blood Book" and see why this object is a source of fascination for many. https://hrc.contentdm.oclc.org/
College of Liberal Arts: Department of English—Where Do Vampires Come From?
Think vampires only became popular when Twilight hit bookstore shelves? Think again. Dr. Elizabeth Richmond-Garza discusses the rich history of vampires in literature and the precursors to the recent vampire trends.
Texas Memorial Museum: Trick-or-Treat Surprise
Laura is bummed—she went trick-or-treating but got rocks instead of candy! But wait—Pamela points out these aren’t rocks; they’re fossils from animals who used to live in Texas! Take a tour of the Texas Memorial Museum’s Hall of Geology and Paleontology and learn about fossils found throughout the state.
Cockrell School of Engineering: Women in Engineering Program—Trick-or-Treat Design Challenge
Wondering how to trick or treat while staying six feet apart? Engineers, we have a problem to solve! This challenge asks participants to use the concept of a Rube Goldberg machine to transport candy and other treats to another person while staying six feet apart.
LatinXperts Podcast: What Purposes Does Dia De Los Muertos Serve in Latinx Communities?
In this episode of LatinXperts, Mexican American and Latino Studies professor Dr. Rachel González-Martin discusses the origins of Day of the Dead in Mexico and other Latin American countries and talks about the different meanings of the rituals for particular groups. She also helps listeners understand the similarities and differences between Halloween and Day of the Dead and considers the seasonal proliferation of calavera masks, place mats, hand towels and other items in the United States.