September 2015
Monthly Archive: September 2015
Hopping Their Way to Your Heart
![a toad sits patiently in the hand of a naturalist who holds it out for a young person to explore. Photo by Tallie Garey a toad sits patiently in the hand of a naturalist who holds it out for a young person to explore](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/2015-06-13-bioblitz_tallie_garey-17-2.jpg?itok=otuNEMUG)
Guest Blog written by 2015 Environmental Visual Communication student Lian Jong
Lian sat down with ROM Herpetology technician Amy Lathrop to get some insight into the museum's vast Natural History collections, in particular, its reptiles and amphibians.
Remembering Mr. Francesco Grosso
![](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/100-popcorncart.jpg?itok=hkJkqMeE)
Many staff, volunteers, and visitors may remember Mr. Francesco Grosso, who was part of ROM life for 45 years as he entertained and captivated young and older audiences at our Queen's Park entrance with his travelling push-cart filled with treasures and treats. Visitors and staff, and more recently their grandchildren, often looked for him and asked after him. We are very sorry to learn of Mr. Grosso's passing last week.
Blue Whale Update: A Whole Lotta Heart
![Jacqueline Miller, Robert Henry and Paul Nader putting plugs in the major vessels of the blue whale heart. Photo by Sam Rose Phillips Jacqueline Miller, Robert Henry and Paul Nader putting plugs in the major vessels of the blue whale heart. Photo by Sam Rose Phillips](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/blue_whale_heart_1-smantha_phillips.jpg?itok=6avOTSLm)
Guest Blog written by 2015 Environmental Visual Communication student Sam Rose Phillips
Artist Interview: Art and Culture in the Gulf
![Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi in her Sharjah office. Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/hoor.jpg?itok=adibZgg-)
ROM in the Field: Bats, Barcoding, and a Baby
![A tube-nosed bat (Murina cyclotis) in flight. Photo by Vincent Luk A tube-nosed bat (Murina cyclotis) in flight. Photo by Vincent Luk](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/2015-08-31_srilanka_tubenosedbat_murinacyclotis04_vl-2.jpg?itok=-YG8Qwti)
ROM Biodiversity (@ROMBiodiversity) is in the fields and forests of Sri Lanka for an intense four weeks doing the first comprehensive survey of bats and other small mammals in close to 80 years. Follow the South Asian adventure on social media with #ROMSriLanka, and join Burton Lim and the Team LIVE from the field on September 10 at noon: https://www.rom.on.ca/en/activities-programs/events-calendar/hangout-with-our-rom-biodiversity-team-in-sri-lanka
Erasing History: Ancient Artifacts Destroyed
![Morning sun illuminating the archway into the Great Colonnade, which transects the ancient city of Palmyra. Built around 175 AD it is one of the most recognized buildings in Syria. Brown ruins against a blue sky](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/colonnade.jpg?itok=JiZMhLOW)
By Clemens Reichel, Sascha Priewe, and Sheeza Sarfraz
It has become a cliché to say that “history is written by the victors,” but rarely does one note that it is not only written, but edited as well. Just as governments massage facts for the evening news and tightly control who speaks with whom when releasing information to the media, the lessons of history are changed and omitted at the pleasure of those holding the reins.
#emptyROM - Jamaal Merrick
Photos by Jamaal Merrick from our first #emptyROM tour