Wonder with the Witte Witte Museum

How much do you know about the creepier creatures of Texas? Get in the “spooky season” spirit this week as you learn about Mexican Free Tail Bats and some of the amazing caves here in South Texas. Discover the difference between opossums and possums, uncover the unique defense mechanisms of vultures and learn why bats, opossums and vultures are important to their ecosystems.

To learn more information about the sources and references for today’s episode, visit:


Audubon: Guide to North American Birds, Black vulture coragyps atratus: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/black-vulture
Bat Conservation International, Mexican free-tailed bat: https://www.batcon.org/bat/tadarida-brasiliensis/
Texas Parks & Wildlife, Virginia opossum (Didelphis viginiana): https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/oposum/

Hosted by the Witte Museum’s Abigail Jacks, Environmental Science Education Manager, and Daemon Piña, Health and Wellness Education Manager. Produced by Alyssa Sailor-Tynes, Digital Marketing Manager.

For more information and to visit the Witte Museum, visit www.WitteMuseum.org.

What is an eclipse? Why are people so excited to see one? Joining the podcast today is special guest Paul Mireles, meteorologist for KENS 5 News in San Antonio, Texas. Paul, alongside hosts Abbey and Daemon, discusses the different types of eclipses, what folks should expect during the October annular eclipse and why so many people are planning to visit San Antonio for the occasion.

Paul Mireles is the morning meteorologist for KENS 5 in San Antonio, Texas. He has been a member of the KENS 5 weather team since December 2002 and has covered countless stories about our wild weather here. Paul has earned several awards throughout his career, including Best Weathercast by the Associated Press and an Emmy.

To learn more information about the sources and references for today’s episode, visit:


2023/2024 Eclipse in San Antonio, Texas: https://sanantonioeclipse.org
‘Ring of fire’ will be visible in San Antonio during solar eclipse. Here’s what you need to know: https://www.kens5.com/article/tech/science/environment/eclipse-solar-san-antonio-ring-of-fire/273-cbc5b1d3-a238-44cb-9081-cb6bb2d8241e
Witte Museum prepares visitors for a safe eclipse viewing experience: https://www.kens5.com/article/news/eclipse/witte-museum-annular-eclipse-party-san-antonio/273-ad38d409-29a1-478e-913d-a3d588dadcd7

This episode is hosted by the Witte Museum’s Abigail Jacks, Environmental Science Education Manager, and Daemon Piña, Health and Wellness Education Manager. Produced by Alyssa Sailor-Tynes, Digital Marketing Manager.

A companion to the Wonders of Space eclipse exhibition, at the Witte for a limited time. Eclipse Outreach Programming is generously supported by the Simons Foundation. Promotional support is generously provided by KENS 5.

For more information and to view the eclipse at the Witte Museum, visit https://bit.ly/46EYn0f.

Music in this episode by Randy Granger. Visit RandyGranger.net to check out more of his music.

What is it like to photograph some of the biggest musicians of all time? Why document the everyday culture of your hometown? In this week’s special episode, Witte Museum President and CEO Marise McDermott interviews acclaimed photographer Al Rendón.

Well-known for his portraits of Selena, Rock & Roll concerts and Charreada competitors, Rendón has photographed Tejano culture in South Texas for decades. He has become one of San Antonio’s most celebrated photographers with images appearing in various magazines, corporate offices and collected by the Smithsonian Institution.

To learn more information about the sources and references for today’s episode, visit:


Rendón, Al. Photography and Fine Art: https://www.alrendon.com/
Rendón, Al. Mi Cultura—Bringing Shadows Into the Light: The Photography of Al Rendón. (2023). Trinity University Press.
Witte Museum. Mi Cultura—Bringing Shadows Into the Light: The Photography of Al Rendón exhibition: https://www.wittemuseum.org/exhibitions/mi-cultura-al-rendon/

This episode is hosted by the Witte Museum’s Marise McDermott, President and CEO. Produced by Alyssa Sailor-Tynes, Digital Marketing Manager.

A companion to the Mi Cultura—Bringing Shadows Into the Light: The Photography of Al Rendón exhibition, at the Witte for a limited time. The exhibition is presented by the Sally and Charlie Cheever Foundation and generously supported by Guillermo Nicolas and the WellMed Charitable Foundation. The book Mi Cultura: Bringing Shadows Into the Light: The Photography of Al Rendón is generously supported by Marsha Shields and the McCombs Foundation.

For more information and to experience Mi Cultura at the Witte, visit https://bit.ly/3EHx61C.

Music in this episode by Randy Granger. Visit RandyGranger.net to check out more of his music.

Why did the dinosaurs go extinct? What are “extinction events,” and what does the fossil record say about them? Once again, paleontologist Dr. Thomas Adams joins the podcast as Abbey and Daemon discuss what was able to wipe out these apex predators (along with 75% of life on earth!). The three dive into meteorites, asteroids, plant and animal life and mass extinction events—past and future.

To learn more information about the sources and references for today’s episode, visit:


Australian Museum, Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family traveling exhibition: https://www.wittemuseum.org/exhibitions/tyrannosaurs-meet-the-family/
Black, R. (2022). The last days of the dinosaurs: an asteroid, extinction, and the beginning of our world. First edition. New York, St. Martin's Press.
Field Museum, Antarctic Dinosaurs traveling exhibition: https://www.wittemuseum.org/exhibitions/antarctic-dinosaurs/
Lunar and Planetary Institute, Understanding the K-T Boundary: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/Chicxulub/
Smithsonian Magazine, What Happened the Day a Giant, Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Hit the Earth: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dinosaur-killing-asteroid-impact-chicxulub-crater-timeline-destruction-180973075/

Space.com, Asteroid that killed the dinosaurs: Likely origin and what we know about the famous space rock: https://www.space.com/dinosaur-impactor-origin

Hosted by the Witte Museum’s Abigail Jacks, Environmental Science Education Manager, and Daemon Piña, Health and Wellness Education Manager. Featuring paleontologist and geologist Dr. Thomas Adams, Chief Curator & Vice President of Research. Produced by Alyssa Sailor-Tynes, Digital Marketing Manager.

A companion to the Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family and Antarctic Dinosaurs exhibitions, at the Witte for a limited time. Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family is created by the Australian Museum and toured internationally by Evergreen Exhibitions. Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family at the Witte Museum is generously supported by The Alamo, Valero Energy Corporation and the Mary Pat and Michael Bolner Exhibit Endowment Fund. Antarctic Dinosaurs is developed and traveled by the Field Museum, Chicago in partnership with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Discovery Place – Charlotte, NC and the Natural History Museum of Utah. Generous support was provided by the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund. Antarctic Dinosaurs at the Witte Museum is generously supported by HOLT Cat and Mary Pat and Mike Bolner.

For more information and to experience the limited-time exhibitions at the Witte, visit https://bit.ly/45IIEgv.

Meet the state mammal of Texas: the nine-banded armadillo. Ranging across Texas and through most of the southeastern United States, the nine-banded is the most widespread of all armadillos and the only one found in North America. Abbey and Daemon do some armadillo myth-busting, dive into their defense mechanisms and describe what makes this mammal so unique.

To learn more information about the sources and references for today’s episode, visit:


American Museum of Natural History, Glyptodonts: https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/primitive-mammals/glyptodonts
Animal Diversity Web, Dasypus novemcinctus nine-banded armadillo: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dasypus_novemcinctus/
Animalia, Nine-Banded Armadillo: https://animalia.bio/nine-banded-armadillo
The National Wildlife Federation, Nine-Banded Armadillo: https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Nine-Banded-Armadillo
Texas Parks & Wildlife, Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus): https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/dillo/

Hosted by the Witte Museum’s Abigail Jacks, Environmental Science Education Manager, and Daemon Piña, Health and Wellness Education Manager. Produced by Alyssa Sailor-Tynes, Digital Marketing Manager.

For more information and to visit the Witte Museum, visit www.WitteMuseum.org.

Are birds dinosaurs? What kind of dinosaurs are birds? And why are some dinosaur models covered in feathers? This week, Dr. Thomas Adams returns to the show and shares how paleontologists discovered the connections between dinosaurs and birds, what evidence supports this connection and which modern-day animals are dinosaur descendants.

To learn more information about the sources and references for today’s episode, visit:


American Museum of Natural History, Get to know a dino: Archaeopteryx lithographica: https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/on-exhibit-posts/get-to-know-a-dino-archaeopteryx-lithographica
Australian Museum, Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family traveling exhibition: https://www.wittemuseum.org/exhibitions/tyrannosaurs-meet-the-family/
AZ Animals, Sinosauropteryx prima: https://a-z-animals.com/animals/sinosauropteryx/
Britannica, Deinonychus: https://www.britannica.com/animal/Deinonychus
Library of Congress, What is the world’s most dangerous bird?: https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/zoology/item/worlds-most-dangerous-bird/

Hosted by the Witte Museum’s Abigail Jacks, Environmental Science Education Manager, and Daemon Piña, Health and Wellness Education Manager. Featuring paleontologist and geologist Dr. Thomas Adams, Chief Curator & Vice President of Research. Produced by Alyssa Sailor-Tynes, Digital Marketing Manager.

A companion to the Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family and Antarctic Dinosaurs exhibitions, at the Witte for a limited time. Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family is created by the Australian Museum and toured internationally by Evergreen Exhibitions. Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family at the Witte Museum is generously supported by The Alamo, Valero Energy Corporation and the Mary Pat and Michael Bolner Exhibit Endowment Fund. Antarctic Dinosaurs is developed and traveled by the Field Museum, Chicago in partnership with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Discovery Place – Charlotte, NC and the Natural History Museum of Utah. Generous support was provided by the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund. Antarctic Dinosaurs at the Witte Museum is generously supported by HOLT Cat and Mary Pat and Mike Bolner.

For more information and to experience the limited-time exhibitions at the Witte, visit https://bit.ly/3QiJ74m.