In California, 13,000 years ago, huge Ice Age mammals that had roamed the landscape for many millennia, suddenly ceased to exist. The cause? Humans, catastrophic fires, and an ecosystem made vulnerable by climate change.
In 1785, a Gabrieleno-Tongva woman named Toypurina led a revolt against the Spanish colonizers at Mission San Gabriel, cementing her legacy as a symbol of Indigenous resistance and fortitude.
Nearly a century ago, Hildegarde Howard, an accomplished avian paleontologist, began her career at the museums. She ultimately reached one of the most elevated perches—Curator of Science.
