News

• Gerstner Philanthropies Supports Expanded Food Distribution Efforts by Boca Helping Hands

  Helping Hands News

  December 18, 2024

  Boca Helping Hands is increasing its capacity to fight hunger in Palm Beach County with a new delivery truck funded by Christine E. Lynn and Gerstner Philanthropies. This vital addition will enable the organization to distribute up to 5 million pounds of food annually, a significant increase from the 3.8 million pounds delivered last year. The truck will be unveiled on December 19 and will begin its service by delivering food to underserved public-school students to help bridge weekend meal gaps. Gerstner Philanthropies is proud to partner with Boca Helping Hands to expand food access for those in need.

  Learn more about this initiative by visiting bocahelpinghands.org
  

• AMNH Identifies New Trilobite Species in Gerstner Collections Core

  December 9, 2024

  In January 2022, American Museum of Natural History Curator Melanie Hopkins was looking through boxes of historic trilobite specimens slated to be included in the Museum’s yet-to-open Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Collections Core when she noticed something strange. “I quickly realized that not all the specimens in the boxes were the same species,” said Hopkins, who is the chair of the Museum’s Division of Paleontology. “So I started reading some of the history of this species, and it turns out that I wasn't the first to notice this.” Hopkins found that as early as 1842 and as recently as 2002, researchers around the country had questioned whether there was more than one species being catalogued under a single species name. With the help of collaborator Markus Martin, Hopkins examined the existing literature as well as new and historical fossil collections at the Museum, and found two distinct species had both been identified as Flexicalymene senaria. Their resulting study, recently published in American Museum Novitates, gives a name to the new species: Flexicalymene trentonesis, inspired by Trenton Falls, NY, close to where the fossils were found. Congratulations to the American Museum of Natural History, Melanie Hopkins, and Markus Martin for this discovery!

  Read more at AMNH.com