The Museum of Northern Arizona, in collaboration with NAU, offered a unique opportunity for Flagstaff citizens to learn about botany and the identification of plants during Snook’s Science in the Park on Sept. 21.
The museum had its own booth where botany specialists educated visitors about distinguishing plant characteristics and the general study of botany. Additionally, the booth compared how artificial intelligence programs classified plants with the findings of the botanists themselves.
The concept of comparing results was presented as a game. Dubbed “Stump the Botanist,” locals visiting the event were encouraged to bring a flowering, native plant sample to the booth and watch flora experts pin down its identity. …