Meet Dr. Eric Schuettpelz, a botanist who studies ferns and fern biodiversity at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. During this webcast, which originally aired on April 19, 2018, Eric helps students understand the fern life cycle. Using models and a microscope, Eric shows students fern spores and the different life stages of ferns. Eric helps viewers understand what features have allowed ferns to persist on Earth for millions of years, while adapting to new conditions. Eric also provides a glimpse of what it’s like to be a field biologist, sharing stories and photos of the field work he’s conducted in the remote Marquesas Islands, to explore the profusion of ferns on islands. This program is part of the Smithsonian Science How webcast series, whcih is designed to bring natural history science, research, and experts to upper-elementary and middle-school students.