Café Scientifique with Professor Andrew Simons, "Carp and Culture." Recorded at the Bryant Lake Bowl on 09-16-14. "The relationships between humans and carp are complex and surprisingly varied in different cultures around the world. In North America, carp are despised as ravenous invasive pests that destroy habitat for fishes, ducks and other organisms. Yet in China, Japan, Britain, and Eastern Europe, the carp is cultured for food, raised as expensive pets, revered as a symbol of perseverance and strength, sought-after as game fish, and served as a prized delicacy on the most special of occasions. Tonight, Professor Andrew Simons will discuss the biology, aquaculture, and control of carp in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River, while exploring the cultural importance and symbolism of carp in art and folklore across the globe. Presenter: Andrew Simons is an Professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. He is also Curator of Fishes in the Bell Museum of Natural History. He is interested in the evolution of carps, minnows, and blennies, as well as the effects of Pleistocene glaciations on distribution and population structure of North American freshwater fishes."