CRED co-director Kenny Broad at National Geographic Live March 29!

BIG ARTS presents National Geographic Live! explorer Kenny Broad at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 29. A cave diver and environmental anthropologist, Broad will reveal his visually-spectacular multimedia presentation with captivating stories from the front lines of underwater exploration. Largely unexplored, unimaginably beautiful and considered among the most hazardous places to dive, the flooded caves – or “blue holes” – of the Bahamas are a potential treasure trove of scientific knowledge. Broad, National Geographic’s Explorer of the Year for 2011, will guide you through this incredible underwater world. The underwater caves in the Bahamas Islands can be thousands of feet deep and feature a maze of passages and tunnels, which act as liquid time capsules. Led by the National Geographic explorer Kenny Broad, a team of divers and archaeologists are investigating these caves to unlock the mysteries of an ancient time, teeming with life that quickly vanished, leaving the islands now mostly barren. What caused these animals to disappear, and could 800-year-old human skulls provide the answer? A witty and entertaining speaker, Broad was named a “freshwater hero” by National Geographic’s Freshwater Initiative, for his research studying climate change and groundwater pollution. “You can’t send a remotely operated vehicle in to explore caves because the technology simply doesn’t exist,” Broad said. “It’s one of the few environments left on the planet where you must physically go to learn about it.” This family-oriented evening will be illustrated with award-winning photography, video, a question-and answer session and an opportunity to meet Kenny Broad. BIG ARTS Schein Performance Hall is located at 900 Dunlop Road on Sanibel. Tickets are $35 for general admission and $10 for children 17 and under. Groups of 10 or more are eligible to take advantage of group discount rates, prices range from $9 to $33 per ticket. Groups of 50 or more receive a greater discounted ticket price. National Geographic Live! with Kenny Broad sponsor Hans and Leslie Fleischner. For more information, call 395-0900, e-mail info@BIGARTS.org or log on to www.BIGARTS.org.