Event name: National Museum of Natural History Field Trip
National Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C.
The "Cellphones: Unseen Connections" exhibit on the second floor is a new, temporary display that dives into the origins, history, and impact of cellphones. The exhibit employs various presentation techniques to convey its information effectively. For instance, they use interactive devices that allow visitors to engage with the exhibit through games and group chats. This approach is highly effective because engaging in interactive activities helps to reinforce ideas and experiences in the visitors' minds. Another method used is the presentation of real people's stories, such as the miners who harvest the materials or the innovators behind the technology. This technique is effective as it grounds the exhibit in real-world experiences, making it more relatable and emphasizing that creating a cell phone involves many people's efforts. Lastly, the exhibit displays tangible examples like early phones and the raw materials used to create them. This method is effective because seeing these objects helps visitors visualize the actual devices used in the past and appreciate the advancements made over time. The exhibit also addresses the environmental issues related to cellphone technology. It highlights that many materials used in cell phones are mined in small, unprotected operations, which can be hazardous for the miners. Additionally, it points out that the magnets and plastics used in phones cannot be recycled due to contamination with other materials. The environmental impact of cellphones includes the depletion of finite resources and significant waste buildup due to the non-recyclable nature of most phone components. These stories are told through personal experiences shared by real people. Furthermore, the exhibit discusses the technological and social impacts of cellphones. Technologically, cellphones have made the world more interconnected than ever before, enabling instant communication across the globe. This point is conveyed through informational panels accompanied by famous quotes. Socially, cell phones have accelerated the spread of information and news, making it easier to stay informed about global events. This impact is also highlighted through informational panels. Another social impact is the rise of social media, which has become a form of entertainment where people watch others live their lives. This is illustrated through a specific panel dedicated to social media.
Moving to the "Humans Change the World" exhibit in the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins on the first floor, this section delves into the most recent part of human evolutionary history, known as the "Anthropocene Event." It discusses how human activities have significantly impacted the living and non-living world. One topic covered is the extinction of species. Humans have accelerated the extinction rates of mammals, birds, and amphibians to about 48 times the natural rate, with current extinction rates nearly 1,024 times higher than expected. This is likely due to factors such as global warming and habitat destruction. Another topic is the alteration of Earth's land surface. By 1995, humans had directly affected at least 83% of Earth's land surface, converting these areas into croplands, residential zones, or roads, often at the expense of natural habitats. Lastly, the exhibit highlights the changes in water flow and storage. By 2005, humans had constructed so many dams that nearly six times as much water was held in storage as flowed freely in rivers. These topics are portrayed through informational panels that provide detailed insights into these changes. Some critics argue that this exhibit downplays the human impact on the environment and climate. However, based on the panels reviewed, it seems the exhibit emphasizes rather than minimizes our contributions to environmental and climate change. Every display reinforces the significant impact humans have had on the planet, with no attempts to understate this influence.
Continuing with the discussion on climate change and human impact, the Sant Ocean Hall on the first floor features the "The Changing Ocean" exhibit. This exhibit includes interactive video stations that provide a wealth of information about the ocean’s significance and the various issues it faces. One notable video, "Our Blue Planet," emphasizes the ocean's crucial role in our livelihood, including its capacity to absorb CO2 and provide oxygen. The video also highlights how less than 5% of the ocean is protected and the efforts of NOAA to protect our oceans. The data presented in this video is highly understandable for a general visitor due to its straightforward language and clear concepts. Another video titled "No Sunlight? No Problem!" delves into biological oceanography, explaining how organisms survive in the depths of the ocean beyond the sunlit zone. The video describes methane seeps formed from remains between 600 and 5,000 feet deep. The language used is mostly straightforward, with complex terms thoroughly explained, making the data digestible for general visitors. Additionally, the "Global Ocean Video" displayed on a globe-shaped video screen discusses topics such as the destructive power of the ocean, exemplified by tsunamis, and the effects of ocean currents on weather. The video also covers the interaction between water and air in creating intense storms and flooding. The spherical format is highly effective in providing a to-scale, accurate display of Earth’s events like currents and hurricanes, offering a clear perspective on how different parts of the Earth are interconnected.
Moving to the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils – Deep Time, the fossil hall includes various exhibits that describe climate change over geological time. The Paleoenvironmental Dioramas scattered throughout the hall are particularly effective in this regard. For instance, a pylon labeled "Lush Rainforests" depicts rainforests from 50-66 million years ago. The exhibit shows towering trees and a thriving ecosystem in an environment with CO2 levels up to five times higher than today, temperatures 25 degrees hotter, and sea levels 720 feet higher. Another pylon titled "Grasslands Far and Wide" portrays the Harrison Formation in Nebraska, 19 million years ago. It shows a grassland ecosystem with CO2 levels up to 50% higher than today, average global temperatures 5-12 degrees Fahrenheit warmer, and sea levels 330 feet higher. These dioramas are effective as they provide beautiful, informative reconstructions that offer a lifelike glimpse into past environments.
Finally, the Climate Change Exhibits along the low wall and benches in the great hall discuss climate changes both past and present. The exhibit on Earth’s past climate covers the last 500 million years, illustrating significant temperature fluctuations based on volcanic eruptions, mass extinctions, fossil data, and soil carbon content. Although the exhibit focuses more on results than on data collection methods, it effectively highlights the major climatic shifts over this period. The present-day exhibit shows how natural warming since the last ice age has been rapidly accelerated by human activities, projecting a nearly 20-degree Fahrenheit rise in global temperature and a 571-foot sea level rise over the next 5,000 years. Through graphs and explanations of major events, these exhibits clearly demonstrate how geological information helps inform us about current and future climate changes. Together, these exhibits across the different halls provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of climate change and human activities on the environment, using various effective presentation techniques to engage and educate visitors.