Excursion: National Museum of Natural History
October 20th, 2024 - Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.:
The National Museum of Natural History offers a powerful educational experience through its exhibits that explore the intersection of technology, the environment, and human impact on the Earth. Among its most compelling displays are Cellphones: Unseen Connections, Humans Change the World in the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins, and the climate-related exhibits in the Sant Ocean Hall and Deep Time Hall. These exhibits use various presentation techniques to engage visitors, shedding light on the technological evolution of mobile phones, the profound consequences of human actions on the environment, and the critical issue of climate change.
The Cellphones: Unseen Connections exhibit uses a variety of media to communicate the history, technology, and environmental impact of mobile phones. Three key presentation techniques are particularly noteworthy: interactive touchscreens, augmented reality (AR), and infographics. The exhibit features large touchscreens that allow visitors to explore the timeline of mobile phone technology. These screens guide visitors through the evolution of mobile phones, from bulky, limited early models to today’s modern smartphones. The interactive format is highly engaging, as it allows visitors to learn at their own pace, offering both visual and textual information. This variety makes it easier for people with different learning styles to grasp the content, ensuring a more inclusive and dynamic educational experience. Another standout feature is the use of AR, which brings the inner workings of cellphones to life. Visitors can use their own smartphones to view digital overlays of components like microchips, circuit boards, and antennas. This technique makes technical content more accessible by providing 3D visualizations, allowing users to see how the parts of a phone interact. It turns abstract, invisible processes into tangible experiences that are both informative and engaging. The exhibit also uses infographics to highlight the environmental impact of cellphone production and disposal. These clear and visually appealing graphics break down complex issues like the mining of rare-earth elements, the carbon footprint of manufacturing, and the growing problem of e-waste. Infographics make the data more digestible for visitors, though they could be even more impactful if paired with real-world examples that show the consequences of poor recycling practices.
A central theme of the exhibit is the environmental toll of mobile technology. The production of smartphones requires rare-earth materials like lithium, cobalt, and gold, which are often mined in ways that lead to severe environmental degradation, such as habitat destruction and water contamination. The exhibit explains the energy-intensive processes involved in manufacturing phones, emphasizing the hidden costs of modern technology. Another significant issue addressed is e-waste. Because cellphones are frequently replaced after just a few years, they contribute to a growing global e-waste crisis. Infographics show the staggering amount of electronic waste produced annually and its environmental consequences. In landfills, toxic chemicals like lead and mercury from old phones can leach into the soil and water, harming ecosystems and human health. The use of AR in the exhibit helps visitors visualize the spread of these harmful substances, enhancing understanding of the full lifecycle of a cellphone, from production to disposal.
The exhibit also explores how mobile phones have reshaped society, both technologically and socially. One technological milestone highlighted is the shift from landline phones to mobile communication. The transition allowed people to connect instantly, no matter where they were, revolutionizing personal communication. A timeline in the exhibit shows how mobile phones evolved, starting with the first models in the 1980s to today’s smartphones with internet access. This change has had far-reaching effects, not only on individuals but also on businesses, politics, and global communication. Socially, the exhibit explores two major impacts of mobile phones. First, it discusses the way cellphones have enhanced global connectivity, enabling people to stay in touch with family and friends across the world, access information, and participate in global conversations. The exhibit uses video interviews with people from different cultural backgrounds to show how mobile technology has impacted their lives, making it relatable for visitors. The second social impact discussed is privacy and security. As smartphones have become ubiquitous, concerns about data privacy, surveillance, and digital security have grown. The exhibit uses an interactive timeline to highlight key events related to these concerns, such as government surveillance programs and data breaches. While the exhibit effectively raises these issues, it could provide more in-depth discussion on the ethical dilemmas surrounding smartphone use, particularly regarding government surveillance and corporate data mining.
The Humans Change the World section of the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins focuses on the Anthropocene, a term used to describe the current geological era, in which human activity has had a profound impact on the Earth. The exhibit discusses several key moments in human history, including the domestication of plants and animals, the rise of industrialization, and the human impact on biodiversity. Early humans’ shift to agriculture transformed the landscape, leading to deforestation and soil depletion. Through interactive displays, visitors learn how humans began to cultivate crops like wheat and corn and domesticate animals like cattle and sheep. This shift not only altered human society but also triggered far-reaching environmental changes that continue to shape the world today. Another key topic is the Industrial Revolution, which fundamentally changed human society and the environment. The exhibit uses historical artifacts, models, and multimedia presentations to show how the shift from agrarian economies to industrialized urban centers led to significant technological advancements. However, it also resulted in widespread environmental consequences, including pollution, resource depletion, and the spread of industrialized agriculture. The exhibit is careful to present both the positive technological advancements and the negative environmental effects of this period. Lastly, the exhibit addresses the role humans have played in the extinction of species and the disruption of ecosystems. It shows how human activities, such as hunting, habitat destruction, and the introduction of invasive species, have contributed to the loss of biodiversity. Extinct species are represented through fossils and reconstructions, and the exhibit stresses the ongoing threats to modern ecosystems caused by human actions.
Some critics argue that the Humans Change the World exhibit downplays the full scale of human impact on the environment, particularly in relation to contemporary climate change. While the exhibit does highlight key historical moments where human actions significantly altered ecosystems and climate, it could have more explicitly addressed the accelerating pace of these changes in the present day. Issues such as global warming, ocean acidification, and the mass extinction crisis are only briefly mentioned. By focusing primarily on historical changes, the exhibit may leave some visitors with the impression that environmental challenges are a thing of the past, rather than urgent, ongoing concerns. Incorporating more direct references to current environmental crises would help bridge the gap between past and present human impacts, providing a more comprehensive view of the Anthropocene.
In the Sant Ocean Hall, the Changing Ocean section offers an interactive exploration of the impacts of human activity on marine ecosystems. Two videos from this section focus on different aspects of oceanography. The first video, which deals with biological oceanography, explores the role of oceans in regulating the Earth’s climate. It explains how oceans act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. However, this delicate balance is being disrupted by overfishing, pollution, and rising ocean temperatures. The video is highly informative but presents complex scientific concepts that may be difficult for general visitors without a background in biology to fully grasp. The second video focuses on ocean acidification, a consequence of increased atmospheric CO2. As CO2 levels rise, oceans absorb more of the gas, which causes a decrease in the pH levels of seawater. This video discusses how acidification is threatening marine life, particularly organisms with calcium carbonate shells, such as corals and shellfish. While the video provides clear visuals and understandable examples of affected ecosystems, it may require further simplification in terms of scientific terminology to be accessible to all average museum-goers.
The Global Ocean Video shown on the "Science on a Sphere" globe format provides an immersive way to explore the state of the world’s oceans. The video presents a global overview of oceanic changes, including rising sea levels, increasing ocean temperatures, and declining biodiversity. The 3D globe format allows visitors to visualize these phenomena on a planetary scale, which reinforces the interconnectedness of global oceans. The color-coded maps showing temperature changes and sea level rise are particularly effective in conveying the global scope of these issues. This format is highly useful for contextualizing the far-reaching impact of climate change on the world’s oceans, offering visitors a dynamic, visual understanding of the challenges facing marine ecosystems.
In the Deep Time Hall, paleoenvironmental dioramas provide valuable insights into Earth’s past climates and ecosystems. One diorama represents the Late Cretaceous period (around 65 million years ago), when Earth was experiencing higher temperatures and elevated carbon dioxide levels compared to today. The exhibit highlights how these conditions fostered rich, diverse ecosystems, including the reign of the dinosaurs. The diorama contrasts these ancient conditions with modern climate scenarios, emphasizing how drastically Earth’s climate can change over time. Another diorama depicts the Eocene period (around 55 million years ago), a time of intense global warming. This period is represented by lush tropical forests and early mammals, with higher CO2 levels and sea levels than today. These displays are effective in conveying how climate change has been a natural and recurring process, yet is now accelerated by human activities. The use of scale models and dioramas creates a tangible, immersive experience, enabling visitors to grasp the concept of deep-time climate change.
Along the walls of the Deep Time Hall, a series of exhibits explain the history of Earth’s climate, using scientific data to show how past climate shifts have been studied and understood. One exhibit focuses on the evidence of past ice ages, using ice core samples and tree rings to demonstrate how scientists reconstruct past temperatures and atmospheric conditions. This approach is effective in showing how paleoclimate data can inform our understanding of current climate change trends. Additionally, the exhibit highlights how these scientific methods help predict future climate scenarios, making a compelling case for the relevance of fossil and geological data in today’s environmental discourse.
The National Museum of Natural History’s exhibits offer a profound exploration of how technology and human activity have shaped—and continue to shape—the world around us. Through interactive displays, multimedia presentations, immersive dioramas, and more, the museum effectively conveys the complexities of climate change, technological innovation, and the Anthropocene. While some aspects of the exhibits could benefit from a more direct connection to contemporary issues, particularly in terms of the urgency of addressing climate change, the overall impact is significant. These exhibits challenge visitors to reflect on the intricate and often destructive relationship between humanity and the planet, urging a deeper understanding of our role in shaping Earth’s future in ways that are accessible and engaging.