CELLPHONES: UNSEEN CONNECTIONS (2nd Floor) This is a new temporary exhibit, focusing on the origins, history, and impact of cellphones. This hall uses a variety of presentation techniques to get their information across.
1) Describe at least three different presentation techniques (that is, three different types of media) used to explain their information? Do you think each was effective? If so, explain; if not, also explain?
In this exhibit, there was a large display screen with cameras in the shape of a phone, glass exhibits with various components and raw materials used in phone production, and a wall display showing technology and culture before cellphones and after. I do think that these presentation techniques were effective, as they appeared modern and were easy to understand, especially with the visual aids that connected with each technique.
2) Some of what is presented has to do with the environmental issues of cellphone technology. What does the exhibit have to say about the materials used to create these tools? What does it have to say about the environmental impact of the creation, use, and disposal of cellphones? And how does it tell these stories?
The exhibit claims that our technology is linked to the natural world. Specifically, tantalum mining located in the Democratic Republic of Congo is being exploited for their resources, as well as copper and neodymium mining generating waste and requiring lots of water. To tell these stories, the exhibit displays different raw materials and items with captions under them.
3) The exhibit also talks about the technological and social impacts of cellphones. Discuss one (1) technological and two (2) social impacts of these tools that was presented in the exhibit, and how the museum staff chose to convey this information.
New technology has brought new anxieties to deal with, and cellphones have brought a new wave of misinformation, which could further cause panic and anxiety. This could be related to doom-scrolling, which describes the action of spending lots of time reading negative information online. Regarding one technological impact, cell phones have brought more servers, using data centers and new methods of transporting data such as fiber optic technology.
CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE DAVID H. KOCH HALL OF HUMAN ORIGINS (1st Floor) Towards the end of this Hall (the side closer to the Mammal Hall) there is a section describing the most recent part of human evolutionary history, entitled "Humans Change the World." This discusses (although not by that name) the "Anthropocene Event": that time period when human activity noticeably impacted the living and non-living world.
4) Find three (3) different topics discussed in this section. Identify what those topics are; how humans have influenced them (or simply how they have changed) through time; and what means the exhibit designers used to portray these changes (be specific).
There is one display talking about the evolution of the human brain, and the exhibit shows 6 models of the human brain, starting from 2-6 million years ago to 800,000 to 200,000 years ago. The exhibit shows the brain getting larger, as well as proving a touch model. Next, there is an exhibit of social life, with four sections of developing, starting with the depiction of humans sharing tools beginning 2.6-1.8 millions years ago, then to hearths and shelters beginning 800000 years go, then to more time to grow 500000-300000 years ago, and to finally today with social networks. The next exhibit is a gallery of human skulls, ranging from 7-6 million years ago to around 9,000 years ago. This exhibit shows the different human species, and range in condition .
5) Some critics of the hall state that this exhibit de-emphasizes the human impact on the environment and climate. Do you agree? If so, explain why. If not, explain why not.
I only partially agree, as I believe that there should be more sections talking about climate change, but the exhibit is named human origins, which should have more focus on our origins rather than our impact
CLIMATE CHANGE & HUMAN IMPACT IN THE SANT OCEAN HALL (1st Floor)
6) "The Changing Ocean", Right Side of Hall (from the point of view of the rotunda), along Front Right Wall: Find the interactive video stations under the label "The Changing Ocean". Watch two (2) of the different videos available (preferably one dealing with biological oceanography and one dealing with some other issue.) Give the name of the videos. Summarize the data each provides. Do you consider this data to be understandable by a general visitor to the museum? If not, explain why
"Cause a Sea Changes Save Sharks" The video talks about how sharks barely cause any fatalities a year, on average just five, and are in decline due to overfishing. Without sharks, the population of the ocean cannot be kept in check as they keep our cones healthy. Fortunately, NOAA is helping sharks, and now the population is on the rebound.
"How many horseshoe Crabs!" This video mentions how it is important to do surveys to manage the population of horseshoe crabs. They come out at full moon with highest tides and then count how many male and female hs crabs there are. This is done to figure out the spawning population in Delaware bay.
I found these videos to be pretty understandable by a general visitor, as there were not any complex concepts or language used. The only non-intuitive thing that I noticed was how it could sometimes be difficult to navigate the menu on the exhibit, and it would often select a video that was not requested.
7) "Global Ocean Video": This information is provided on the "Science on the Sphere" format: a globe-shaped video screen. Watch through an entire sequence. What subjects does it discuss? What information did it provide? How was the spherical video used to portray this information? Do you consider this format to be useful? Explain why or why not.
The video discusses coral bleaching becoming a common event, warm weather diseases spreading, hurricanes, typhoons and blizzards and overall more extreme weather, coastal erosion, and other consequences of climate change. However, they do mention some good news, such as how the ozone is replenishing, and that we can still change for the better. I thought the spherical video was cool, and it was surprisingly easy to read. I probably would not say the format is useful, but it does grab attention as I did see a lot of people sitting down and watching the video.
CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE DAVID H. KOCH HALL OF FOSSILS – DEEP TIME This new state of the art fossil hall contains many wonderful specimens. While we encourage you to look at them (and Merck & Holtz will even show people around some of their favorites!), we want to look at how climate change is described in this exhibit.
8) Paleoenvironmental Dioramas: Scattered throughout the hall are a set of pylons which feature miniature reconstructions of life and environments at different points in geologic time. In each is a diorama with scale models of fossil plants and animals, accompanied by additional information. Find two (2) of these pylons. For each, describe what time is represented; what place is represented; and how the carbon dioxide level, temperatures, and sea level compared to modern times. Also, do you think these exhibits are effective? Explain.
"Grasslands far and wide" - 19 million years ago. Compared to today, atmospheric carbon dioxide was up to 50% higher than today. The average global temperature was 5-12F higher than today, and the global sea level was about 330ft higher than today.
"floodplains full of life" - 67-66 million years ago. Atmospheric carbon was up to 4 times higher than the average today, and global temperature was 16-17F higher than today. Global sea level was also 650-740ft higher than today.
I think the exhibits here are quite effective, as they help us to visualize what it was like back in the place represented. The text blobs on the side were also easy to read and understand.
9) Climate Change Exhibits: Along the low wall and benches opposite from the main set of skeletons in the great hall are a series of exhibits describing climate changes past and present. Find some of these. Describe what time or aspect of Earth history and past climate is discussed. What sort of data were used to figure out the past climate? Do these exhibits effectively explain how fossil and geological information can inform us about current or future climate change? Explain.
"Our planet through deep time" I was in the triassic time period, and they used sea level, temperature, and co2 ppm to determine the climate.
"Connect today to deep time" This exhibit mostly users species data to determine change over time.
"How is all life related" Utilizes a tree of life visual to show how life changed over time.
I found these exhibits to be a little confusing to navigate, and one of them seemed to have issues at the time when I was there. I thought that they could be good to inform us about current or future climate change, but I simply just had too much trouble trying to navigate the tablets.