Field Trip Report: Museums in Washington D.C.

Jack Bowe

Event Name: Jack's First College Park Scholars Excursion

Event time and place: 12/02/2023 at 10:30AM in the National Museum of Natural History

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QUESTION 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?

Answer 1: The walls present information in a simplistic, comic book format where each panel is in the shape of electronic chips. The panels are connected to each other in a circuit-like manner, guiding viewers through this part of the exhibit. This method of presentation appeals to audiences of all ages as it makes content interesting, informative, and brief. Additionally, a variety of interactive displays (such as the reception game) are located throughout the exhibit, allowing viewers to absorb information in a deep, hands-on manner. The third presentation technique that was used was the use of large scale dioramas, of the modern cell phone in this case, where each part of the phone is labeled with information on what the component is made of, what its use is, why the material is used, etc.

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QUESTION 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?

Answer 2: This part of the exhibit begins with a history of the material, explaining its origins and uses in past/present culture. That information is followed by a description of its present use and manufacture, informing the reader about the various natural, labor, and social impacts of the material. To wrap up, the exhibit then provides a 'future focus' in which they provide a possible solution and future goal to mitigate the aforementioned impacts. As an example of how the exhibit conveyed this information, the titanium part talked about how miners can get a large profit from mining titanium however it is risky. It also talked about how copper is reusable and conductive but it is far and few between large rock deposits. When the exhibit talked about the environmental impact of the production of cell phones, it mentioned that between its extraction, manufacturing, usage, distribution, and end of life, cell phones produce about 246 million pounds of carbon emissions a year. These emissions as well as other environmental impacts can be reduced through recycling and using your phone as long as you can.

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QUESTION 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 were presented in the exhibit, and how the museum staff chose to convey this information.

Answer 3: The museum presents the technological impacts as a timeline, showing the old technology leading up to the first cell phone followed by the current technologies that stemmed from the original cell phone. On the other hand, the societal impacts are depicted as the comics on the wall, as described earlier, showing how cell phones can be used to spread information and news about worldwide events and movements. Another societal impact that is mentioned is the impact of the cell phone on anxiety throughout society.

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QUESTION 1: 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).

Answer 1: One of the topics discussed in this exhibit is past climate change. Here, a graph is used to depict the past 10 million years of climate change, represented as levels of oxygen isotopes from the ocean cores, where the lower the number of a specific isotope, the cooler the climate was and vice versa. At the start of the graph, there is little movement, but as it approaches modern day, the graph becomes a lot more spontaneous with higher highs and lower lows. The next topic that was discussed is innovation and extinction. This section goes into detail about how Earth's climate has varied dramatically between warm and cold over the course of about 6 million years. These changes stimulated the extinction and evolution of various species across the globe. As today's climate changes, we will likely see similar things happen. The third topic discussed in this section is climate change today. This section explains the correlation between atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and Earth's temperature (they rise and fall together). As humans use fossil fuels and cut down forests, carbon dioxide concentrations are projected to increase to the highest levels since our species evolved. This will lead to significant warming and a slough of other problems.

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QUESTION 2: 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.

Answer 2: I disagree with critics, but I see where they are coming from. The exhibit tries to explain how the climate has changed naturally throughout human history (and pre-human history), which is true. It also has a little blurb that explains anthropogenic climate change. I can see how this can come across as de-emphasizing anthropogenic climate change, but that is not the focus of the exhibit. The reason there is only a little blurb is because anthropogenic climate change is only a fraction of the time hominids have been around (about 6 million years).

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QUESTION 1: '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.

Answer 1: The first video I watched was 'Deep Ocean Creatures,' which showed clips of several organisms doing things in their natural environment in an effort to display ocean biodiversity. This data is easily understandable by the general public, as the video presents their observations and message in a visually appealing yet informative manner. The next video I watched was titled 'Hurricane Scientist,' where a hurricane scientist from NOAA did a presentation on why she became interested in hurricanes, what her job consists of, and why she likes her job. It is easy for the general public to understand as she narrates her life story and interest in a short and concise way.

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QUESTION 2: '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.

Answer 2: It talks about ocean, air, and land interactions, origins of life, and weather and climate change. It provided information by changing what was displayed on the globe to match the information being presented such as when they were talking about how the earth would look without water they simulated all the water being gone and highlighted the relevant geographical information. As far as information provided, it went into detail about the different ocean currents, the Ring of Fire, Tropical Cyclones, the origins of the ocean, early Earth, Pangea, climate change, the ozone layer, our ability to resolve the climate crisis, and more.

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QUESTION 1: 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.

Answer 1: The first pylon I found was the one on Conifer Forests and Fern Prairies, which was present 230-201 million years ago. This diorama displayed Vancleavea, fern ceratopteris, and other organisms near a river. The pylon also states that, compared to today, the Carbon Dioxide concentrations were seven times higher, temperatures were 12-26 degrees Fahrenheit higher, and sea levels were 30 feet lower. I believe that this pylon is a good representation of what the world could have been like at that time. The second pylon I found was titled 'Giant Shadows on the Landscape,' which was present 157-145 million years ago. This diorama depicts large dinosaurs along a river and open areas with ferns and trees. The display noted that Carbon Dioxide concentrations were four times higher, temperatures were 15-17 degrees Fahrenheit higher, and sea levels were 330 feet higher. I believe that this pylon is also a good representation of what the world could have been like.

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QUESTION 2: 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 was 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.

Answer 2: One we saw was the impact of the asteroid impact on the climate. The evidence used to support this event was fossil records and sedimentary rock layers to show when the asteroid impacted. Before the level of the asteroid impact there are clear fossil records for dinosaurs and other organisms but after the impact they ceased above the asteroid impact level. They inform us on current and future climate change as we reflect on what led to their events.

Last modified: 06 December 2023