AMNH Excursion Report
New York City, 16 November, 2024
Picture of the amphibian Hypnomastodonsaurus Giganteus
Merck Tour:
Dr. Merck's tour was very interesting to me. I had not had much exposure to the evolution of pre-dinosaur animals, and after being exposed, I am happy to have learned about it. I found the fact that everything we see in animals today had to be evolved very interesting. This makes a lot of sense, but it had never crossed my mind. Something as simple as the jaw had to be evolved and began as two pieces disconnected from the braincase entirely before it became what it is today. Another aspect of the tour that I found interesting was the mosasaur evolved on three separate occasions. Before this tour, I viewed evolution as a very linear process with a starting point and branched from there. It had never occurred to me that with similar conditions and a similar niche to fill, a similar species can evolve independently many times to fill that gap. This tour was very informational and easy to follow. This was partly because of the unique layout of the exhibit. The exhibit was laid out in the style of a cladogram, following the evolution of species relating to common traits. However, this was not free from error, specifically regarding turtles. At the time of the exhibit's creation, the museum director had very strong ideas about turtles. This led to turtles being placed in an inaccurate area of the cladogram. They should be closer to the crocodilians than they are now.
Holtz Tour:
Dr. Holtz had a very interesting tour and was very good at communicating the topics he discussed. I have always enjoyed looking at dinosaurs in museums but have yet to take the time to read the plaques to learn more about them. It was great to learn more about the skeletons I have been seeing for years. Something I found interesting about the exhibit was how Celophysis has hundreds of complete specimens. I always thought complete specimens were much rarer than that across the board without much deviation. Another thing I found interesting was less about the exhibit specifically, but about how science is ever changing. An example of this Holtz Discussed was the Apatosaurus and how the one on display in the museum was not an Apatosaurus but an entirely different unnamed species. Or how when one species is put under the same taxonomic group as another, it takes the name that was created first. I always knew that science was an ever-changing subject, but I did not realize that even fundamental topics were actively being discussed and revised. As a side note, Holtz gets bonus points for pointing himself out as a reference in one of the books in the Dinostore. This exhibit suffers a similar issue to the one in Merck's tour, with the cladogram needing to be slightly updated. This exhibit can also be updated to show the Apatosaur being correctly labeled as an unnamed species.
Picture of the Singing Stone
Self Guided Tour:
For my self-guided tour, I visited the Mignone Hall of Gems and Minerals and the Ross Hall of Meteorites. During this tour, I saw the Singing Stone, the giant amethyst geode, and the moon rocks on display. The Singing Stone got its name from the loud, high-pitched sounds the stone made when the humidity changed. It was mined from the Czar Mine in Bisbee, Arizona, in 1890 when Arizona was still a territory. It was then displayed at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago to show how valuable Arizona was to the rest of the U.S. to expedite its statehood. According to the display, the reason it “sang” was due to moisture being absorbed and released as the humidity changed. Since it is in a climate-controlled room, it has stopped singing. The large amethyst geode was mined in Uruguay and is notable due to its thirteen-foot height. Geodes like these are formed when lava solidifies with bubbles inside. Over time, minerals leach into the rock and crystalize, forming the geode's outer layers and prominent crystals. This specimen contains many layers and minerals. These include an inner layer of amethyst and outer layers of white, gray, and green chalcedony, a variety of quartz. The moon rocks on display were gathered on Apollo 16, contributing to the 382 kilograms of material brought back throughout the Apollo program. These rocks were analyzed and played an important role in determining the moon's origins. After examining the rocks, scientists discovered their composition was similar to Earth's, leading to the theory that the Moon was formed after a collision between Earth and a dwarf planet. One piece of information I wish was provided for these objects was how they arrived at the museum. Some of the specimens on display say that they were a gift of an individual or organization, but that is all that is provided for the most part. I would like to know the story behind these objects after discovery and their path to the museum. This could be as simple as a few sentences on the plaque telling the story.
Space Show:
The space show's title was Worlds Beyond Earth. Its theme was exploring the surface of extraterrestrial bodies in the solar system. It took us around different planets and moons, such as the Moon, Mars, and Titan, to show us how their surfaces compare to ours. It was clear that the images were based on actual observations made by landers, and the show even told us which landers they got the pictures from. I already knew most of the information presented in the show, but it was good information nonetheless. The show covered surface conditions, the meaning behind the object's name, and any former, current, or future missions to the object.General thoughts:
This Museum does an excellent job of catering to all audiences. For each specimen on display, basic information is provided in large text so younger children can understand what the specimen is in simple language. If you read a little deeper, more information is included that caters to an older, more knowledgeable audience. Regarding mobility, each floor is very level, with ramps for small elevation changes. There are also multiple elevators on every floor. The museum also gives guided tours in multiple languages for international visitors and visitors who are vision impaired.