Glow: Living Lights
June 19–September 12, 2010
Don’t miss the first-ever museum exhibition to explore the phenomenon of bioluminescence — an organism’s ability to produce its own light.
Visitors to Glow: Living Lights start their journey by investigating the chemical process that produces “cool” light. They then explore the world of light-producing terrestrial organisms like fireflies, glow worms and foxfire fungus before traveling on to the mid-ocean, where an estimated 90 percent of the animals produce light. Here visitors encounter alien-looking creatures like viper fish, which dangle a light lure to attract their next meal, and cookie cutter sharks, which earned their name from the cookie-size chunks of flesh they take out of unsuspecting prey in the dark. Visitors continue on to demonstrations of the interesting techniques and equipment used by scientists to study bioluminescence, and then explore the many benefits of this research — from helping to speed the study of cancer-fighting drugs to the detection of anthrax spores in public places.
CURATORS
Dr. Edith Widder of the Ocean Research and Conservation Association (ORCA) is an author on the subject and has been featured in a number of television and film projects, including specials on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic and PBS. Dr. James Case is a leading expert on fireflies and a research professor at the Marine Science Institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is widely regarded as the “grandfather” of bioluminescence research. Joining Drs. Case and Widder as a curatorial consultant is Dr. Steven Haddock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Glow: Living Lights is produced by Exhibit IQ.
Hours
Glow will be open from 10 am–5 pm Monday–Saturday and noon–5 pm Sunday, with the last entry at 4 pm every day.
Tickets
$7 Adults; $5 Seniors/Students; $4 Children (5–11); free to Members.
Exhibit tickets may also be purchased by calling 919.733.7450 x212 or in person at the Museum Box Office between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm, Monday–Saturday and noon–4 pm Sunday.
Glow: Living Lights is sponsored by Colvard Farms and UNC-TV.
Links
- Glow Educator's Guide (PDF)
- Flashers attract mates: How do we know?
- Firefly Watch - report your firefly sightings and help scientists track firefly populations!
- Photos from Glow lecturer Sönke Johnsen's Bahamas survey
Upcoming Exhibit: Animal Grossology
October 2, 2010–April 24, 2011
Ever wonder why dogs sniff each other’s rear ends, why cows need four stomachs to digest their food or why cats spit up hair balls? Here’s your chance to find out! “ANIMAL GROSSOLOGY,” a new special exhibit at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh, takes a unique and scientific look at nature’s slime-making, vomit-munching and dookie-loving creatures. The exhibit opens October 2, 2010, and runs through April 2011.
Adapted from the best-selling GROSSOLOGY children’s book series by author and science teacher Sylvia Branzei, this exhibit is oozing with disgusting science and entertaining hands-on learning games such as Blood Sucker Blow-Up, where visitors see what happens when ticks and mosquitoes have too much to drink, and Chew Chew Express, a detailed look at the various steps of digestion in cows, one of the gassiest animals on Earth. Visitors will also learn how leeches are sometimes used after surgeries to assist in the healing process and why scientists are studying the slime produced by slugs and snails for clues in treating cystic fibrosis. Safety tips are dispersed throughout the exhibit, such as what to do if a jellyfish stings you and how to protect your food at the next family picnic. By the way, do you know what honey really is? How do you feel about bee barf on your biscuit?
The exhibit features five thematic areas:
- Blood Slurpers – Blood is very nutritious (high in protein) and many animals slurp blood for their meals. Sometimes, blood slurpers transmit infectious diseases. This exhibit will help identify those that can be a health hazard while providing information that may keep you safe from Lyme Disease, West Nile Virus and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
- Dookie Lovers – Dookie comes in all shapes, sizes and textures, providing scientists with useful answers to many animal mysteries. Here, you will learn how some animals depend on poo for survival, and how others, such as the Scarab Beetle, prevent the spread of disease produced from rotting piles of dung.
- Slime Makers – Slime is essential to some animals, serving important functions such as facilitating motion, aiding in digestion and acting as a defense mechanism. This section explores a plethora of strange underwater creatures and their unique characteristics and encourages you to vote for the “King of Slime.”
- Vomit Munchers – What has four stomachs, four legs and produces 200 liters of saliva daily? Ruminants, which also produce methane gas, making them belch and toot a lot. Some animals have to barf to eat, while others have to spew after they eat. Discover how regurgitation is crucial for some animals’ survival.
- Other Gross Stuff – Discover some not-so-familiar animals, including one that lives in an intestine. Explore how animals use common scents for recognition, attraction and defense.
Tickets to Animal Grossology are $8 for adults; $5 for students and seniors; $4 for children (5–11); and free to Members. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Museum Box Office at 919.733.7450 x212.
Past Exhibits
Resources for Past Special Exhibits
