Near and Far from Past to Present
Hello fellow UC Davis students! My name is Selina Tung. As many of you have taken science classes for your major or for general education, probably you have wondered at some point how science related topics apply to our lives and how it advances our world today. I sure have! As a science major, I have taken numerous classes and read textbooks which is one way of learning. However, I am going to take you on a journey through the campus of UC Davis in exploring what everyday people like you and me can learn on a dedicated day where certain parts of the school contribute to the Biodiversity Museum. Since I did not know what to expect to observe, it led me to ask the question: what can the public learn about at the Biodiversity Museum Day at UC Davis? After spending the day going to nearly all the collections, I gained a better understanding of what Museum Day offers to the public. People can visually and verbally learn how various kinds of local wildlife play a role in our ecosystem, how plants and animals differ throughout the world in different climates, and how humans evolved overtime. After listening, hopefully you will have a better idea of what you can see and interact with at Museum Day and maybe even consider to attend next year!
From the presentations of animals to the displays of specimen available, people can learn about how science and nature connect in the Davis community. Focusing on the life sciences, most of the exhibits were related to living things such as animals and plants. I started out my day by going to the Raptor Center, which houses local birds and vultures. As I turned the corner, I saw a crowd surrounding a fenced off area where educators held various majestic birds with thick gloves on hand. The specialists introduced the species of bird and shared their experiences of locating them in nature nearby while children stared in wonder at the gigantic 10 pound golden eagle. Many adults excitedly went from bird to bird taking pictures, sketching drawings, or painting these rare birds. Inside temporary buildings, displays of feathers and preserved birds were available for examination. A volunteer explained to a boy about how the Kite bird has brown eyes at birth and as they grow, their eye color changes to red. From the Raptor Center website they state “participants are exposed to rehabilitation and what we see and do here at the CRC. Many aspects of raptor biology are covered, including adaptations, conservation and species identification”(“On-Site Presentations” 1). Listening to the educators while seeing them holding a real life example visually taught people facts about local species. From the physical up close look at the different birds that are usually hard to see in nature, you can learn how they survive in nature and how special features make each bird unique. If you are interested in interacting with bird experts, a visit to the Raptor Center will possibly encourage you to participate in the current research advancements on bird conservation. Although this was a fascinating exhibit, there were more than just birds and vultures displayed at Museum Day.
Going back to the campus, I wandered to the Wildlife and Fish Biology collection. From the hallway I smelled the strange scent of fish and dead animals that drew me towards a small room full of people. At first glance, the place seemed chaotic with children moving about calling their parents to look at a special looking fish. As websites advertised for this event, "We're planning an action-packed morning with displays highlighting carnivores, bats, reptiles and fish," said director Andrew Engilis Jr. "There will be specimen preparation demos"(Avants 11). On the other side of the room, graduate students were working to preserve dead wildlife for further research. I observed the student pick up a bird while its head flopped to the side and another worker skinned a bobcat that had bloody teeth and stone cold eyes. I heard a child ask “Why is the bobcat’s head so bloody?”, and the teacher said it had been through a bad accident. Then, when I focused on what the worker was teaching the child about their work, I learned that many of these animals had died in accidents or natural disasters and were donated to them for research. This is a direct example of how Museum Day is an opportunity for young people like us to learn about local wildlife and what role they play in our ecosystem. However, there is more to learn than just the animals around us.
Exploring deeper into the Sciences Laboratory Building where many students conduct experiments, the Center for Plant Diversity is located on the first floor. Tucked away in a back room is a vast collection of local pressed plants, filed and recorded in an organized manner for research access. Upon entering the room full of botanical history, I felt like I was in a sacred library holding limitless information. You can never imagine the extensive records stored there until you pay a visit and see it with your own eyes. A tour guide showed an example of a file of a certain species that was color coded to indicate the area it was from. In another room, students at stations presented the process of pressing plants and flowers with special equipment. Other students stood by microscopes explaining how specific parts of moss function and what they are. While there were fascinating lessons on the local wildlife, the Center of Plant Diversity showcased the extensive amount of plant species in the community from a wide time frame. In addition, you have access to learn about how plants are preserved and the intricate process that goes into it. Information on the community’s plants and animals only offers a small scope of the diversity of the nature in the world.
Beyond educating the public about the wildlife locally, Museum Day offers chances to explore species from around the world. Dedicated to Richard M. Bohart, the Entomology Museum stretches down a long hallway. Children ran about as adults were in their pursuit among the exhibits that ranged from birds to insects, alive and preserved. Extensive glass boxes of butterflies, bees, and ants lined the walls. Buzzing with excitement, a table had live stick bugs that people could touch. I observed a young boy cautiously pick up the stick bug while the volunteer talked about how stick bugs are all female as they are parthenogenetic. Among the displays along the wall, I spotted an exhibit of maps of every continent with the various unique insects that can be found in certain areas. For example, the giant grasshopper from Australia and the large black beetle from Africa. In comparing and contrasting insects from different parts of the world, it is clear how climate and surroundings play a role in supporting animals that live there. Next time you see an insect flying or crawling around, think about how such a small organism survives in the world. The entomology museum offers displays of specimens from around the world and compares them to the ones you can see everyday in the town of Davis.
Next, moving from living things to exotic plants, I arrived at the greenhouse-shaped Botanical Conservatory. From the frigid winter air, walking into the conservatory seemed like going into a whole new world as the air inside was hot and humid. In the tropical section with mists of water spray from the ceiling, people strolled down the narrow aisles of cacao trees, air plants, blooming orchids, and bright red amaryllis flowers, to the center where a little pond of water lies. Then I entered the African plant section where it was dry and hot. Pots of prickly cacti and other non native plants lined the benches. Along with the Center of Plant Diversity, the Botanical Conservatory is part of the Davis Botanical society. To be more involved and in becoming a member, you will have access to the two collections and the events that the organization hosts(“Center of Plant Diversity”). In the middle of a cold day in California, you can visually observe and learn about foreign plants from the other side of the planet. While we are eager to learn about the current species are adapting in the world, science also includes looking at the past.
In addition to the collections about the present day life of plants and animals, people are able to gain a better understanding about the earth’s timeline through artifacts left behind from our ancestors. As I reached my last exhibit, the Anthropology building, a group participating in an activity caught my eye. I saw people sitting with leather padding on their knees and safety goggles and gloves. A volunteer was showing a child how to make tools. With an earth-shattering crack, the child struck the flint stone with a granite stone and the pieces became flakes, which the teacher explained could be used as tools in the past. Although it sounds easy, imagine having to make hundreds in order to survive and fulfill basic necessities. As I looked around, some people were shaping obsidian into arrowheads. One of the volunteers took out an arrowhead out of her pocket to show an example of the finished product. An article from the University of Melbourne states, “Museums are an important setting for informal learning; their invaluable collections and purposefully designed spaces mean learning can happen almost ‘accidentally’”(Oliveira 1). As sort of an unofficial museum, exhibits truly incorporated the learning process into each collection. Being able to ask questions directly to students who are studying these specific areas, you can connect with them to further your opportunities in research in your area of interest. With the interactive craft outside and the experts presenting the history of human evolution, you can become familiar with how prehistoric humans survived and developed into the modern human being.
From the numerous exhibits available to the public on Biodiversity Museum Day at UC Davis, people of all ages can acquire knowledge of how the wildlife in the community interact and survive in nature, the exotic plants and animals from around the world, and what life was like in the past based on evidence left behind. So if you’re looking for a fun, free, and educational activity to spend the day with your family and friends, the Biodiversity Museum Day is an annual event at UC Davis on President’s Day weekend. Interactive activities, experts on specific topics in science, and learning opportunities for all ages are offered. Thank you for listening and have a great day!
Secondary Sources
Avants, Maggie. “Explore Life At UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day.” Stone Mountain-Lithonia, GA Patch, Patch, 8 Feb. 2019, patch.com/california/davis/explore-life-uc-davis-biodiversity-museum-day.
“The Center for Plant Diversity.” UC Davis: Center for Plant Diversity, herbarium.ucdavis.edu/society.html.
Oliveira, Eduardo Araujo, et al. “How Does Learning Happen in Museums?” Pursuit, The University of Melbourne, 25 Feb. 2019, pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/how-does-learning-happen-in-museums.
“On-Site Presentations.” School of Veterinary Medicine, crc.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/presentations-onsite.
Avants, Maggie. “Explore Life At UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day.” Stone Mountain-Lithonia, GA Patch, Patch, 8 Feb. 2019, patch.com/california/davis/explore-life-uc-davis-biodiversity-museum-day.
“The Center for Plant Diversity.” UC Davis: Center for Plant Diversity, herbarium.ucdavis.edu/society.html.
Oliveira, Eduardo Araujo, et al. “How Does Learning Happen in Museums?” Pursuit, The University of Melbourne, 25 Feb. 2019, pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/how-does-learning-happen-in-museums.
“On-Site Presentations.” School of Veterinary Medicine, crc.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/presentations-onsite.