Skip to main content

Full text of "In the field : the bulletin of the Field Museum of Natural History"

See other formats


ALSO INSIDE: 


ae ne 1 


Peete rib) 


SPRING 2010 | 
MARCH-JUNE 
VOL. 81, NO. 2 


EDITOR: 
Emily J. Waldren 
The Field Museum 


DESIGN: 


= ieee 


Bockos Design, Inc. 


Printed on recycled paper 

using soy-based inks. 

All images © The Field Museum 
unless otherwise specified. 


IN THE FIELD (ISSN #1051-4546) 
is published three times a year 
by The Field Museum. Annual 
subscriptions are $20; $10 

for schools. Museum member- 
ship includes IN THE FIELD 
subscription. Opinions expressed 
by authors are their own and 

do not necessarily reflect the 
policy of The Field Museum. 
Notification of address change 
should include address label 

and should be sent to the 
membership department. 


POSTMASTER 

Send address changes to: 
Membership, The Field Museum 
1400 South Lake Shore Drive 
Chicago, IL 60605-2496 


COVER: Visitors will see 
illustrations, life-size models, 
and real fossils in Mammoths 
and Mastodons: Titans of 

the Ice Age. 

IMAGE CREDITS: 

GE0865430_048BD / JOHN WEINSTEIN; 


ILLUSTRATION BY PAT BRADLEY 
FOR THE FIELD MUSEUM © 2009 


useulm 


1400 South Lake Shore Drive 
Chicago, IL 60605-2496 
312.922.9410 
fieldmuseum.org 


Shedd Aquarium 


The Field Museum salutes 

the people of Chicago for their 
long-standing support of the 
Museum through the Chicago 
Park District. Programming is 
partially supported by a CityArts 
Program 4 Grant from the 

City of Chicago Department of 
Cultural Affairs and the Illinois 
Arts Council, a state agency. 


IANE Al 


A Year Bursting with Excitement 


2010 is shaping up to be an exciting year. In this issue, we spoke with 
Vice President of Exhibitions, David Foster, about all the behind-the-scenes 
magic that goes into opening an exhibition here at The Field Museum. 
You'll also get a sneak peek at Foster’s particular favorites for 2010. 


One such exhibition is Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age. 
Set to open on Mar. 5, this is an exhibition for the whole family to enjoy. 
Lyuba, the world’s best-preserved baby mammoth, has arrived safely from 
Russia and is ready for her big American debut! Read more about this 
exciting exhibition on page 4. 


Also this year, the Museum is celebrating a very important milestone — 

it has been 10 years since we unveiled SUE! A dinosaur like SUE deserves 
a celebration just as big as she is and we’ve been busy planning the perfect 
anniversary. Learn all about the exciting plans on page 3. You’ll see SUE 


in ways you've never imagined! 


And don’t forget, the 59th Annual Members’ Nights are fast approaching. 
On Mar. 11 and 12, we’Il open our doors to you, our members, from 5pm 

to 10pm. As always, you'll be able to explore the entire Museum, including 
behind-the-scenes areas. Learn about our scientific 
research and upcoming exhibitions before anyone else. 
To reserve your tickets, call 312.665.7705. 


As always, thank you for your continued support. 


Michelle Clayton 
Director of Membership 


Adler Planetarium 


y Ce 
A LOTOSS 
rr WFIWVIVIY 
c oo | a 
rf 44 = | “NI 
{ ) | ci Ua il 
tw wt ww = G5 


By Ellyn Nugent, Manager of Special Events 


Can you believe it? It’s been almost a decade since that big day in May 2000 


when we unveiled SUE! Since then, millions of visitors have marveled at the world’s largest and most 


complete T. rex— making SUE a Chicago icon. To celebrate this important anniversary, the Museum 


is planning an exciting summer of special dino attractions and activities, beginning Memorial Day 


weekend. Be sure to join us this summer when SUE will “come alive” in other parts of the Museum! 


Sane npeeae eta 


JOIN US ON MAY 22 FOR A SPECIAL 
CELEBRATION AND FUNDRAISER IN HONOR 
OF SUE. SEE PAGE 14 FOR MORE DETAILS. 


VISIT THE MUSEUM ON MAY 29 & 30 TO 

MEET SUE HENDRICKSON, THE FOSSIL HUNTER 
WHO DISCOVERED SUE. SHE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO 
SIGN AUTOGRAPHS AND ANSWER QUESTIONS. 

CALL 312.665.7100 FOR MORE. 


GN89807_9C / JOHN WEINSTEIN 


Starting Friday, May 28, we'll feature 
a brand new movie, Waking the T. rex 3-D: 
The Story of SUE, in the Ernst & Young 
3-D Theater. Our scientists worked alongside 
a movie production crew to give you an 
opportunity to see SUE as you've never seen 
her before — moving as she did in real life and 
appearing in super realistic 3-D. It’s a must 
for all SUE fans! 

That same day, we'll open RoboSUE: 
The T. rex Experience which lets you get up 
close to state-of-the-art robotic dinosaurs, 
including SUE, Velociraptors, and Triceratops. 
These dinos actually “see” you and react to your 
movements. It’s the most realistic dino experi- 
ence you can get without traveling back millions 
of years in a time machine! It’s a thrill you'll 
long remember. 

Of course, SUE will still reign supreme 
from her place in Stanley Field Hall and 
our scientists and educators will be available 
to answer your questions during scheduled 
programs. Be sure to watch our website for 
more complete information on all the dino 
fun planned for this summer. 

Discounted Member tickets to both 
Waking the T. rex 3-D and RoboSUE will 
be available at the Membership check-in 
desk. ITF 
SUE at The Field Museum is made possible by McDonald's 
Corporation. A major sponsor of SUE is Walt Disney World 
Resort. Additional support has been provided by the Illinois 
Department of Natural Resources/Illinois State Museum. 


The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust is the generous sponsor 
of this exhibition. 


The Field Museum Sponsor of Waking the T. rex 3-D: The Story 
of SUE is McDonald's. 


RoboSUE: The T. rex Experience is sponsored by The Kenneth 
and Anne Griffin Foundation. 


SPRING 2010 * MARCH 


IN THE FIELD FEATURE 


By Kate Richling, Writer 


Take a journey back in time and discover amazing creatures in the Museum’s newest exhibition, 


Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age (Mar. 5 through Sept. 6). Weighing as much as 
eight tons, with tusks up to 16 feet long, these colossal creatures inhabited vast stretches of 
the Earth for millions of years before the species went extinct. See these and other magnificent 
Ice Age mammals come to life through an array of skeletons, fossils, artifacts, replications, 
and interactive displays. ; 
The star of the exhibition is Lyuba (pronounced Lee-OO-balt), the best- 
preserved baby mammoth in the world. Discovered in 2007 by a Siberian 
reindeer herder and two of his sons, this 42,000-year-old specimen is in the 
United States for the first time and as Museum members, you'll be among 
the first to see her. 

“Mammoths and Mastodons, with Lyuba at its center, makes natural 
history much more real to people. There’s a visceral awe that takes hold 
of you 1n looking at a specimen like Lyuba, and the exhibition as a whole 


demonstrates how close we can come to knowing what these animals were 


professor of geological sciences at the University of Michigan. 


‘ 


| 
like,” says Daniel C. Fisher, PhD, lead curator of the exhibition and 
I 
| 
‘| 


CREDITS, LEFT TO RIGHT: GE086531_01AD / JOHN WEINSTEIN; © THE FIELD MUSEUM 


This interactive exhibition is geared for all ages creating an unfor- 
gettable experience for the entire family. In Mammoths and Mastodons, 
you'll not only see complete skeletons and fossils, but you'll also discover 
a full-size replica of a Columbian mammoth, one of the largest mammals 
ever to roam North America. Also showcased are rare and evocative objects 
including some of the oldest art in existence, as well as skulls and tusks 
of mammoth relatives — including pygmy mammoths. Visitors will also 
learn more about the other animals that lived during the Ice Age and come 
face-to-face with full-size replicas of a scimitar-tooth cat and a giant 
short-faced bear, the largest predator of the Ice Age. 

Mammoths and Mastodons reveals how these mammals inhabited 
very diverse ecosystems, from snowy landscapes to grasslands to temperate 
woodlands. Learn the distinctions between the two mammals with an 
up-close look at the shorter and stockier mastodon, and notice how 
its bones were more robust and tusks differently shaped. Compare both 
mammoth and mastodon teeth and discover how they were used to munch 
on different types of vegetation, allowing the two huge animals to live 
alongside each other without competing for food. Discover how much 
a mammoth needed to eat (500 pounds of vegetation every day!) and see 
how ancient people hunted these gigantic beasts and used them, not only as 
a source of food, but also artistic inspiration. You'll see both examples of 
cave art and ancient carvings featuring mammoths. There’s even a 35,000- 
year-old necklace carved from mammoth ivory on display. 

Exciting displays explain what may have caused mammoth and 
mastodon extinction and show how today’s scientists excavate, analyze, 
and study these remarkable creatures. The exhibition bridges the past with 
today by exploring the scientific methods used to study these animals 
as well as their surviving relatives, modern-day elephants. 

Bill Simpson, collections manager of the Museum’s fossil vertebrate 
collection and content specialist for the exhibition explains, “The Ice Age 
world was, geologically, just a moment ago. Here in Chicago, we are 
living on deposits sculpted and left behind by glaciers. These deposits 
contain buried fossils of a fascinating array of extinct animals. Mammoths 


and Mastodons will take visitors back to that world.” 11F 
This exhibition is organized by The Field Museum. 
Education Sponsor: Discover 


Lyuba is on loan from the Museum and Exhibition Center named after I.S. Shemanovskiy 


(Yamal, Russia). 


ILLUSTRATION BY VELIZAR SIMEONOVSKI 


© PAT BRADLEY 


Bringing Mammoths 
and Mastodons to Life! 


By Franck Mercurio, 
Senior Exhibition Developer 


In addition to showcasing amazing fossil specimens, 


Mammoths and Mastodons also features many 
fascinating interactive experiences that all ages 
will enjoy. Of these, the most anticipated is 
Picturing Mammoths, an interactive about cave 
art. Here, visitors can explore a virtual cave and 
discover Paleolithic cave paintings, many of which 
depict mammoths. The journey begins as you enter 
an inflatable half-dome evoking a cave entrance 
in southwestern France. Inside, images of ancient 
cave paintings spring to life. These animated 
stories explain what we can learn from these 
mysterious images. 


Other interactives explore the distinctive anatomical 
features of mammoths and mastodons, namely 
trunks and tusks. Join the proboscidean family and 


try your hand at picking up objects by manipulating 


a mechanical trunk. It’s not as easy as you’d think. 
You’ll even have the chance to joust with tusks, 
imitating the behavior of these great beasts who 
sought to win breeding rights as they roamed the 
Siberian landscape thousands of years ago. More 
interactives explore what we know of mammoth 
social behavior and elephant vocal communication. 
No doubt, you'll leave this exhibition as a certified 
mammoth and mastodon expert! 


A Columbian mammoth, an African elephant, 
and an American mastodon (from back to front) 


next to a 6-foot-tall human. 


SPRING 2010 * MARCH-JUNE 


5 


IN THE FIELD INTERVIEW 


to Eve 
renovation of the 


our exhibitions « 


Exhibitions From Concept to Creation 

A Conversation with David Foster 

By Emily Waldren, Editor 

Vice President David Foster works with his team to create entertaining and 
educational exhibitions. ITF spoke with Foster to learn more about the process 


of bringing a show to life in the Museum and also asked Foster for a sneak 


peek into the rest of 2010. 


ITF: How does the Museum decide what exhibitions it will design or host 


in a given year? 


From The Aztec World 


Foster: For original Field Museum exhibitions, such as Mammoths and 


slving Planet to the recent va r i 2 ; 
; : Mastodons, The Aztec World, or Nature Unleashed, we periodically conduct 
> Grainger Hall of Gems, 5 ; : NS ’ } 
a process of exhibition topic testing, polling visitors to determine what subjects 
lepartment works to create ; : 
have the broad appeal needed to guarantee that an exhibition will be successful. 


interactive, educational experiences that 


ch ile 


fren and adults will enjoy. For large touring exhibitions such as Tittankhamun or Cleopatra, we usually 
know several years in advance what is being developed by other museums 

or organizers, and we negotiate vigorously to secure these exhibitions for 
The Field Museum. In all cases, we strive to create a balanced schedule that 
includes exhibitions with popular appeal and others, like Gregor Mendel, 

that closely reflect our own research and collection missions. The best shows, 


of course, are a combination of both worlds. 


ITF: When the Museum creates something like Mammoths and Mastodons, 


how ts it developed? 


Foster: For every exhibition, large or small, we assemble a core project 

team that stays with the project from the inception of a concept right down 
to the opening of the show. The basic core team includes a project manager, 
an exhibit developer, exhibit designer, graphic designer, and production 
manager. Other specialists, such as mountmakers, conservators, media devel- 
opers, and production crews, phase in or out of the project as the schedule 
requires. This team approach helps to make Field Museum exhibitions 


among the world’s finest. 


ITF: How long does it take to create and open 
a large exhibition like Mammoths and Mastodons 


or the recently renovated Grainger Hall of Gems? 


Foster: In general, an exhibition like Mammoths 
and Mastodons requires between two and three 
years, from concept to finished product. The same 
was true for the Grainger Hall of Gems. However, 
the recent large permanent exhibitions Evolving 
Planet and The Ancient Americas each required 


over five years of work. 


ITF: How do Museum scientists work with your 


team in creating content for a new exhibition? 


Foster: Once an exhibition subject is chosen, 

a Field Museum curator, or an outside specialist 
identified by our curators, works closely with 

the exhibit developer during the first phases of 
the project, defining the key content areas and 
messages the exhibition should convey. Working 
in close collaboration with the curator, in a 
process that takes many months, the developer 
then begins to shape the content into a narrative 
or story line and creates the object or specimen 
list for what will be displayed in the exhibition. 
Similarly, during exhibition design, the curator 
confirms that the location or association of objects 
accurately support the scientific interpretation the 
exhibition seeks to communicate. And, finally, 
the curator is the essential front-line editor 


of the exhibition label text. 


IMAGE CREDITS 


OPPOSITE, LEFT TO RIGHT: A114589_ 04D / JOHN WEINSTEIN; 

© MICHEL ZABE /AZA, REPRODUCTION AUTHORIZED BY THE INSTITUTO 
NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGIA E HISTORIA; © UNITED STATES 
GEOLOGIC SURVEY, PHOTO BY JIM VALLANCE 


ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: GN90846_015D / JOHN WEINSTEIN; 
GN90939_094D / JOHN WEINSTEIN; GN91288 021D / KAREN BEAN; 
© ANDREAS F. VOEGELIN; GN90939_074D / JOHN WEINSTEIN 


‘This is a field in which the ability to wear 
many hats is definitely an asset.’ 


ITF: What is your background and what advice 
would you give to someone who is interested in 


exhibition development and design? 


Foster: My own background is in art history, 
with some additional experience in design and 
studio arts. But I have a broad range of other 
interests as well, from literature and music to 

dirt archaeology and carpentry. Many of my staff 
combine a background in science with training 
in architecture, or experience as a stage actor 
with an aptitude for detailed research, and so on. 
So I'd advise anyone interested in this field to read 
broadly and seek a wide range of experience — 
this is a field in which the ability to wear many 


hats is definitely an asset. 


ITF: What other highlights is the Museum looking 


forward to this year? 


Foster: Besides opening Mammoths and Mastodons 
in early March, we're looking forward to the 
celebration of SUE’s 10th anniversary in the spring, 
and the October opening of Gold, a stunning 
exhibition from the American Museum of 
Natural History. And don’t forget Climate Change, 
opening in July—a powerful exploration of 

a timely and urgent issue affecting every corner 


of our planet. ITF 


SPRING 2010 * MARCH-JUNE 


7 


OF SPECIAL INTEREST 


Camping at The Field Museum! 


By Krystal Villanosa, Communications and Digital Learning Manager 


If you’re looking for fun, hands-on educational experiences this summer for your kids, 
as well as ways to engage them in the sciences, choose from one of three camps that 


The Field Museum is offering this summer. 


Dino Camp is a new early childhood camp for young explorers ages 3—5 


and their caregivers. By the end of this two-day camp, families will have 
learned how to spot a dinosaur and dig for dinosaur bones! Families will also 
get a chance to see SUE’s skull! 

SESSION 1: Tuesday, June 15 & Thursday, June 17 

SESSION 2: Wednesday, June 16 & Friday, June 18 

SESSION 3: Tuesday, June 22 & Thursday, June 24 

SESSION 4: Wednesday, June 23 & Friday, June 25 


9am to noon each day; $75, $65 members (one adult included in the price for 
each camper); Register by calling 312.665.7400. 


The project described was supported by award number 


P50GM081892 from the National Institute of General 
Medical Sciences. The content is solely the responsibility 
of the authors and does not necessarily represent the 
official views of the National Institute of General 


Medical Sciences of the National Institute of Health 


Summer Worlds Tour is a week-long summer program for children ages 
5-10. Campers will explore new and exciting worlds at the Adler Planetarium, 
travel back in time to meet the mightest prehistoric giants at The Field Museum, 
and transform into underwater explorers at Shedd Aquarium. Throughout 

the week, campers will investigate exhibitions, create original art projects, 
play learning games, and have lunch along the shores of Lake Michigan. 
SESSION 1: July 12-16 SESSION 3: July 26-30 

SESSION 2: July 19-23 SESSION 4: August 2-6 


9am to 3pm each day; $285, $255 members; 


Register by visiting adlerplanetarium.org. 


The Systems Biology Exploration Camp is a week-long program 

for both high-school students and educators to learn about genetics and the 
development of life. Participants will recerve behind-the-scenes tours of labs 
and Museum collections and engage in hands-on activities and discussions with 
scientists from The Field Museum and the Chicago Center for Systems Biology. 
At the end of the camp, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion 


as well as a one-year family membership to The Field Museum. 


STUDENTS: July 12-16 
EDUCATORS: May 1 & 2, June 26, July 12-14 


Request an application by emailing studentprograms@fieldmuseum.org. 


Teachers may receive graduate credit from NLU and 46 CPDUs. 


Field memberships make great gifts! 
Call 312.665.7700 - M-F 8:30am-—4:30pm 
Visit fieldmuseum.org/membership 


MARCH-JUNE = 
—~ ; useum 


The Comer Symposium with Dr. John P. Holdren: 
“Meeting the Climate-Change Challenge”’ adult Lecture 


Join us for a lecture and conversation with Dr. John P. Holdren, President Obama’s Science Advisor 
and the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dr. Holdren will discuss 
the current state of climate-change science, the size of the associated challenge for society, and 


the technical and policy options for meeting that challenge while maximizing co-benefits (new jobs, 
lower oil imports, reduced conventional pollution) and minimizing costs. 
MAY 13, 7:30pm ¢ FREE with pre-registration—call 312.665.7400 to register. 


© BEN SOMERS, AAAS 


Presented by The Gary C. Comer Family. 


Overnight Family Program 


This overnight program is a unique opportunity for families with children ages 6—12 to spend the night 
at The Field Museum. Spend your evening enjoying activities based on Field Museum exhibitions, 
munching on a snack, and exploring the Museum’s wondrous exhibitions, including Inside Ancient Egypt 
by flashlight. You can also take a break and watch as dinosaurs leap from the big screen in our Ernst 
& Young 3-D Theater.* Overnights begin at 5:45pm and end the following morning at 9am. 


Overnights are scheduled for the following Fridays in 2010: 
MARCH 26 « APRIL 9 * MAY 7 + MAY 14 « JUNE 11** +» JUNE 18** 


*Tickets to watch movies in the Ernst & Young 3-D Theater are an additional $5/person. 


**Dozin’ with the Dinos programs in June and August will celebrate SUE’s 10th anniversary! 
From handling the tools scientists use for excavating fossils to examining SUE’s bones 


© THE FIELD MUSEUM 


up close, this evening is jam packed with activities 


for dino-lovers! 


STANDARD OVERNIGHT: $63, $51 members 

PREMIUM PACKAGE 1: $75, $65 members 

(includes all the fun of a standard overnight with sleeping 
spots in our Evolving Planet exhibition) 

PREMIUM PACKAGE 2: $87, $77 members 

(includes all the fun of a standard overnight, sleeping spots 


in Evolving Planet, and a behind-the-scenes tour with 


© THE FIELD MUSEUM 


a Field Museum scientist) 


© THE FIELD MUSEUM 


NFO > 31 665.7400 GENE 312.922.9410 fieldmuseum.org 

ae See 

: Overnight exchanges will be issued by Field Museum staff for family registrants only. Exchanges must be made at least 48 hours in advance of 

“the program date. No refunds are p mitted for any program. Fees for programs that are cancelled by The Field Museum will be refunded in full. 
bee 4 Z iad 1, as a ‘ 


TWO OF US: MAMMOTH OR MASTODON?* Family Program 
Come learn the difference at Two of Us this March as we 


read books, create art, and sing songs all about our friends 
from the Ice Age. 
MONDAYS IN MARCH, 10am-1llam 


NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE: WAKING THE BABY 
MAMMOTH with DAN FISHER, PALEONTOLOGIST 

Adult Lecture 

In May 2007, an incredible discovery was made in Siberia: 

the almost perfectly preserved body of a baby mammoth, later 
named Lyuba, which had been protected by permafrost for some 
40,000 years since its untimely death. Fisher will tell Lyuba’s 
story, explaining what this treasured ambassador can teach us 
about the life and times of mammoths. 

MARCH 9, 7:30pm « Tickets start at $22 for members/$24 for 


the general public. To purchase tickets, visit nglive.org. 


CAFE SCIENCE: WOMEN ON THE FRONT LINE 

FOR CONSERVATION Adult Program 

Join us at the Hopleaf Bar as Dr. Alaka Wali, Curator and 
Anthropologist at The Field Museum, discusses her experiences 
in both Chicago and the Peruvian Amazon to illustrate the role 
that women play in the care and stewardship of their homes. 
MARCH 18, 7pm + FREE » Hopleaf Bar, 5148 N. Clark St. 


FOSSIL HUNT AT MAZON CREEK Family Field Trip 

Do you like to hunt fossils? Come with us to the world-famous 
Mazon Creek site, and discover what Illinois was like more than 
300 million years ago! This program is for families with children 
ages 8-17. Plan on a one-quarter mile walk to fossil locations. 
MARCH 20, 8am-3pm « $40, $28 members 


WOODEN WOOLLY MAMMOTH* Family Program 
Bring your Woollies cause we have a Mammoth that needs 
to get covered. Help create a 4-foot-tall wooden Woolly 
Mammoth replica. 

MARCH 20, llam 


ARTISTS AND AUTHORS PRESENT MAMMOTHS AND 
MASTODONS: TITANS OF THE ICE AGE* Family Program 
Come meet the author Cheryl Bardoe and illustrator Velizar 
Simeonovski as they read from their book Mammoths and 
Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age. Afterwards, draw your very 
own mammoths and mastodons to take home. Books will be 
available for purchase at this event. 

MARCH 20, lpm 


*FREE WITH MUSEUM ADMISSION _ fieldmuseum.org 


THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR Family Program 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Stories draws 
upon the magic of black light and fluorescent puppet creations 
to capture the charm of three favorite Eric Carle stories: A Very 
Hungry Caterpillar, A Little Cloud and Mixed-Up Chameleon. 
This program is produced in partnership with the Chicago 
Children’s Theatre and the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. 
APRIL 8- MAY 2 « Visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org for 


specific dates, times and fees. 


PALEOLITHIC CAVE ART FEATURING 

JEAN CLOTTES* Adult Lecture 

Join us for a lecture on two of the most famous prehistoric 
painted caves: the underwater Cosquer Cave and the spectacular 
Chauvet Cave, both in France. Prominent French prehistorian 
Jean Clottes will explain what these cave paintings have taught 
us about mankind during the Paleolithic era. This program 

is in partnership with the Leakey Foundation. 

APRIL 10, lpm 


NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE: THE BIG THAW with 
JAMES BALOG, PHOTOGRAPHER, AUTHOR Adult Lecture 
Presenting dramatic and awe-inspiring images of our planet 

in flux, Balog delivers an eloquent and empowering testimony 
to the reality of climate change, inspiring his audience 

to make a difference. 

APRIL 13, 7:30pm « Tickets start at $22 for members/$24 for 


the general public. To purchase tickets, visit nglive.org. 


FOSSIL HUNT AT MAZON CREEK Family Field Trip 

Do you like to hunt fossils? Come with us to the world-famous 
Mazon Creek site, and discover what Illinois was like more than 
300 million years ago! This program is for families with children 
ages 8-17. Plan on a one-quarter mile walk to fossil locations. 
APRIL 17, 8am-3pm + $40, $28 members 


THE BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL Film Screening 
Experience the adrenaline rush and adventure of alpine climbing, 
skiing, and mountain biking along with breathtaking glimpses 
into the traditional culture of the Himalayas—all captured on 
the big screen! 

APRIL 20 & 21, 7pm + $10, $8 members (per night); 

$18, $14 members (for two nights) 


OBJECT-BASED LEARNING FOR PARENTS Adult Workshop 
Explore object-based learning with your children using cultural 
artifacts and biological specimens from our collections. Parents 
will receive behind-the-scenes instruction with Field Museum 
scientists as well as learn more about the importance of context, 
conversation, and the social history of objects. 

APRIL 24, 9am-10:30am & 3:30pm-5pm 

FREE with pre-registration—call 312.665.7400 to register. 


“FREE WITH MUSEUM ADMISSION — fieldmuseum.org 


TWO OF US: DANCING DINOSAURS!* Family Program 
Come and celebrate the dinosaur this May at Two of Us. 
Together we’ll walk, skip, and jump in the tracks of some of your 
favorite dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex and Apatosaurus. 
MONDAYS IN MAY, 10am-1lam 


KRAFT STORY TIME* Family Program 

Take a seat in the Crown Family PlayLab to hear a story and make 
an art project to take home—all in 20 minutes! 

SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS, 11:30am & 1:30pm 


THE COMER SYMPOSIUM with DR. JOHN P. HOLDREN: 
“MEETING THE CLIMATE-CHANGE CHALLENGE” 

Adult Lecture 

Join us for a lecture and conversation with Dr. John P. Holdren, 

President Obama’s Science Advisor and the Director of the 

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dr. Holdren 

will discuss the current state of climate-change science, the size 

of the associated challenge for society, and the technical and 

policy options for meeting that challenge while maximizing 

co-benefits (new jobs, lower oil imports, reduced conventional 

pollution) and minimizing costs. 

MAY 13, 7:30pm 

FREE with pre-registration—call 312.665.7400 to register. 


FOSSIL HUNT AT MAZON CREEK Family Field Trip 

Do you like to hunt fossils? Come with us to the world-famous 
Mazon Creek site, and discover what Illinois was like more than 
300 million years ago! This program is for families with children 
ages 8-17. Plan on a one-quarter mile walk to fossil locations. 
MAY 15, 8am-3pm + $40, $28 members 


CRETACEOUS CRAFTS* Family Program 

Come learn about SUE and friends as you create dinosaur 
collages out of rice paper. 

MAY 15, llam 


FAMILY FIELD DAY* Family Program 

Take part in fun and free art and science activities in 

the Crown Family PlayLab and in the rest of the Museum. 

Be an explorer, scientist, artist and much more! 3rd Saturday 
of each month. 

MAY 15, llam-2pm 


SUE’S HAVING A PARTY!* Family Program 

And you’re invited! Please join us at the Crown Family PlayLab 
this Memorial Day weekend as we celebrate SUE the T. rex’s 
10th year at The Field Museum. We'll have SUE party hats, 
games, and art projects! 

MAY 29, 30, & 31, 10am-2pm 


*FREE WITH MUSEUM ADMISSION _ fieldmuseum.org 


DOZIN’ WITH THE DINOS! Overnight Family Program 
Happy Anniversary SUE! Come celebrate SUE’s 10th 


anniversary at two special Dozin’ with the Dinos sleepovers. 
From handling the tools scientists use to excavate fossils 

to examining SUE’s bones up close, this evening is jam packed 
with activities for dino-lovers. This program is for families 
with children ages 6-12. 

JUNE 11 & 18, 5:45pm-9am « See front page of this program 


calendar for pricing details. 


DING CAMP Camp Program 

I spy a dinosaur, do you? This new early childhood camp 

is designed expressly for young explorers ages 3—5 with their 
caregivers. Join us for two days of dino discovery where we 
will learn how to spot a dinosaur, see SUE’s skull, and dig 
for dinosaur bones! 

JUNE 15-25 » See page 8 of the magazine for specific dates, 


times, and fees. 


BUGGIN’ OUT!* Family Program 

Bugs make some people nervous, but at the Crown Family 
PlayLab we love them! Come learn how to carry heavy loads 
like a worker ant, build a beautiful web like a spider, and 
glow like a firefly! 

JUNE 19, llam 


CAFE SCIENCE: SUE THE T. REX IN 3-D Adult Program 
Join us for an evening discussion on SUE the T. rex, the most 
complete T. rex ever found. Learn about the importance 

of uncovering SUE, what it has taught us about dinosaurs, 
and what SUE’s bones tell us about what the world was 

like 67 million years ago. 

JUNE 24, 7pm + FREE « Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave. 


*FREE WITH MUSEUM ADMISSION _ fieldmuseum.org 


Summer Worlds Tour is a week-long summer program for 
children ages 5-10 years old. Campers will explore new and 
exciting worlds at the Adler Planetarium, travel back in time 
to meet the mightiest prehistoric giants at The Field Museum 
and transform into underwater explorers at Shedd Aquarium. 
During the program campers investigate exhibits, create 
original art projects, play learning games and have lunch 

along the shores of Lake Michigan. See page 8 of the magazine 


for specific dates, times, and fees. 


explore our exhibitions 


Rediscover your favorites! 


CROWN FAMILY PLAYLAB 
PERMANENT EXHIBITION 

Little explorers have their own place 
in a big museum! 


The Crown Family PlayLab is generously 


sponsored by the Crown family 


EVOLVING PLANET 

PERMANENT EXHIBITION 

Go on an awe-inspiring journey through 4 billion years of life 
on Earth, from single-celled organisms to towering dinosaurs 
and our extended human family. Unique fossils, animated 


videos, hands-on interactive displays, 


and recreated sea- and landscapes help 
| tell the compelling story of evolution— 
the single process that connects 
everything that’s ever lived on Earth. 


Evolving Planet is made possible by Kenneth and 


Anne Griffin. The Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable 


Trust is the generous sponsor of Evolving Planet's 


J Genius Hall of Dinosaurs 


THE ANCIENT AMERICAS 

PERMANENT EXHIBITION 

Step into the windswept world of Ice Age mammoth hunters. 
Walk through a replica of an 800-year-old pueblo dwelling and 
imagine your entire family cooking, eating, and sleeping in one 
small room. Explore the Aztec empire and its island capital, 
Tenochtitlan, a city of more than 

— Ai 200,000 people and an extraordinary 
NCIENT 
AMERICAS 


feat of engineering for any era. 


The Ancient Americas is made possible by 


the McCormick Foundation 


GRAINGER HALL OF GEMS 

NEWLY RENOVATED! 

Marvel at the beauty and splendor of gemstones in The Field 
Museums newly renovated Grainger Hall of Gems. Learn what 
makes a ruby red, how opals are formed 
and the amazing color transformation of 
sapphire and alexandrite gems. Explore 
more than 700 breathtaking objects 

and discover why gems continue to hold 


the world’s imagination today. 


The Grainger Hall of Gems is generously sponsored 


by The Grainger Foundation 


See these before they go! 


LASTING IMPRESSIONS: 

CHINESE RUBBINGS FROM THE FIELD MUSEUM 
FEBRUARY 12, 2010 THROUGH JANUARY 3, 2011 

Explore a millennia-old Chinese art form: the rubbing. Created 
by pressing thin sheets of wet paper into carvings in stone and 
inking the surface to form an impression, rubbings perform 

a range of functions from sharing famous works of literature 
to preserving images of the 
deceased. Featuring two dozen 


examples, selected from over 
7,000 items in The Field 
Museum’s collections, discover 


the artistry and intricacy of 


= 
z 
z 
= 
o 
z 
a 
< 
“ 


Chinese rubbings. 


This exhibition is supported by The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation 


MAMMOTHS AND MASTODONS: 

TITANS OF THE ICE AGE 

MARCH 5 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6, 2010 

Journey back to the Ice Age by 


EMASTNNANS 


TITANS OF THE ICE AGE 


meeting “Lyuba,” the best-preserved 
baby mammoth in the world, exploring 
monumental video installations, roam- 
ing among saber-toothed cats and giant 
dla we lis | bears, and wondering over some of the 
oldest human artifacts in existence. 


This exhibition is organized by The Field Museum. 


Education Sponsor: Discover 


THE NATURE OF DIAMONDS Final days! 

THROUGH MARCH 28, 2010 

From its geological origins to its place in art, history and 
literature, no other gem has captured the world’s imagination 
quite like diamond. Through ancient manuscripts, multimedia 
and evocative exhibitory, explore the many facets of diamond 
and be dazzled by these breathtaking pieces. Discover 

the gem that has stimulated scientists, inspired writers and 
influenced artisans for thousands of years. 


The Nature of Diamonds is organized 

by the American Museum of Natural 
History, New York, in collaboration with 
The Field Museum, Chicago; the Royal 
Ontario Museum, Toronto; and the 


Houston Museum of Natural Science 


This exhibition is made possible 
through the generous support of 


The Grainger Foundation 


* 


Man-eaters of Tsavo Gain (A Little) Redemptio 


SCIENTIST’S PICK 


a) 


1} 


No visit to The Field Museum is complete without seeing the Man-eaters of Tsavo. 


The two have reached celebrity status since going on display in 1925. 


Colonel John Henry Patterson, the British railway engineer who 

shot the lions in 1898 and sold their remains to the Museum, reckoned 
the lions had eaten 135 people, mainly railway workers and African 
villagers. His account of their exploits inspired several books and three 


Hollywood movies, most recently The Ghost and the Darkness (1996). 


Dr. Patterson captured 
this image of two lions 
while doing fieldwork 


in Tsavo. 


TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 
OUR RESEARCH ON 
MANELESS LIONS, VISIT 
FIELDMUSEUM.ORG/ 
EXPEDITIONS. 


294352C / JOHN WEINSTEIN 


grass has a characteristic chemical signature, 
lions that eat non-grazers (like people!) should 
stand out. Chemical distinctions should be 
especially apparent in hair, which is frequently 
replaced and thus records diet in the most recent 
time period. After studying the lions’ bones and 
pelts, the analysis showed that the man-eater 
with bad teeth had dined on about 27 humans, 
but his healthy partner ate no more than eight, 


COURTESY OF DR. BRUCE PATTERSON 


suggesting that Col. Patterson exaggerated 
The story of the man-eaters has been the their exploits! This conclusion is in agreement 
subject of study of Museum researchers for many with previous lines of evidence gathered by 
years. Previous dental exams and X-rays of the Museum researchers. 
lions’ skulls revealed that one of them had a The fact that scientists can determine 
debilitating abscess on one canine — the sharp, both the diet and the behavior of two animals 
pointed teeth a lion needs to subdue its normal killed more than a century ago is a testament to 
prey— perhaps explaining its dietary shift from the enduring value of Museum collections and 
wildlife to people. The other lion’s teeth were the science that interprets them. ITF 


healthy. It was theorized that the tendency for 


male lions to form social coalitions had made 
Dr. Bruce Patterson, 

MacArthur Curator of 
Mammals, contributed 
to this Scientist’s Pick. 


the second lion guilty by association. 


Recently, Field Museum scientist 


LEONARD RUSSO 


Bruce Patterson, PhD, teamed with scientists 
at University of California, Santa Cruz, in order 
to further assess whether the lions lived up 


to their legend of having killed and eaten 


135 people. Because lions typically eat grazing 


animals like zebra and buffalo, and because 


SPRING 2010 * MARCH-JUNE 


BEHIND THE SCENES 


While at the Museum, 


Iraqi scientists have been 
able to study a number 

of artifacts including this 
gemstone necklace (above) 
from Kish, a Sumerian 


site south of Baghdad 


10 


Iraq Cultural Heritage Project Teaches 
Modern Techniques to Conserve Ancient Relics 


By Orly Telisman, Manager of Media Relations 


Considered the birthplace of many ancient and complex civilizations, Iraq 1s an 1mMportant 


source of archaeological study. Unfortunately, for Iraqi scientists, their isolation from international 


colleagues during Saddam Hussein’s regime kept antiquity research in the metaphorical dark ages. 


Not only have these anthropologists been cut off from new scientific findings for several years, the same 


community has no knowledge of new technologies now being used in the field— even simple tools 


like GPS systems and Google Maps. 

With the help of a United States govern- 
ment grant, Field Museum scientists are training 
their Iraqi counterparts, sharing knowledge of 
21st century technological advancements. 

“Right now, these Iraqi scientists don’t 
have working facilities to collect and manage 
what they are working on today at ancient sites, 
or the right materials like computers, X-ray 
fluorescent machines and solvents” says James 
Phillips, PhD, director of the Iraq Cultural 
Heritage Project at the Museum. 

The Iraq Cultural Heritage Project is 
sponsored by the U.S. State Department with 
a grant of $13 million to the International Relief 
and Development Corporation (IRD). The Field 
Museum and Oriental Institute at the University 
of Chicago are the two local entities helping train 
18 Iraqi colleagues in Chicago through 2010. 
When these scientists return home, they will 
continue to train other Iraqis. “They need 
to correctly process and catalog what they have 
in their collections already and still prepare for 
what research is yet to come,” Phillips adds. 

Besides bringing Iraqi scientists to the 
United States for training, the State Department 
project envisions building an institute in the Iraqi 
city of Erbil to focus on technical and profes- 
sional training in historic preservation. Under the 
program, the Iraq National Museum in Baghdad, 
which suffered extensive damage and looting in 
2003, will also be restored and upgraded with 


new equipment. 


One member of the first of three groups 


coming to Chicago said, “So many objects need 
conservation. They need to be repaired and 

put in good condition. When we know the 
internal structure of an object, know the metals, 
we then know which methods of restoration 

we should follow.” 

Others will be trained on collection 
management. Museum researchers believe 
rebuilding historic library archives for future 
research is significant in preserving the past. 
When the archiving 1s completed, it will be 
the first time Iraqi archeological research will be 
available to scientists around the world. 

In addition to restoring and conserving 
objects and archives in their museums, these 
scientists still face the task of restoring ancient 
buildings, some thousands of years old, which 
are currently exposed at sites scattered throughout 
their country. Each site provides intriguing 
clues about how earlier civilizations operated. 
These same places can serve as a destination 
location for tourists, helping build up the 


Iraqi economy. ITF 


OF SPECIAL INTEREST 


Explaining Yourself: New Marae Gallery Exhibition 
Explores Perception and Heritage 


By Janet Hong, Project Developer for Exhibitions 


If you’re not immediately identifiable as belonging to one ethnicity or race in America, you can 
often tell when a new acquaintance is going to ask you a certain question. Your acquaintance 


checks out your eyes and hair, hesitates... then asks ‘What are you?” 


Well, a full answer could take a while— particularly for someone whose 
ancestry is partly Asian or Pacific Islander—so sometimes the answer is kept 
simple. Japanese + Irish. Hawaiian + Cuban. But a complete answer would 
describe a complexity of social and personal identities, not to mention the 
experience of growing up with people always asking you to explain yourself. 

To delve into this experience, artist Kip Fulbeck photographed diverse 
people who identify themselves as partly Asian— adults and kids, male and 
female, from all walks of life. The resulting exhibition kip fulbeck: part asian, 
100% hapa (opening Apr. 2) presents his quietly exuberant and utterly 
engrossing photographic portraits. Just as importantly, the volunteer subjects 
also handwrote answers to the question “What are you?” Their answers are 
thoughtful, absolutely individual, and often quite funny. 

To Fulbeck (who describes himself as Chinese, English, and Irish), 
hand-written responses were crucial: “We Homo sapiens have been making 
marks for 35,000 years.... Handwriting is as telling as the words we choose 


to write.’ One woman recounts how her Chinese father first met her German 


© KIP FULBECK 


mother in the 1950s, offering her a ride home in a Buick. One boy writes, 


“T am part Chinese and part Danish. I don’t usually tell 
A, ot dhe sown s A dike: Woon. I Am Nhe people I am Danish though, because they think I'm 


¢ 


pallens See Gaon: Dad forset. tL on Ae. a paste One gentleman sums up, a am half Japanese 
and half Jewish, I am the All-American Boy.” 
Permanent het jeaves Cy anow Ce ie 


g) 
Soa 


The entire project demonstrates why many now embrace the term 


hapa, a Hawaiian word meaning “half” that originally carried derogatory 
ie connotations, but now is often used with satisfaction and humor to mean 
ae a person with partial Asian or Pacific Islander ancestry. To Fulbeck, the terms 
“mixed,” “multiracial,” “part asian,’ and “hapa” are all okay with him, 
but points out that “everyone has a right to self-define and that’s a personal 
decision. For many of us hapas and other mixes, there is no perfect term. 
Language is constantly moving as words evolve and are redefined, so some- 
thing negative can be reclaimed as a positive.” 
In the age of a United States president of both African and European 
ancestry, and also in a year of the U.S. census (for which none of us have 
to check a box labeled “other” anymore), all of us are contemplating 
more than ever how our ethnic and cultural backgrounds contribute to 
shaping us. And for all Americans, doesn’t the question “What are you?” 
yield interesting answers? ITF 
The traveling version of kip fulbeck: part asian, 100% hapa is organized by the Japanese American 
National Museum in Los Angeles, California, and is supported, in part, by the James Irvine Foundation. 


The Marae Gallery is sponsored by Baker & McKenzie. 


SPRING 2010 » MARCH-JUNE 


11 


LAB NEWS 


COLIN SIMPFENDORFER 


COURTESY OF 


Saving the Sawfish 


Sharks and their relatives are at the crest of a gathering wave of ocean extinctions and few 
are more severely threatened than the smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata, of the Northwest 
Atlantic. Growing up to 20 feet in length and weighing over a ton, sawfish were once 
extremely common in shallow coastal areas from Texas to the Carolinas but their populations 
were reduced by around 99 percent last century due to incidental fisheries mortality and 
development of their nearshore breeding grounds. 


Today, the last remaining sawfish breeding areas occur at a handful of sites 


in Southwest Florida, the last stronghold for this species in the Northwest 


Atlantic. Given their critical status, they were listed under the U.S. Endangered 
Species Act in 2003, and in 2007 the Convention on International Trade 
in Endangered Species prohibited all trade in sawfish body parts. 

Kevin Feldheim, PhD, Manager of the Pritzker Laboratory for 
Molecular Systematics and Evolution, is participating in a project to help 
protect this endangered fish. The project is a large collaboration between 
universities and government agencies and aims to use modern genetic 
techniques to provide information on the structure, size, history and genetic 


diversity of the last remaining sawfish populations 1n the southern United 


_ 


BURNS US 


States and the Bahamas. 


ie 


ae ‘Sawfish were once extremely common... 
but their populations were reduced by 
around 99 percent last century...’ 


At the Museum’s Pritzker Lab, Dr. Feldheim developed genetic 


a 


markers, called microsatellites, from this species. If you have ever watched 
an episode of CSI, you are already familiar with these genetic markers. 
They are the same regions of DNA that forensic scientists use to identify 
criminals and also the same ones used to prove fatherhood in paternity cases. 
In sawfish, Dr. Feldheim and his team will use microsatellites to examine 
two things: movement of sawfish between Florida populations and those 


found in the Bahamas; and how many adult animals are contributing to each 


COURTESY OF TONYA WILEY 


population. This information will be critical as collaborating management 
agencies design and scale conservation efforts that will successfully promote 
recovery processes of this endangered species. 

The next time you visit the DNA Discovery Center keep an eye out 
for Dr. Feldheim in the lab. He will be working on this project throughout 


the spring of 2010. ITF 


GN91304_07D /JOHN WEINSTEIN 


Dr. Kevin Feldheim, Lab Manager of the Priztker Laboratory for Molecular 


Systematics and Evolution, contributed to this Lab News article. 


12 IN THE FIELD 


Primitive Dinosaur Species 
Found in New Mexico 


Field Museum researcher Nathan D. Smith has 

helped excavate and study a new, primitive dinosaur species named 
Tawa hallae. The dinosaur lived about 213 million years ago (Triassic 
period) and probably was a meat-eater. Specimens found were about 
the size of medium-to-large dogs. Their skeletons demonstrate the 
presence of air sacs in the braincase and neck areas, an evolutionary 
wrinkle later found in birds. 

“The good condition of the skeletons 
suggests that the animals likely died near where 
they were found and were buried quickly after 
death. The lack of damage to the fossilized 
bones enabled us to see where air sacs were 
located, providing insights into the evolutionary 
path taken as dinosaurs became more like birds,” 
said Smith. Tawa also supports the hypothesis that 


Late Triassic carnivorous dinosaur communities 


in North America were assembled via dispersal 


IMAGES: JORGE GONZALEZ 
OUMNH / STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY 


from other regions, rather than in situ speciation. 


The research team that excavated and 


analyzed Tawa included scientists from several 
museums and universities, including the University 
of Chicago. They found the specimens in 2006 
at the Hayden Quarry on the Ghost Ranch 
in northern New Mexico. That area was much 
nearer to the equator at the time the dinosaurs 
died than it is now. At that time, the Earth 
had a single huge land mass, Pangea, that later 
broke into separate continents. 

You can see scenes of the discovery of 
Tawa in the 3-D feature movie Dinosaurs Alive! 
currently showing in The Field Museum’s 
Ernst & Young 3-D Theater. ITF 
The research was sponsored by the National Geographic Society 
with other participating institutions including the University of 
Chicago, The Field Museum, the Utah Museum of Natural History, 
the University of Utah, Stony Brook University, the Ruth Hall 


Museum of Paleontology, the University of Texas, Austin, 
and the American Museum of Natural History. 


Ancient Mammal Relative Survived Extinction 


by Moving to Antarctica 


Recently, Field Museum scientists Jorg Frabisch, PhD, 
and Kenneth D. Angielezyk, PhD, and Christian A. Sidor, PhD, from 
the University of Washington identified a distant relative of mammals 
that apparently survived extinction by living in Antarctica. 

The largest known mass extinction in Earth’s history, at the end 
of the Permian period (about 252 million years ago), may have been 
caused by global warming. The new fossil species, named Kombuisia 
antarctica, suggests that some land animals may have survived by living 
in cooler climates in Antarctica, which at that time was located 
further north than today and was warmer and not covered in glaciers. 

Kombuisia antarctica, about the size of a small house cat, was 
considerably different from today’s mammals — it likely laid eggs, 
didn’t nurse its young, and didn’t have fur; it is uncertain whether 
it was warm blooded. It was not a direct ancestor of living mammals, 
but was among the few lineages of animals that survived at a time 


when a majority of life forms perished. 


Fossil evidence suggests that small 
and medium-sized animals such as Kombuisia 
antarctica, were more successful at surviving 
the mass extinction than larger animals. They 
may have engaged in “‘sleep-or-hide” behaviors 
like hibernation and burrowing to survive 
in a difficult environment. The new discovery 
fills a gap in the fossil record and contributes 
to a better understanding of vertebrate survival 
during the end-Permian mass extinction. ITF 
Funding for this research was provided through a Postdoctoral 
Research Fellowship of the German Research Foundation 


(Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) to J. Frobisch and grants 
of the National Science Foundation to C. A. Sidor. 


SPRING 2010 * MARCH-JUNE 13 


14 


MUSEUM NEWS 


SUElebration: 
Celebrating 10 Years! 


On Saturday, May 22 from 5:30—9pm, 

The Field Museum will celebrate SUE with 

a family-friendly extravaganza to benefit 
the museum’s education programs. The 
evening festivities will include entertainment 
for all ages, an auction of one-of-a-kind 
Field Museum treasures, the premier of 

our new 3-D film starring SUE, and a sneak 
preview of a new, temporary exhibition 
featuring interactive robotic recreations of 


T. rex, Triceratops and Velociraptors. 


Individual tickets, $100 for children and 
$250 for adults, are available beginning 
April 5. For family and corporate sponsor- 
ship information or to request an invitation, 
email happybirthdaysue @fieldmuseum.org 
or call our event hotline at 312.665.7145. 


Did you know? 

There are four statues standing guard 

over Stanley Field Hall. They each represent 
a “pillar’’ of the Museum— Science, 
Dissemination of Knowledge, Research, 


and Record. 


always be discovering. 
1, Field 
useum 


IN THE FIELD 


35 AC OHN WEINSTEIN 


GN89695 


Corporate Corner 


Leading the Way in Addressing Climate Change 

Over the past decade, the Museum has worked to conserve tropical forests in 
Peru, including the creation and protection of Cordillera Azul National Park, 
one of the largest remaining expanses of contiguous forest in the central 

Andes Mountains. With support from Exelon Corporation, The Field Museum 
and its partners recently reached a new milestone: the park has become a model 
project for addressing climate change through tropical forest conservation. 

Global climate change has been linked to the increased emission of 
greenhouse gases— such as methane and carbon dioxide — into the atmosphere. 
Industries and automobiles are well-known sources of these gases. But many 
people may not realize that clearing and burning of tropical forests account for 
roughly 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Avoiding destruction 
of these forests is therefore one important way to address climate change. 

A new initiative proposed by the United Nations Framework Convention 
on Climate Change aims to provide financial incentive to tropical countries 
to conserve existing forests. This initiative is known as REDD, which stands 
for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation. 

With Exelon Corporation’s support we are currently gathering evidence 
for a REDD initiative in Cordillera Azul National Park, building on eight years 
of biological and community data collected by 
The Field Museum and its close Peruvian 
collaborator, CIMA. We have found that the 
park meets anticipated eligibility requirements 
for REDD. Our goal is for this initiative to 
finance long-term protection of the park’s 
biodiversity and quality of life for neighboring 


residents, in addition to preventing the release 


ELIZABETH ANDERSON 


of greenhouse gases by avoiding deforestation. 


Make a Cash-Free Contribution 


Through gift planning, you can thoughtfully make a charitable gift to 
The Field Museum that also carries tax benefits for you. Including a gift to us 
in your will or living trust, known as a bequest, 1s one of the easiest ways to 
ensure the Museum thrives for generations to come. 

As someone who gives a bequest, you'll become a member of 
The Edward Ayer Society, which honors friends whose charitable gift planning 
assures a bright future for the Museum. Edward Ayer, our first president, was 
one of the driving forces behind the Museum’s founding. The Ayer Society 
hosts events and publishes an honor roll of donors. 

If you would like additional information about making a bequest to 


The Field Museum, please call 312.665.7132. 


Time to renew your membership? 
Call 312.665.7700 - M-F 8:30am-4:30pm 
Visit fieldmuseum.org/membership 


just for kids! 


discoverie 
mt FOCKed. 


Ҥcilence 


The Museum is getting ready to open our newest exhibition 
Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age. The centerpiece of the exhibition, 
Lyuba (Lee-OO-bah), is the best-preserved mammoth ever discovered. When she 
was found in 2007, Lyuba still had some of her fur on her body! Scientists studied 
Lyuba and learned more about mammoths than ever before. 
The Field Museum 1s filled with amazing discoveries like Lyuba. Below are 


some highlights you’ll want to find the next time you visit the Museum. 


LUCY — Our Early Ancestor 

Lucy’s skeleton is estimated to be 3.2 million years old, and was discovered 
in 1974 in Ethiopia. The shape of Lucy’s legs and pelvis show that she 
walked on two legs, like humans, but her brain was small and her skull was 
the size of a chimpanzee’s. This made scientists realize that humans walked 
upright before our brains grew large. A cast of Lucy’s skeleton and a model 
of what she may have looked like are on display in Evolving Planet. 


TIKTAALIK — The Fish that Walked 

If you look at Tiktaalik and think he looks like a fish, but your parents 

think he looks similar to an alligator, you’re both right! Tiktaalik, who 

is estimated to have lived 375 million years ago, is considered a transitional 
fossil. Though Tiktaalik has some traits linked to fish such as gills, it also 
has physical traits that link it to tetrapods (four-legged animals). Tiktaalik’s 
front fins have basic wrist bones, which lead scientists to believe that he 
was able to prop himself up on dry land. This “fishapod” was an in between 
stage of fish and amphibians! Visit Evolving Planet if you want to see 
Tiktaalik’s fossil and a model of 

how he looked. 


SUE — Biggest and Best of all T. rex 

As the largest, most-complete, and best-preserved T. rex ever 
discovered, SUE’s discovery has helped scientists learn a great deal 
about these colossal dinosaurs. Scientists performed a CAT scan 
on SUE and discovered that even though her brain was just large 
enough to hold a quart of liquid, her two olfactory lobes (used to 
smell) were about the size of grapefruits! This may mean that SUE 
had a great sense of smell! You can always find SUE in Stanley 
Field Hall and be sure to visit her this summer as we celebrate 

her 10th anniversary. (Read more about this on page 3.) 


IMAGE CREDITS, TOP TO BOTTOM: © INTERNATIONAL MAMMOTH COMMITTEE/ FRANCIS LATREILLE; 
© P, PLAILLY / E. DAYNES / EURELIOS; GE086522_02/JOHN WEINSTEIN 


= NON-PROFIT 
ORGANIZATION 


US POSTAGE 
useum PAID 

400 South Lake Shore Drive CHICAGO, IL 
Chicago, IL 60605-2496 PERMIT NO. 2309 
By Ben Kalinowski, Writer 

If you‘ve ever visited The Field Museum on a field trip, you’re one of become much more interactive, involving 

a multitude of children who have done so since this photograph was taken hands-on activities within the exhibitions. 
in 1937. Although school visits to The Field have always been educational, Field Museum educators also help students 


the nature of the trips has changed —_ understand the work Museum scientists do 
dramatically. In the past 10 years, here in Chicago and around the world. From 
field trips at the Museum have organized group activities to behind-the- 


RF7B437.71F 


scenes tours, children from pre-kindergarten — 
to high school are having a more engaging 

and personal experience at The Field Museum 
than ever before. 


To get your school involved in a Field Museum 
field trip, ask teachers to call our Education 
department at 312.665.7500. 


| GN91097_057D / JOHN WEINSTEIN 


; and Mastodons 
luseum Stores! 


24 hours a day 


se __ Remember that all proc e 
public and scientific 
a 10 percent discount on al 
TITANS OF THE ICE AGE ee se teas 
Chery! Bardoe 


_ For questions about the magazine, call 312.665.7107, email ewaldren@fieldmuseum.org 
| or write Emily Waldren, Editor. For general membership inquiries, including address changes, call 866.312.2781.