3D Printing Meets Paleontology

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A Whale of a Story

Our Shortcut Society

Lessig's TED talk was one of the best I've seen in awhile. I wholeheartedly agree that many of the criticisms of the internet and technology-- especially those based around copyright, are often unfounded in that the critics of such fail to see the big picture. The internet is creating a smarter, more globally aware and more diverse culture.

Unlike Carr, I believe the internet also has the potential to teach us to become better readers and writers as well as better debaters. Though technology is greatly beneficial to human progress, it has its downsides as well. Technology has resulted in children becoming accustomed to being surrounded by stimuli at all times. That is what I think has caused people's trouble with focusing on anything, not just reading. If anything, I think reading has simply resulted in more people becoming able to power read. Before my family got the internet, I was an avid bookreader, and definitely a power reader.

If people can read these so quickly and still retain information, "power reading" is definitely not the culprit for forgetfulness.

I'd read all of Harry Potter in two, three days tops. The thing is, I don't think power reading has to result in not retaining information. It's perfectly plausible to read through a document quickly and still process it. The thing is, the need to process it just isn't ingrained in our minds because we know that we can easily find it again.

We're used to being able to find information at any time, and so we don't feel that we have the need to research or remember things until we absolutely need them. Carr had almost hit this point when he talked about the ability to find information so quickly and easily results in people becoming distracted easily. Though some people may consider technology an educational benefit (I do as well, within reason), it can result in a lack of intrinsic motivation to research and experience topics first hand. I believe it's largely the cause of a culture that does not value museums and other educational institutions as much. After all, why go to a museum if you can learn about it from the comfort of your own home?

Why waste time learning when it is possible to look up the information when it is needed? I have heard this mindset defended by a misinterpretation of Albert Einstein’s quote, “[I do not] carry such information in my mind since it is readily available in books…The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think.” The problem is, Einstein did not mean to deny one’s intellect of all information. He merely meant that one should focus on understanding concepts, critical thinking, and how to research on one’s own. That's where museums and schools should be focusing their studies-- not on the facts, but on the process of learning and discovery. Museums of all kinds could really take a page or three out of the guidebooks of children's museums.

I've had these opinions for a long time, but (thanks to the internet) I only fully realized that it all boils down to shortcuts until recently. You may have heard of an online message board called Reddit. Reddit plays a large part in both the upside and the downside to technology and us as a learning culture. Anyone can post what they believe to be important information,  and then anyone can see it and comment on it. Debates more vicious than Model UN or politician elections run rampant within the threads, and I often find myself learning more about the subject in question through those comments than through the article itself. I learn about people from other cultures and how they think, and so it's helped me to be more globally aware in general. This is all wonderful, but if you look at Reddit's format here, you'll likely understand how it also can cause people to become distracted more easily from such an information overload.

Thanks to a thread discussing a woman whose identity was mistaken due to a mixup with social media (and thus her life totally changed), I realized that shortcuts in technology are the true culprit of our troubles with technology. It's not even that they're a problem in itself, but that they're abused and thus, through abuse, have fostered a culture of people who cut-corners (possibly unknowingly) because they trust technology to be infallible.  It seems to me that the ease with which people can find information via a single search or click (ie. Google's I'm Feeling Lucky) combined with their consideration of technology to be infallible (ie relying solely on spellcheck), as well as the lack of focus on understanding how to research and think critically in schools has caused much of society to rush through work without doing a source of quality check. People rely so much on computers to check stuff for them they don't think twice about looking at an issue from a human point of view.

I don't think teaching without technology is even a remote possibility anymore-- sure, certain programming doesn't need it, but trying to cut technology out completely only because of what it is will simply not work. Our culture relies on it, and that's how we process information now. We need to embrace it, and find a way to work with it. Moreso, we need to show people how to use it wisely. 

Teaching with Objects

Recently I was assigned a project in my graduate program to devise a list of twenty questions that may be asked about a museum object we have encountered. This assignment was prompted by our reading of John Hennigar Shuh's article, Teaching Yourself to Teach with Objects, where he gave an example of a conversation that he has had between an interpreter and a group of teachers about a styrofoam cup that lead into an in-depth discussion about recycling.

As fate would have it, that weekend I held a similar conversation with a Boy Scout troupe (both the children and the adults) about a dinosaur fossil at the Project Exploration traveling exhibition GIANTS: African Dinosaurs at the Delaware Museum of Natural History.

Is this a bone?

Yes, this is from the back left leg of Jobaria. It is the top part of the leg, called femur or thigh bone.

That's just part of a leg? That dinosaur must have been huge!

Yes, it was about 59 feet long. If that dinosaur were standing in this room right now, it's head would have been through the roof and it's tail out the door. Here, these standing bones next to the fossil are casts of it, and you can compare yourself to the size of the bone to get a better idea.

That really was a huge dinosaur. Were all dinosaurs that big?

Many of them were quite huge, but there have been some small ones discovered as well. The smallest known dinosaur is Compsognathus, which grew to about the size of a turkey.

How do you know that? Did someone write about them?

No, humans didn't exist at the time of the dinosaurs. This particular dinosaur lived about 130 million years ago. We're trying to figure out if any mammals co-existed with dinosaurs, but according to the fossil record, if they did they were only at the beginnings of evolution. These fossils have definitely showed us a lot about dinosaurs; every day that we find a new fossil, we find out new things about them. Sometimes even just studying fossils we've already found will tell us something new about them, or tell us that we were wrong before. It's a lot of guess work.

Wait, what is a fossil record?

Fossils are the preserved remains of life, such as plant or animal material. The materials of this bone were slowly replaced by other minerals, until the bone became stone. A fossil record is the time-line we've built through studying fossils from all over the world of what life existed and what like back then. It's a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle without all the pieces.

Are all fossils dinosaur bones?

No, in fact not all bones we find are dinosaur bones. Animals that flew or swim, for example, were not dinosaurs even though they lived on this earth at the same time and looked a lot like dinosaurs. If you look around this room, we also have a fossil of a tree and of a dinosaur foot print. Fossils can be of practically anything, but fossils made from things that were already made of minerals, such as bone and teeth, are much more common. Fossils are still being made today, even.

Is it real? It feels so smooth.

It is real, but it has been coated in varnish to protect it. This is one of the few real fossils that are in this room. Since they are stone, they are often too heavy and fragile to display. Getting to touch a real fossil is a real special occurrence.

How heavy is it?

This fossil weighs about 350lbs.

Wow, so are those other fossils real? (Points to the posed skeleton across the room).

No, those are casts-- if they were real, they would be too heavy to display and the skeleton would likely fall apart.

It's probably more expensive to move the real fossils, too, right?

Right! Not only is it expensive, but sometimes these fossils can't be removed from their country of origin. By making casts, the fossils can remain in the country they were found and be studied by scientists while the casts can travel the world so the rest of us can learn about these amazing creatures.

Why is it so important to learn about these things if they don't exist anymore?

There are a few reasons. First, humans are curious and we have a natural desire to learn new things and solve mysteries. Second, studying fossils may help us to determine for sure how life began, how this planet was created, and maybe even how other planets or how this universe was created. Lastly, by studying what happened to the earth in the past, we can try to understand what is happening to us now. Many fossils have helped us discover more about the process of global warming, and more information may help us learn more about how long this climate change will take, predict the effects, or even figure out how to slow it down.

Slow it down? You mean you can't stop it?

No. The earth is in a perpetual cycle of ice ages, we know that much. Technically we're in an ice age now, as an ice age is any point at which there is permanent ice on the earth. The ice caps are destined to melt one day and the entire earth will be warmer for a time before the next ice age sets in. How long till that happens and how long it will last is what we don't know.

If you can't stop it, what's the point of all these conservationists trying to fight it?

In the past, the cycles of the earth's warming and cooling were caused solely by natural occurrences. Human pollution, however, is effecting these cycles by speeding up the process of climate change. This, coupled with the dramatic increase in extirpated species due to pollution, hunting, habitat infringement, and introduction of other species is destroying ecosystems far faster than nature can counteract. As the problems caused by rapid changes are our fault, it is the responsibility of humans to try to fix them before it is too late not only for other species, but for our own as well.

But why do we need to worry so much? With the technology we have, do we really need nature anymore? Can't we just make it ourselves? What about those biodomes?

Everything we make comes originally from nature- without resources, we cannot do anything. Even if we were to rebuild all of the lost habitat, it will never be the same quality as it was before. There are studies that show that even after 100 years, a rebuilt marshland does not clean the water and provide for the ecosystem as well as the original. It is also a very expensive process to 'make' practically anything, including habitats. Also, technology has not come far enough that we can subsist upon things like 'biodomes' alone. Even if it had, it would be much too expensive and we would not be able to care for the entire human population. Besides, we would be missing out on a great thing-- the natural world.

I guess that's right, I would much rather be able to go outside in the sun and fresh air than be cooped up inside my whole life, even if it looked natural.

Sure you would. Now, can you imagine what it would be like to be a kid a thousand years from now and you don't even know what nature is?

That sounds depressing. That reminds me of when my grandfather used to tell me about how beautiful the woods were around here. When I was a kid I always wished I had woods to play in, there was nothing to do in my neighborhood.

Yea, when I moved to the city I had the same problem. It wasn't safe to go outside, and even if you could there was trash everywhere, and that made you want to be outside even less. I'd take my dog for a walk and end up spending an hour just picking up trash along the way.

Ew, I wish there wasn't so much trash, it's disgusting.

Well, it won't fix the problem everywhere, but you could try reducing trash in your own home and community by practicing composting and recycling. Every little bit helps, and once it catches in in your area, others are encouraged to do it.

That sounds like a lot of work. We don't have much space, either.

It may take up a little more space in your house for the extra bin, but it'll mean you can go longer without taking out the trash, and you can use the compost either for your own plants or gift it to friends and family with gardens. Neither in-home recycling or composting take much work once you learn what goes where.

What do I have to do?

Recycling is easy- just find out what is recycled in your area by looking it up online or calling your local waste authority. Usually it includes things like soda cans, glass, drink bottles, paper, and cardboard. Some places you can recycle more things, like yogurt cups, grocery bags, and snack wrappers. For composting, it's a little bit more involved but not much. You can do it inside or outside so long as it's not freezing: just get a Rubbermaid (any size as long as it's a little tall), drill some drainage holes in the bottom and some air holes on the sides, and fill it with a little dirt. You'll want to put some small worms in there as well, which you can get from a garden or bait shop. Then just put in stuff like leftover fruits, vegetables, tea bags, coffee grinds, eggshells, and paper in there. You don't even have to stir it. In a few days you should have some great compost for gardening.

I don't have a yard to do this in, won't the compost stink up my house?

If there are enough worms, it won't. It may smell a little if you take off the lid and start digging around, but it won't make your house smell if you do an inside compost.

That sounds great, I'll have to think on it some more, but I might try that.

Wonderful! If you want more information, just check out www.howtocompost.org

The African American Museum

Title:  Rev. Richard Allen and Absalom Jones

Year:  2011
Material: A/V equipment, wood, paint
Creator:  Unknown
Collection: Audacious Freedom


Much like the moving portrait at Eastern State Penitentiary, the African American Museum features  'talking pictures' in one of their current exhibitions, Audacious Freedom. Rather than there being just one of these portraits, however, the museum has taken this a step further and hosts a number of these portraits on the second floor. Each is of an individual important to the African American community in Philadelphia from as far back as the initial colonization of America by Europeans. The actors have been filmed with vivid colors and bright lighting to look as if they were painted. Buttons are found to the right of each portrait where questions may be asked of the characters.


Only one of these portraits featured a pair of people, and that is the portrait of Reverends Richard Allen and Absalom Jones. Both of these men were ministers who founded their own churches in Philadelphia because the African American people were not welcome as equals in the white churches. These two worked together not only to preach their beliefs, but dedicated their time during the Yellow Fever scare to helping those who were too poor to flee the city and protecting the property of those who left. It was noted, however, that when the rich white families returned after the epidemic, the ministers and their congregations were accused of looting even though the looting was actually performed by the 'white thugs' that remained in the city. 


I found this interesting because unlike the other portraits, these men talked about issues that are still extremely prevalent today. For example, during Katrina the poorest members of society were accused of looting, even though videos show the common culprits were thugs and punks that appeared as if they could have afforded those items they looted anyway. Knowing that early African American churches utilized energetic songs and moving speeches like are well-known today also made me realize that these churches are like this because of their heritage of being freedom centers.


I feel like most people who go into this exhibition are likely to be interested in the portraits. Even small children were held captive by these character. Someone who is not religious, however, may not be drawn to this specific portrait. They may even be put off initially by the smirking faces of the characters.

The Wagner Free Institute of Science

Title: California Grey Squirrel, Sciurus griseus griseus

Year: Unknown
Material: Animal product (skin, fur), cotton, wood, plaster, glass
Creator:  Unknown
Collection: Upstairs, Taxidermy (Case 24)

Within the upstairs portion of the Wagner Free Institute of Science resides an age-old collection of natural history objects. Many of these are over 200 years old and collected by William Wagner or Joseph Leidy himself. The museum has not changed much since its conception, and for the most part the labels have remained the same, even when they are not entirely accurate. The cases are numbered, and the museum itself resembles a scientific collection rather than museum education. 

One case that stood out as being more outright educational (in the general sense versus research-type education) is the taxidermy case. This case featured a montage of animals (California Grey Squirrels to be specific) at various stages of the taxidermy process. The centerpiece to the case was a completed taxidermy of a California Grey Squirrel.  

Together the objects instruct the reader on how to perform a taxidermy on an animal. Being as a large percentage of the natural history objects in the room were taxidermy, this was an extremely informative case to explain the amount of work that goes into each sculpture. One would venture to guess that the presence of such a display is to encourage a greater appreciation for the other objects within the museum, as the voice of the text implied that the information at hand was important and to be taken seriously as an art form.

Visitors who are interested in the process of the creation of such objects, be it through respect for others' work or a personal interest in the subject would find this display interesting. Those who do not agree with the killing of an animal for any reason, or simply disagree with the display of what is essentially a carcass would not appreciate this object, however, much less the other objects in the case (or the museum's collection as a whole). 

I for one found this display quite interesting because I have some minor experience with the taxidermy process myself. I have watched part of it be done, and have create a study skin before. A study skin is a stuffed skin, like a taxidermy, but it is stuffed for research and so the anatomy has been taken into account when stuffing, but the animal is in no active pose (instead it is stretched out so that it can be measured easily), has no glass eyes, and is not treated (so that the skin and hair may be used for DNA testing).  

The above image is an example of such a study skin utilizing the same species as in the taxidermies.   Stuffing the rat I made a skin of was hard enough without using a framework. I can only imagine how hard it must be to create an accurate, well-sculpted taxidermy. For older students or for adults, it may be interesting to have an all-day (or multiple day) program on the process of taxidermy where participants are able to create their own study skin. This would instill a greater understanding of not only the taxidermy and research process, but of the animal being studied for the activity. Some participants may even find they have a stronger interest in learning how to taxidermy.

The PENN Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

Title: Sphinx

Year: 1279-1204 BCE
Material: Red Granite
Created during:  Dynasty 19, Reigns of Ramses II-Merenptah
Collection: Lower Egyptian Gallery

Perhaps one of the most well-known and popular objects within the PENN Musuem of Archaeology and Anthropology's world-renowned Egyptian artifact collection is the sphinx. It is the third largest known sphinx in the world. The sphinx weighs in at about twelve tons, and is made purely of red granite. Upon entering the room, one may notice that the floor has several large cracks due to the sheer weight of the statue.

The Egyptian sphinx is typically depicted as mythical creature with a lion's body and the head of a man, also known as the androsphinx in contrast to the female Greek sphinx. The androsphinx is viewed as a benevolent creature, often found guarding the entrance to temples. To the Egyptians, the sphinx represents the power of the Egyptian pharaoh to conquer enemies and protect the people. 

This sphinx in particular was found buried up to its shoulders in sand, with the face exposed to the elements. This resulted in the erosion of the facial features and part of the false beard (a symbol of divine royalty). Inscriptions on the chest and around the base of the statue list the five names of Rameses II. Following his death, Ramses II's son Merenptah added his names in cartouches to the shoulders of the sphinx. The sphinx was sculpted from red granite that was quarried at Aswan and transported by river to Merenptah's temple at Memphis. How this was done is still speculated, but it is apparent that the transportation occurred. The map to the left illustrates the location of Aswan and Memphis.

The sphinx is displayed as the prominent object in the Lower Egypt gallery. The entire room is dimly lit to protect the objects, and is also large and open.  Surrounding the sphinx are a number of columns, mostly limestone from the Merenptah Temple (The Great Temple of Ptah) as well as tablets, statues, and other items mostly from the museum's expeditions in the early to mid twentieth century. The sphinx, however, was excavated by the Egyptian Exploration Fund, under the direction of the famous archaeologist, Sir William M. Flinders Petrie (because of this there is always the chance that it will be reclaimed). The sphinx, however, is not from an expedition by the museum but by The combination gives the impression of stepping into an ancient temple. 

The only label on the sphinx is a small one that includes most of the information listed in the first two paragraphs of this blog. It does not offer any definitions or images, however, and so appears to be mostly for those academics that are familiar with Egyptology. Those that are not as familiar may become disinterested in the exhibit due to the need for a greater understanding of the subject. If the museum wishes to attract a broader audience, it may be in the institution's best interest to offer additional labels with a less technical vocabulary. 

An activity that could be used to engage viewers with the object (and others) is something to help teach the basics of hieroglyphics, much like the 'write your won hieroglyphics' kits for children. A kit like this was one that made me interested in Egyptology as a kid, and may do the same for others. So that the activity does not seem out of place in the room, it could be designed as a rubbing kiosk that appears authentic. Another experience that could engage viewers would be interpretations delving further into Egyptian mythology, or speculations as to how it may have been transported up the Nile.

The Academy of Natural Sciences

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) by Ali Shildt, UArts

Title: Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
DOB:  2002-2003 (estimate)
Material (of enclosure):  Fiberglass, cement, fabric (stuffed animals, bedding), water feature, plexiglass, metal
Source:  Mercer County Wildlife Center
Location: New Jersey
Collection: Live Animal Center


The Live Animal Center (LAC) is located on the bottom floor of the Academy of Natural Sciences. It is where the majority of the museum's living collection is housed, and is set up like any other education animal department (meaning that the enclosures are not designed as realistic exhibits for the public because the animals). All of the animals are used in the Outside-In, programs around the museum, or taken on outreach. Interns and staff are trained to handle the animals according to a rating scale of the skill level required. The LAC however is still an exhibit in that there are windows for the public to look into the Mammal and Herp rooms as well as the kitchen, and not only view some of the animals but watch the zookeepers working and talk to them if the zookeeper is willing. Another plus to these windows is that the knowledge that visitors may be watching acts as incentive for the keepers to not only be efficient and professional in the work area, but tidy. While attending Delaware Valley College for my BS in Zoo Science, I interned at the LAC. There I specialized with raptors (birds of prey) and mammals. My favorite part of working in the mammal room was the fact that visitors could watch me work and I could answer questions for them about the animals or about my job. 


One of the enclosures that is visible to the public is that of the red fox. Visitors are often confused by this individual, as she is not red. The red fox, Tokala (Native American for 'fox'), is leucistic. This means that there is reduced color in her pigmentation (but she is not albino). On the rare occasions this shy fox (she's so shy even I've never gotten a good photo of her) allows someone to view her, you will see that she is mostly white, with black eyes, a red V shape down her back, and red outlines around her eyes resembling the Egyptian kohl or galena. As beautiful as she is, she could not survive in the wild because her mutation prevents her from camouflaging. Because of this she is a wonderful example to use in education when describing adaptations.


The enclosure is in an L shape, with a door between the two sections so that a keeper may block her from one side of the enclosure when cleaning or doing maintenance. The left side houses an open bed as well as a 'cave' for her to climb on or hide in. The right side has a medium sized dog carrier and a water feature with a pool and a stream. Tokala is explorative, so both rooms are filled with dog toys, plushies, blankets to curl up in, and other enrichment. The biggest issue with interpreting this enclosure is an emphasis that even though she has dog toys, she is not a pet, she is still a wild animal at heart, with strong instincts. My work with her during internship was a prime example of this-- though she could be harnessed and walked, trained basic commands, and liked to play, I had to always remember that she is not domesticated and therefore I must always be on guard.

Bennie, photo by Bill "Itinerant Wanderer"

The visitor accessible area of the LAC is rather small, so the 'objects' surrounding the fox were the mammal and herp rooms as well as the kitchen. Anyone viewing the fox was bound to be serenaded by the calls of the crows in the bird room (behind the fox) as well as Bennie, the Moluccan cockatoo whose daily perch is at the front of the mammal room. Behind 'Bennie and Co.' (Zoot, a blue and gold macaw and an African Grey parrot) a visitor could see the duck pond, coati enclosure, and several small mammal enclosures (as well as any animals that were free ranging at the moment). Next to the mammal room (to the right) is the herp room, however you cannot see into it well as most of it is blocked by the iguana enclosure. Finally, at the end of the hallway is the kitchen, with a lift-up window at the counter where visitors can speak with the keepers as they prepare the daily food and medications. 

The message of the red fox enclosure as well as the entire LAC is that of encouraging conservation through the gaining of a deeper understanding of the species in it. The point of view of zoos is that 'there is nothing more meaningful than the connection a visitor will make than looking straight into the eyes of a living animal,' which also applies here. Most of the animals in the LAC are non-releasable wildlife, especially those that are either amputees or imprinted. A good number of them are donations or confiscations from pet owners that could no longer care for an animal. Tokala, for example, is suspected to be a released or escaped exotic animal as her coloration is not only rare in the wild, but she is extremely socialized and was found wandering the streets of New Jersey with a harness (a state in which permits are required to own them). A combination of seeing the animals first-hand, reading the interpretations, and speaking with staff help to encourage visitors to help the cause of conservation.

Visitors often don't realize this, and assume that the museum either treats all of these animals like domesticated pets, or that they were captured or forced from the wild and could be perfectly fine if they were released. Just like when working at a zoo, it is a constant struggle to help these misinformed visitors understand that American zoos of any sort do not take part in such practices and have not since the the mid twentieth century. I've lost count of how many times I've had to explain this-- as the saying goes, 'if I had a nickel...' I'd be rich. Many visitors came into the LAC with this view when I was working there (and I'm sure still do), hopefully they all did and all will come out knowing otherwise, and perhaps will have the drive to research more into a specific animal, environment, worldwide conservation efforts, or even just simple things to do at home.

Overall, I love how the LAC is designed. Further education and interpretation that the Academy could feature to further engage viewers with the red fox or the LAC as a whole would be to provide some sort of animal guide (either in book or electronic form) where the public could see a brief natural history and personal history of each species housed in the LAC. Also, it would be nice to include a basic map and some photos of the bird and herp rooms as they are not visible like the mammal room. Providing this map would satisfy a lot of curiosity.