Archive for Monday, November 3, 2008
Natural History Museum puts collection of oddities on display
From left, Gail Sherron, Iris Sherron, 5, and Carly Armbrister, 4, all of Baldwin City, take a closer look at a selection of lichens Sunday during the Kansas University Natural History Museum's "Museum Oddities" display. The one-day showing allowed the public to experience some exhibits rarely seen.
November 3, 2008
Advertisement
The crowd of small children hovered over the tank, staring at the dead fish floating before them and giving off a faint fishy smell.
"Pretty big fish," 10-year-old Wyatt Slavin said, summing up the sight. "I wouldn't want it chasing after me, that's for sure."
For many, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime close-up view of the endangered coelacanth, the prehistoric fish that's changed very little in its millions of years on Earth.
"There's only about 230 in scientific collections around the world," said Andy Bentley, collection manager of fishes at Kansas University's Natural History Museum.
The rare coelacanth was one of dozens of wild and wonderful specimens on display Sunday at the museum. Steady crowds poured into Dyche Hall for the one-day exhibit "What on Earth? Museum Oddities."
They took in fanged frogs, deep-ocean fish, ammonites - an extinct mollusk - and native Kansas mussels.
Wendy Eash, a graduate student in ecology and evolutionary biology, stood behind the table displaying mussels and explained how they, like several of the specimens on display Sunday that are not extinct, live a fragile existence.
"A lot of the mussels here are endangered or threatened or in need of conservation," she said. "They were heavily harvested in the 1900s to make buttons out of. ... Populations are really low now."
The coelacanths also are endangered. They live in the waters off the coast of Africa and die after they're caught by fishermen who seek other fish.
"Very small populations, very small habitat, very slow-growing, very slow reproducing -makes for a species that is very, very endangered and in threat of becoming extinct," Bentley said.
Sunday's crowds also saw colorful varieties of lichen and the long wing of a wandering albatross, the seabird that has a unique method of grocery shopping.
"They can wander around the globe in search of food," said Mike Andersen, a KU graduate student in ornithology. "They'll go around the globe in several days' time to bring food back. They'll come back to their young who are raised on islands and they'll actually regurgitate that food, fish and squid and so forth."
Andersen, who sat at the table behind the albatross, said he saw many wide eyes in the crowd.
"Most people say, 'I've never seen an albatross,'" he said. "They've heard of them, but they just don't know how big they are."
More like this
- Something fishy 7 comments / October 29, 2006
- Museums hold hidden oddities August 28, 2001
- S MYSTERY FISH July 31, 1995
- Environmentalists hope to boost freshwater mussel populations 9 comments / November 5, 2007
- KU Natural History Museum to display oddities October 30, 2008
Top ads RSS
- IT Manager Medium sized, multi-state service company has opening for ...
- ALL GIRLS & GUYS $400 - $850 / week. No ...
- Googols of Learning Child Development Center is now hiring for ...
- NEUVANT HOUSE of Lawrence Personal Memory Care Seeking Administrator for ...
- Customer Service Representatives • Various shifts available • Monday - ...
Marketplace
Arts & Entertainment · Bars · Theatres · Restaurants · Coffeehouses · Libraries · Antiques · Services
- Blog: If This Is The End, How Will Mangino Be Remembered? November 29, 2009 · 14 comments
- Suicide numbers climbing November 29, 2009 · 18 comments
- Miserable ending November 29, 2009 · 27 comments
- Jobless recovery will haunt Democrats November 29, 2009 · 30 comments
- Senate report: Bin Laden was within grasp of U.S. troops November 29, 2009 · 23 comments
- FINAL: Ressel's last-second field goal gives MU 41-39 victory over KU November 28, 2009 · 89 comments
- Two arrested after altercation at Henry's November 29, 2009 · 25 comments
- Police: Woods, wife unavailable November 29, 2009 · 2 comments
- On the street: With the retirement of U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, what characteristics would you like to see in a new congressman? November 29, 2009 · 25 comments
- Poll: Should the Kansas Legislature pursue opportunities to privatize or outsource some government services? November 27, 2009 · 27 comments
- Two arrested after altercation at Henry's November 29, 2009
- 'Science as a Contact Sport' probes global warming battle November 29, 2009
- Behind the Lens: Zoom lenses drop in price and shed some pounds November 29, 2009
- KU teams hone ultimate Frisbee skills November 29, 2009
- Miserable ending November 29, 2009
- Leaving Las Vegas: Sin City on losing end of rough economy November 29, 2009
- Lawrence women's chorale announces holiday concert November 29, 2009
- Reese's Pieces: Kitty Reese screen-prints designs with a darker ‘Holly Hobbie Country Rainbow Brite’ aesthetic November 29, 2009
- Something special for furry friends November 29, 2009
- 6News reporter decides to follow father’s footsteps November 28, 2009
3 November 2008
at 8:23 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
seriouscat (Anonymous) says…
Wow. Sounds really cool.I wish the LJW would report about events like this before they happen instead of always waiting until the day after. It's like saying 'look at this cool event that you missed yesterday!'.
3 November 2008
at 10:31 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
oldtimer39 (Anonymous) says…
Agreed. It would be nice to find out about these things before they happen. And just in case the LJW doesn't preview this event in time, here's something else the kids might enjoy this Sunday:http://www.calendar.ku.edu/index.php?option=eventview&ce_id=22265&startday=11/09/2008&endday=11/09/2008
3 November 2008
at 11:51 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
Confrontation (Anonymous) says…
Just so you know, there was an article about this exhibit on Thursday.http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/oct/30/ku_natural_history_museum_display_oddities/
3 November 2008
at 11:56 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
The_riot_is (Anonymous) says…
Dear Serious Cat and Old Timer,Don't get mad at the Journal World. Here's a link to the story about this event that was in the paper on the 30th.http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/oct/30/ku_natural_history_museum_display_oddities/You have both obviously missed it. There were also ads in the print edition about it as well.Keep up the good work LJW.The riot is.
3 November 2008
at 12:16 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
The smells of preserved specimens just melts my heart. I would have loved to see this, but had others appts.Did anyone see that IFC/Sundance type short movie about the man who got a job refilling the alcohol in the specimen jars in a German (i think) museum basement?What was the name of that?..bizarre, but great.
3 November 2008
at 12:39 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
blue73harley (Anonymous) says…
Darn, I missed seeing Marion.
3 November 2008
at 3:34 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
seriouscat (Anonymous) says…
Open mouth. Insert foot. Still though. Is there an on-line listing somewhere of family friendly events that includes educational, community, and arts events that's covers the whole upcoming month? Does one have to check the KU website, the parks and rec website, the art center website etc all separately to get all the info? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
3 November 2008
at 4 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
oldtimer39 (Anonymous) says…
Missed that story on Thursday. My bad!
3 November 2008
at 8:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
H_Lecter (Anonymous) says…
Blue,Would that be the whole thing or selected parts
3 November 2008
at 8:26 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
pickled
3 November 2008
at 9:09 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
Luxor (Anonymous) says…
I'm with B3, it was great but the kids were a nightmare and thier parents thought they were pweeeeeeshus.
3 November 2008
at 10:41 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
SofaKing (Anonymous) says…
B3 says, “There were plenty of ill behaved children and parents there, but that is to be expected with todays society the way it is; a lack of dissapline being handed down to kids.”And B3's lack of education: “dissapline” ???
4 November 2008
at 1:04 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
redmorgan (Anonymous) says…
b3 is correct-the kids there were horrible. Loud, rude, obnoxious and pushy.