Titans of the Ice Age - 3D

mammothTitans of the Ice Age transports viewers to the beautiful and otherworldly frozen landscapes of North America, Europe, and Asia 10 thousand years before modern civilization. Travel across monumental glaciers and sweeping grasslands, rich in life—a Northern Hemisphere whose vast plains resembled the African Serengeti. Roam the mammoth steppe with baby Lyuba, a 40,000 year old female Woolly Mammoth calf, now one of the best preserved mammoth mummies in the world. Discover the story of Zed, one of the most complete Colombian Mammoth skeletons ever uncovered. Witness a time when the hunters became the hunted, where saber-tooths, dire wolves, and cave bears ruled untamed continents.

Showing June 15 - October 7, 2018

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Oceans: Our Blue Planet - Giant Film

otter

Oceans: Our Blue Planet takes us on a global odyssey to discover the largest and least explored habitat on earth. From the coastal shallows to deeper, more mysterious worlds, we reveal the untold stories of the oceans' most astonishing creatures. Meet fascinating characters like the ingenious tusk fish that uses a tool to open its food. Find a cunning octopus who shields herself in an armory of shells to hide from predators. As we journey through our oceans, we share these extraordinary discoveries and uncover a spectacular world of life beneath the waves.

Showing August  - October 7, 2018

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Planetarium - The Solar System Show

planetsLooking to explore way-out worlds? The blistering Sun? Mysterious moons? Crazy comets and amazing asteroids? Then join our gang of smart, wacky reporters and rambunctious planets in the Planetarium Channel’s new extravaganza, The Solar System Show! We promise planet fun for everyone. Warning: Audience participation may be required. For families of all ages. For school groups K through 4th.

Showing June 16 - October 7, 2018

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“Tully Monster” - Tullimonstrum gregarium

fossil

This specimen was collected in northeastern Illinois in the Mazon Creek. The fossils formed approximately 307 million years ago and are preserved in ironstone concretions. These concretions often preserved hard tissues as well as rarer soft-bodied animals, like this “Tully Monster.”

Tullimonstrum gregarium, with its strange body plan, has eluded classification for some time. It has been called a worm, an arthropod, and a mollusk, but most recent studies place it as a basal vertebrate.

American Bamboo DNA Voucher

bamboo

This is a specimen of the bamboo species Arthrostylidium venezuelae. A. venezuelae is one of over 400 species of bamboo that are native to Central and South America. Most American bamboos have small stems and use surrounding vegetation to help them stand upright. This specimen is from Costa Rica and it served as one of the sources of DNA used in a 2012 research paper on the evolution of woody bamboos of the New World tropics. American bamboo diversity and evolution is one of the many research areas that MPM curators have investigated over the years.

Tiger Moths

tiger moths

It is estimated there are over 11,000 described tiger moth species worldwide. These moths are well known for their bright coloration, mimicry, and sophisticated defensive strategies. Many tiger moths feed on toxic plants and lichens as larvae (and in some cases, adults) in order to gain chemical protection against vertebrate predators. Some species use these toxic compounds for both defense and to attract and protect their mates. Other tiger moth species use sound production to ward off attackers – in some cases, jamming bat echolocation to avoid being eaten!

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