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Virtual Field Trips

Museum Time Machine - Destination Antarctica

We will be taking a virtual voyage to Antarctica with IMNH curator Dr. Brandon Peecook. Today Antarctica is an icy desert, home to almost no life except in the surrounding seas. But it hasn't always been this way. In fact, for most of its history Antarctica was green and full of life like everywhere else. Today only the tops of mountains peek above the enormous amounts of ice, and these mountaintops are made of rocks full of fossils from the Triassic and Jurassic periods, including dinosaurs, early mammals, and gigantic amphibians. Dr. Peecook will explore these fossils and take your questions.

Run time: 55:28

Virtual Field Trip, Destination 3D

Join Jesse Pruitt, Idaho Virtualization Lab Manager, as he describes 3D scanning, digital sculpting and 3D printing. Jesse will do a ZBrush demo on one of the skulls he is currently working on. In addition, we will get to see 3D printers in action.

Run Time: 1:00

Museum Time Machine: Destination Archaeology

Join Dr. Andy Speer, IMNH Anthropology Curator, on a virtual field trip as he explores projectile points, an object that was hafted to weapon that was capable of being thrown or projected, such as a spear, dart, or arrow, or perhaps used as a knife. Andy will explore some misconceptions people have about them, methods of manufacturing, and the "life" of a projectile point. In addition, Andy will talk about the fascination peoples have with arrowheads.

Run Time: 1:01

Museum Time Machine, Destination Shark Infested Waters

Originally aired May 15, 2020

Join Museum Director Dr. Leif Tapanila on a virtual field trip to the Phosphoria Sea that covered Pocatello 270 million years ago, home of the terrifying Buzzsaw shark. See the ocean fossils from this fascinating period of Idaho history, and learn all about the most unusual sharks in history that lived right in your backyard.

Run Time: 58:14

Virtual Field Trip, Destination Creepy Crawly

Originally aired May 22, 2020

Join Dr. Joseph Cornell on a virtual field trip as he explores insects and spiders.

Run Time: 56:37

Museum Time Machine, Destination Teeth as Time Capsules

Originally Aired May 29, 2020

Understanding the details of past human behavior is hard, as there are very few Pompeii-like examples of everyday human life preserved in the archaeological record. However, archaeologists routinely use information stored in artifacts to infer prehistoric daily activities. Join CAMAS Director John Dudgeon for a trip across the globe to explore the lives of past people from the unique perspective of information recorded in their teeth. Four out of five dentists would recommend this talk!

Run Time: 1:01

Museum Time Machine, Destination Zambia!

Originally aired June 5, 2020

Maybe you've heard of the asteroid that killed T. rex and Triceratops, but did you know that 251 million years ago an even worse mass extinction event took place? The good news is, as Earth's ecosystems healed themselves, new types of plants and animals evolved, including: the first dinosaurs, first mammals, first crocodilians, first turtles, and more! Join IMNH Paleontology Curator Brandon Peecook on a virtual safari to Africa to see some fun and surprising fossil animals from before and after the worst mass extinction of all time. On top of the fossils, Dr. Peecook's work is in Zambia's national parks so he has to collect specimens while on the lookout for lions, elephants, hippos, and crocs!

Run time: 1:05