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The new eye-popping Earth Theater, located on the first floor of
the museum beyond Dinosaur Hall, has just opened to the public. At the
center of the excitement is SkyVision, a multi-media technology that surrounds
audiences in 210 degrees of high-resolution video.
SkyVision is BIG. How big? Five projectors seamlessly integrate hugethats
100 million pixels per second huge — images onto a screen 40 feet in diameter
and 10 feet high. The curved screen wraps around you. Those seated in the
theaters 65 seats experience a visual crispness and immersion that surpasses
even IMAX films. Five projectors, five computers, five digital speakers,
and 120 watts of bass produce a “youre right there” experience unlike
anything before.
The Earth Theater is the first in the world built solely for SkyVision,
says Kerry Handron, who joined Carnegie Museum of Natural History last
summer to coordinate the Earth Theater project. Handron, formerly with
the Houston Museum of Natural Science, notes that SkyVision is typically
used in planetarium settings, as is the case in Houston. But SkyVision,
she says, produces an even more dramatic effect when projected onto a wrap-around
screen rather than a planetarium ceiling.
“The Millennium Show” is the Earth Theaters first offering. Created
by Handron and a team of multimedia collaborators, the show takes viewers
through events that shaped the earth, including the creation of the moon,
possible beginnings of life, and the age of dinosaurs. “You feel like youre
flying away from the Earth and looking back at it,” says Handron.
Digital production, including the capability for 3-D images, will allows
the museum to create its own shows and change them every six months. According
to Handron, “With this technology, we can support traveling exhibits and
collaborate with partners to highlight innovations and discoveries made
in Pittsburgh.”
The Earth Theater is funded by the R.K. Mellon Foundation, and in part
by “Mission to Planet Earth,” a NASA grant shared by The Houston Museum
of Natural Sciences, Rice University and Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Enjoy the “Millennium Show” every half hour: Tuesday-Friday 10:30 am
to 3:00 pm; Saturday 10:30 am to 4:00 pm; and Sunday 1:30pm to 4: 00 pm
Members/Children/Seniors/Groups: $2.00; Non-members: $3.00
Meet the Scientist
Maritime Archaeologist Dave Watters
“Archaeologist”: A scientist who recovers and studies the material
evidencesuch as graves, buildings, tools, and potteryfrom past human
life and culture.
What would lead a boy from Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania, to become
a maritime archaeologist in the Caribbean? A love of history, discovery,
and the outdoors, says Dave Watters, archaeologist and curator-in-charge
of the Section of Anthropology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
For the past 25 years, Watters has focused his attention on the islands
of the Caribbean, which has become a rich area of exploration for archaeologists.
The West Indiesas the islands of the Caribbean are called–is the major
group of islands in the Western Hemisphere inhabited by humans in prehistoric
times.
Together with scientific colleagues from all over the world, Watters
has uncovered important information about the Amerindian settlers from
South America who lived in the Caribbean before Europeans started arriving
in 1492. Tragically, European settlement annihilated the Amerindians. “Archaeology,”
says Watters, “is the only way to find out more about the centuries of
these prehistoric people.”
Through Watters research, prehistoric habitation on the islands can
be dated back to 2000 B.C., an earlier date than had previously been set.
His study of island pottery indicates that pottery-making there dates back
to 500 B.C.again, much earlier than had been thought. “The fact that the
Amerindians arrived in the Caribbean by boat tells us something amazing
about the capabilities of these seafarers 4000 years ago,” says Watters.
Watters overarching interest is in maritime adaptations; that is, how
people adapt to a life dominated by the sea. The relationship of maritime
archaeology to oceanography led him to do post-graduate work at Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts, known for the work of Robert
Ballard, who discovered the remains of the Titanic, as well as other
lost vessels.
Watters notes that, as a museum archaeologist, he is concerned with
sharing the fruits of research with the public. “Archaeology is a small
discipline compared to other sciences,” explains Watters. “As an archaeologist,
you can study humans anywhere they have lived — and in the prehistoric
era they have lived everywhere except Antarctica. Its a wide open field.”
To find out more about anthropological research at Carnegie Museum of
Natural History check out the museums website at www.carnegiemuseums.org.
Roll Call for Camp Earth
If Punxsutawney Pete emerges from his hole on Groundhog Day, can summer
camp be far behind? Well, yes, actually…but its not too early to remind
you that spaces in the museums popular Camp Earth go fast. Make a date
with yourself to register your childrenearlyin the camp of their choice.
This summers camp will run from June 12 to August 18, with pre- and post-camp
sessions available. For a camp brochure, call (412) 622-3288.
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E-mail: carnegiemag@carnegiemuseums.org
