Did you know that chocolate, cherries, almonds, cinnamon, coffee and cheese can be poisonous? I think you'll be fascinated at what you learn, experience, and discover in The Power of Poison at Fernbank Museum of Natural History! I do, however, recommend that you allow ample time to digest every dimension of this exhibition.
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| The Power of Poison | Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
There are extensive features and displays and interactive stations, I really don't know where to start, but given the popularity of CSI-like television programs, let me tell you a little about the Live Science Shows that are part of The Power of Poison exhibition.
The live shows are more lab-like, and the presenter(s) is wearing a lab coat, there are beakers and test tubes, and certain curiosities! Presentation attendees get to enjoy the fascination of the science and history of toxicology and poisoning...Seriously, doesn't that sound awesome? I didn't stop in for long, but when I go back, I want to sit in for a full "investigation"!
In addition to the show and other features in The Power of Poison, there's quite a bit of programming, including several Dangerously Delicious Tasting Events! Click that link to learn more about the chocolate and cinnamon and other delectable items noted in my lead-in question.
The live shows are more lab-like, and the presenter(s) is wearing a lab coat, there are beakers and test tubes, and certain curiosities! Presentation attendees get to enjoy the fascination of the science and history of toxicology and poisoning...Seriously, doesn't that sound awesome? I didn't stop in for long, but when I go back, I want to sit in for a full "investigation"!
In addition to the show and other features in The Power of Poison, there's quite a bit of programming, including several Dangerously Delicious Tasting Events! Click that link to learn more about the chocolate and cinnamon and other delectable items noted in my lead-in question.
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| The Power of Poison | Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
I think it's fantastic that the exhibition includes a nod to Alice in Wonderland, which celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2015. But...you may be surprised at exactly what about Alice's wonderland you learn!
The magnificent hat on display was made in the 1900s, at a time when toxic chemicals were used in the manufacturing of hats. One chemical in particular was used in hat-making from the 1700s through the early 1900s. Let's suffice it to say that "Mad Hatter"—crazy hat maker, if you will—is quite founded in today-known factual evidence.
But, don't assume we're out of danger just yet. That same chemical, while no longer used in the hat-making process, is still a threat today...in more ways than you might think. Knowledge...is...power, and you'll gain quite a lot at Fernbank!
By the way, if you've never seen the Jose de Creeft "Alice in Wonderland" bronze sculpture in New York City's Central Park, be sure to add it to your must-see list. It's fantastic! One of my best friends just moved to NYC for a great new job, so I hope to see the sculpture again when visiting...after their snow melts, of course!
The magnificent hat on display was made in the 1900s, at a time when toxic chemicals were used in the manufacturing of hats. One chemical in particular was used in hat-making from the 1700s through the early 1900s. Let's suffice it to say that "Mad Hatter"—crazy hat maker, if you will—is quite founded in today-known factual evidence.
But, don't assume we're out of danger just yet. That same chemical, while no longer used in the hat-making process, is still a threat today...in more ways than you might think. Knowledge...is...power, and you'll gain quite a lot at Fernbank!
By the way, if you've never seen the Jose de Creeft "Alice in Wonderland" bronze sculpture in New York City's Central Park, be sure to add it to your must-see list. It's fantastic! One of my best friends just moved to NYC for a great new job, so I hope to see the sculpture again when visiting...after their snow melts, of course!
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| The Power of Poison | Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
The Choco Rainforest diorama, at the entrance of the exhibition, is brilliant! The Choco is known to be the wettest environment on Earth and it has one of the highest concentrations of indigenous species. Even more fascinating—to me—the Choco is said to have an extremely high number of species unknown to science.
And I love the 3X Magnification displays! There are lots of animals on display in this part of the exhibition, some of them real and some are models...all of them fascinating.
And I love the 3X Magnification displays! There are lots of animals on display in this part of the exhibition, some of them real and some are models...all of them fascinating.
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| The Power of Poison | Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
The "Enchanted Book" is going to be one of if not the most popular display in the exhibition. And it totally is enchanted...at least, even as technically wired as I am, I couldn't figure out the technology behind the this magical botanical book.
The book is massive...it's probably something close to 2.5' x 3.5', maybe bigger. You get to turn the pages and as you do they come to life...from blank pages to full animation! And then there are icons that you touch that reveal even more animation—additional information about the plants and herbs written about throughout the book.
The experience reminds me an Arthur C. Clarke quote, who was one of my all-time favorite authors..."Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." I like to think I'm a fairly bright person, but I couldn't figure out this book's technology. So it must be magic!
The book is massive...it's probably something close to 2.5' x 3.5', maybe bigger. You get to turn the pages and as you do they come to life...from blank pages to full animation! And then there are icons that you touch that reveal even more animation—additional information about the plants and herbs written about throughout the book.
The experience reminds me an Arthur C. Clarke quote, who was one of my all-time favorite authors..."Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." I like to think I'm a fairly bright person, but I couldn't figure out this book's technology. So it must be magic!
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| The Power of Poison | Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
We all know that there are lots of poisonous animals on the planet. Snakes, poison dart frogs, spiders and some eels, just to name a few. And of course scorpions!
I got excited when I saw this display, and not because I'd just re-watched Clash of the Titans—which has some pretty incredible scorpion scenes—but because I was stung by a scorpion when I was a teenager. Twice!
Fortunately, scorpions, like lots of other poisonous animals, are poisonous to varying degrees. The one that stung me was when I was living in Jacksonville, Florida. The doctor that my mother called explained that scorpions on the East Coast are not as poisonous as they ones on the West Coast. But I can't imagine they'd be any less painful. A scorpion sting HURTS!
Throughout the exhibition there are examples of how poison is used for good, for promoting healing. As much as I remember about the exhibition, there's a lot that I want to go back and reabsorb. In the meantime, I've been having a blast doing some tangential research. This Wired Magazine article on the potential to treat cancerous tumors using scorpion venom is fascinating!
I got excited when I saw this display, and not because I'd just re-watched Clash of the Titans—which has some pretty incredible scorpion scenes—but because I was stung by a scorpion when I was a teenager. Twice!
Fortunately, scorpions, like lots of other poisonous animals, are poisonous to varying degrees. The one that stung me was when I was living in Jacksonville, Florida. The doctor that my mother called explained that scorpions on the East Coast are not as poisonous as they ones on the West Coast. But I can't imagine they'd be any less painful. A scorpion sting HURTS!
Throughout the exhibition there are examples of how poison is used for good, for promoting healing. As much as I remember about the exhibition, there's a lot that I want to go back and reabsorb. In the meantime, I've been having a blast doing some tangential research. This Wired Magazine article on the potential to treat cancerous tumors using scorpion venom is fascinating!
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| The Power of Poison | Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
Most poisonings we hear about today are accidental, but there was a time when people ingested poison on purpose. In the case of the photo above, this life-size diorama depicts Emperor Qin Shihuangdi, China's first emperor, preparing to consume what's believed to have killed him...a poison, that he thought would give him immortality. We've learned a lot about what is and what isn't poisonous since 210 BC.
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| The Power of Poison | Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
When you see The Power of Poison, please, please, please allow yourself ample time to explore—or plan multiple visits to Fernbank on your visit to Atlanta. You'll want to see the rest of the museum, too! I totally have to go back and continue exploring this exhibition...a couple of hours wasn't enough for me.
There's one wall that has everything from stones to bones and books to crooks...any and practically everything to do with poison across a world of disciplines. I have to admit that after seeing the Harry Potter display—which talks about Harry saving Ron after being poisoned—I've started re-watching the Harry Potter movies.
There's one wall that has everything from stones to bones and books to crooks...any and practically everything to do with poison across a world of disciplines. I have to admit that after seeing the Harry Potter display—which talks about Harry saving Ron after being poisoned—I've started re-watching the Harry Potter movies.
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| The Power of Poison | Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
This is a favorite of mine in the exhibition. Not because I'm a former sailor, but because it's one of three interactive stations challenging visitors to solve a poison mystery! Sounds like fun, right? They totally are!
In fact, the friend I went with, Glen, and I, with only moments to spare before the Museum closed (we spent a lot of time mesmerized by The Enchanted Book), successfully completed all three of the poison mysteries! And no, I'm not going to give you the answers. What'd be the fun in that?
In fact, the friend I went with, Glen, and I, with only moments to spare before the Museum closed (we spent a lot of time mesmerized by The Enchanted Book), successfully completed all three of the poison mysteries! And no, I'm not going to give you the answers. What'd be the fun in that?
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| The Power of Poison | Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
When I first saw the gentle Snow White sleeping (Remember the poisonous apple?), I wasn't quite sure how to take-in this particular display. So many of us equate poison with death or possible death. To see a life-size humanoid figure—from a distance—was not exactly alarming, but it did give me pause.
In the end, I feel that it's a wonderful teaching opportunity. For the kids who love and adore fairytale princesses and might be disturbed that Snow White is "at rest", their parents have have the opportunity to teach their kids caution, to teach their kids the power of knowledge, to teach their kids the difference between make-believe and real life while recognizing how each influences the other.
I'm not a parent, so I really can't give advice here...and I don't know enough about princesses to even be clever about it. But I do remember being a kid and wanting to know everything about everything...I was curious! Okay, I guess I've not changed that much.
In the end, I feel that it's a wonderful teaching opportunity. For the kids who love and adore fairytale princesses and might be disturbed that Snow White is "at rest", their parents have have the opportunity to teach their kids caution, to teach their kids the power of knowledge, to teach their kids the difference between make-believe and real life while recognizing how each influences the other.
I'm not a parent, so I really can't give advice here...and I don't know enough about princesses to even be clever about it. But I do remember being a kid and wanting to know everything about everything...I was curious! Okay, I guess I've not changed that much.
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| The Power of Poison | Fernbank Museum of Natural History |
A centerpiece in this exhibition is a trio of witches, life-size, from William Shakespeare's Macbeth and they're magnificent! I made some photos, but those particular photos weren't so magnificent.
BUT, guess what? Photography is allowed in this exhibition, so YOU will have the opportunity to make photos of the trio and everything else in the exhibition!
Originating from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, Fernbank Museum of Natural History is the first stop on The Power of Poison's tour. You only have until Sunday, May 3, 2015, to see this amazing show. Go...be mesmerized, learn, be fascinated, explore, be curious, interact...just don't lick the poison dart frogs, okay?
BUT, guess what? Photography is allowed in this exhibition, so YOU will have the opportunity to make photos of the trio and everything else in the exhibition!
Originating from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, Fernbank Museum of Natural History is the first stop on The Power of Poison's tour. You only have until Sunday, May 3, 2015, to see this amazing show. Go...be mesmerized, learn, be fascinated, explore, be curious, interact...just don't lick the poison dart frogs, okay?
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