The Canadian Museum of Nature’s current featured exhibit, Creatures of Light: Nature’s Bioluminescence ends on November 9th. Produced in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Field Museum in Chicago, you don’t want to miss the chance to explore this exhibition which “shines a light on” natural organisms that produce light.
Creatures of Light explores organisms and animals that produce light. While we all know about the alluring nighttime glow of fireflies, did you know fishes in the deep, dark depths of ocean can be bioluminescent? Even some mushrooms produce their own light! This exhibition explains the science behind the phenomenon.
The Creatures of Light exhibition allows guests to roam through different environments, including a night-time meadow with fireflies and a forest-like area with glowing bioluminescent mushrooms. Then guests can explore some of nature’s fascinating creatures, like glow worms in caves which trap prey with sticky threads dropped from their bioluminescent tails.
Underwater features some of the more intriguing bioluminescent organisms. Plankton and microscopic dinoflagellates glow even if the human eye can’t see, while spellbinding deep sea creatures like anglerfish and vampire squids prowl the deep depths of the ocean.
Some live creatures can be viewed, like “flashlight” fish, while others will be represented in model form or photographs, video, and visual displays.
It is a great exhibition for the whole family to enjoy, for science lovers, or for anyone interested in investigating some of nature’s more fascinating organisms. The Museum of Nature’s next featured exhibition, Arctic Voices, an exploration of the environment, people, and wildlife of Canada’s north, begins December 5 and runs until May 3, 2015.
Admission is about $25 for adults and includes access to all general exhibitions as well.
