Stardust…the human genome…some things are just universal.
How do we understand the history of our planet, let alone the enormity of our Universe? From the tiniest building blocks—the quarks and the leptons, the electrons and neutrons—to the far-flung galaxy clusters that dwarf our Milky Way—swirling, twirling, gravity-bound groups of galaxies—there’s a lot to absorb.
Enter the Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears Dynamic Earth Wing, the gallery that pieces it all together.
In this gallery, you’ll interact with the fossil record and a myriad of immersive displays as you explore the 4.6-billion-year history of our planet. Throughout the gallery, insightful exhibits uncover the cycles that shape the Earth, revealing how all living things are connected to the physical world.
Find out what humans have to do with supernovae.
In our opinion, one of the most profound truths ever to be discovered is the fact that we—that’s you, me, and every person on this planet—are made of stardust. You heard that right: We’re made of elements forged in stars.
To understand our origin as a species, and really, the origin of all life here on Earth, we first have to roll the tape back a bit—back to 13.8 billion years ago, when the Universe debuted with a Big Bang. Through stunning interactives that allow you to participate in the life cycle of a star, the Sears Dynamic Earth Wing will show you how the stuff of the Universe—including us—is all made of stardust.
Learn how astronomers use light to study distant stars and galaxies.
Everything we know about the Universe was written in light—every star, planet, and galaxy telling its story through the cosmic glow that reaches our eyes, revealing their secrets across time and space.
Discover a captivating display of astronomical instruments that illuminate how scientists use light to study the Universe and understand what’s happening in space. These instruments have helped astronomers to study amazing details about our planet, Solar System, and beyond—allowing us to learn about everything from the vastness of our Universe to the formation of new stars.
About that planet we call “Earth…”
Third out from the Sun sits a special little planet. By our estimates, planets are about a dime a trillion throughout the Universe, but this one belongs to us—all the amazing species that call this place home.
In this gallery, you’ll discover how the Earth and its neighbors were formed—and how the same processes are responsible for the continuous cycles of change that are recorded in the rocky layers of our planet. Through featured Museum specimens and the rock record, you’ll dig into clues from Earth’s past—and learn what it all means for the present and future.
Explore how the Earth shaped the evolution of species—and how we affect the Earth.
Just like the first organisms that evolved on Earth billions of years ago, we and every other living being are made from the same organic materials. While the results may vary between bacteria and bobcats, plankton and people, the ingredients—the essential elements needed for life to exist—are the same.
Learn how the story of life unfolds, from the first evidence of single-celled microbes found in fossils to the increasing complexity of life over time. Along the way, you’ll see how our environment affects evolutionary change—and how life, in turn, adapts.
Uncover the cycles that support life—and how we’re connected to them.
From the oxygen we breathe to the water in our bodies, our lives are intricately connected to the complex cycles that shape our dynamic planet. Likewise, we as humans have an impact on the natural systems we need to survive.
Just as we depend on the precious resources of our planet to stay healthy, our planet depends on us. By exploring the cycles of our amazing Earth, you’ll see how even the tiniest phenomena we observe can be connected to larger processes. And you’ll discover how understanding these cycles can help us find solutions to the challenges we face today. It’s our key to becoming better stewards of our planet, and in turn, ourselves. And it starts with stardust.
