Asiaone--Window into a lost world By Hannah Teoh AsiaOne | Fri, Jan 31 2014 By Hannah Teoh. SINGAPORE - Theyre big, theyre ferocious, and they cant hurt me, said a young boy to paleontologist Dr Patricia Vickers-Rich when she asked why he liked dinosaurs. When it comes to dinosaurs, images of the intimidating and carnivorous Tyrannosaurus Rex, or T-Rex, are often at the forefront. However, paleontologist and curator Dr Vickers-Rich emphasised that Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction is not just about T-Rex. This exhibition brings together new discoveries and some of the things you knew when you were a kid, she said. Dr Vickers-Rich added that it was the smaller dinosaurs and pre-historic creatures that often provided more information about life during pre-historic times, and how dinosaurs adapted to survive. The new exhibition at the ArtScience Museum is said to be South-east Asias largest dinosaur exhibition. Running from January 25 to July 27, the show presents a chronological overview starting from the era before dinosaurs existed, until their extinction. It comprises more than 400 fossils and models, and over 50 original artworks, featuring dinosaurs and other pre-historic creatures in their natural environments. Visitors can look forward to seeing a 17.6 metre-long Lessemsaurus in a battle with a Fasolasuchus, as well as tiny, bird-sized dinosaurs which are lesser-known to the public. In an email interview with AsiaOne, Dr Vickers-Rich said the curation process included selecting a number of detailed paintings and illustrations to shed light on how dinosaurs lived. She said: This exhibition leverages on detailed art to explain current science. With artist Peter Truslers vivid illustrations of extinct species, combined with the remarkable fossils on display, Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction is a result of the collaborative efforts between artist and scientists to gain more new insights into the rich and fascinating world of dinosaurs. A lot of attention has gone into making sure both the art and science aspects of the long history of dinosaurs are communicated to the visitors. Various interactive elements placed throughout the exhibition halls will keep younger visitors engaged, and the information plaques around the exhibits present facts in accessible terms and descriptions. The exhibition ends with a section about what happened after dinosaurs became extinct. Dr Vickers-Rich hopes that visitors will come away from the exhibition thinking about more than just dinosaurs. She said: [We are] asking everyone who goes through this exhibition to think about our future and learn from what we know today - what we know in the past about extinction and the factors that led to survival...we need to think about the future - we can either destroy it or make it a good place. Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction runs until July 27, 2014 at the ArtScience Museum. relax.sg/article/interests/window-into-a-lost-world.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 06:50:28 +0000
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