Time is winding down for the biggest exhibit the Museum of Science and Technologyhas ever had. Nearly 26,000 people have come through the doors to see “Nature’s Machines” since it opened in late September. But Sunday marks the final day.
Natures Machines uses 50 specimens and 22 replicas to give visitors an inside look into how everything from cheetahs to insects survive and adapt to their environments. Director of Communications at the MoST Maria Welych says it shows how humans are similar to or different from other species.
"There's an exhibit that looks at the different hearts of different animals, and it ends with the human heart," Welych said. "You can see the differences...some have two chambers, some have four, some have one. It depends on the animal and what they need. Of course, we have our four.”
So does the giraffe. But its heart weights about 25 pounds, and needs to generate twice the blood pressure as a human to get blood up its long neck….
"Their blood pressure is 280 over 180. If I had that blood pressure, I'd be dead," Welych said. "But that's what the giraffe needs to get it up there.”
Museum visitors can even see how much effort it takes by pumping a giraffe heart. Maria and WAER reporter Scott Willis gave it a try.
"You usually need to use two hands. Oof," Welych said as she squeezed the replica heart.
Then WAER's Scott Willis gave it a try.
"You're almost there. Yayy! You did it!" said Welych.
"That is a lot of effort," Willis said.
"Yes it is!" Welych said.
Nature’s Machines also includes a unique profile on another one of nature’s amazing creatures…the cheetah.
"What's amazing about this exhibit is you can see in slow motion how the cheetah runs," Welych said as she used a knob to toggle the images. "Twice in each stride, the cheetah has all of its feet off the ground, all 4 feet, see?”
The frame by frame demonstration comes in handy because cheetahs can sprint from zero to 60 in about three seconds, and reach a top speed of 68 miles per hour.
Legs and their man-made replacements are featured in another way. Welych says a museum volunteer is proud to become a living exhibit of sorts…
"When he was bringing the students around, he'd go to the exhibit with the prosthetic leg, and then show off his own leg," Welych said. "It's a different type of leg than the kind in our exhibit, but in the supplementary exhibit, we have an amazing high-tech leg that kids can see and learn about. That's a kind of bio-mimicry, where we're creating technology that mimics what our natural body does for people who need them."
There’s plenty more to see and do in the 5,000 square foot exhibit, and Welych hopes people have a chance to stop by.
"I certainly hope before this goes away...the last day is Sunday, people come and see it because I think it's an incredible exhibit. It teaches you so much.”
Welych says the exhibit cost $150,000 to bring to Syracuse, and had generous support from several major donors and corporate sponsors.
More information about the exhibit and other attractions is is at most.org.
