Gayle's Blog ~ Our Travels Across the U.S.: Anniston Museun of Natural History, Anniston, Alabama

On our way west from Georgia we stopped near Anniston, Alabama so we could visit the Anniston Museum of Natural History. The Museum is a nationally accredited museum with the purpose of enhancing public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of living things and their environments. The Museum preserves and studies collections that relate to humankind and the natural environment and interprets these through interdisciplinary exhibits and programs. The Museum is committed to providing educational, recreational, and economic benefits which will improve the quality of life for diverse audiences.

H. Severn Regar

The Museum began on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey where William H. Werner established his Wonderland Museum (1882 - 1910), offering his life's work to the public. His paintings served as the backdrop for incredible specimins. This would become Mr. Werner's legacy.

In 1915, H. Severn Regar began exhibiting his personal collection of historical objects and biological specimins in Norristown, Pennsylvania. The collection included more than 1,800 ornithological specimens collected in the late 19th century by Mr. Werner.

In 1929 when Mr. Regar moved his textile business and family to Anniston, he offered his collection as a gift. The city of Anniston had to ship the collection to Anniston and provide a place for the exhibits to be viewed by the public. The collection was first displayed at the Carnegie Library and opened to the public on August 31, 1930. It stayed at the library until 1965.

The museum eventually ended up where it is now. Its collection is special -- a pair of Egyptian mummies of the Ptolemaic Period and an abundance of mounted birds, eggs, and nests, with numerous species of extinct and endangered birds. The avian collection is reputed to comprise the oldest diorama collection in the United States.

The immence size of the Universe is difficult to comprehend. It consists mostly of black emptiness occasionally punctuated by light from trillions of stars in over a billion galaxies. In the vast Cosmos, life exists on a tiny blue planet in a solar system within the Milky Way Galaxy. Our world's abundance of water, along with its atmosphere, seasons and weather, make it a perfect place for life to flourish. No other planets, to our knowledge, have this delicate balance of conditions, making Earth rare indeed.

Fossils are remnants of life that existed long ago. It is only through the aid of fossils that we can reconstruct prehistoric times. The layers of sedimentary rock unfold like pages of a giant book to reveal the fascinating story of the Earth's long and exciting past. From these rocks, we can determine the ancient climate and whether there were shallow or deep seas, rivers and swamps, or even deserts. We also learn how life has adopted and has been changed by the various forces that shaped our planet.

Pteranodon was much bigger than any flying animal today. They caught fish by skimming the water with their long, toothless beaks. These ancient creatures were not dinosaurs; they were winged reptiles called pterosaurs.

We have visited a couple of museums which house dinosaurs, one being The Dinosaur Museum in Blanding, Utah; another the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. I also walked through the Prehistoric Park in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. I have linked my posts to these places for you to look at instead of putting more dinosaurs here.

There were a few displays regarding volcanos ~~

Vesicular Basalt ~~ Basalt is an igneous (volcanic) rock that comes in many forms, with names like pillow lava, pahoehoe, and volcanic bombs. Vesicular basalt is a common form that gets its name from the many vesicles, or air pockets, formed in the rock. They occur as gas bubbles pass through molten lava, but become trapped as the lava cools.

The volcanic ash that resulted from the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens in Washington State produced a column of ash that rose over 15 miles into the atmosphere, causing complete darkness up to 250 miles from the volanco. Within three days, ash was detected by pollution devices on the Eastern coast of the United States, and within two weeks, traces were found around the world.

Olivine Crystals

These rare and beautiful crystals are tiny but important constituents of volcanic rocks such as basalt. They can be found imbedded in the rock matrix, eroded out into loose crystals, such as these examples from the Kilauea Crater in Hawaii, or fused into granular masses inside volcanic bombs.

Obsidian

Obsidian is a natural volcanic glass that is formed when rhyolitic (silica-rich) lave is quickly chilled. Because of its structure and beauty, Native Americans often used obsidian to make knives, arrow points and ornaments.

Volcano Creatures

At the dark, black bottom of the ocean, over 2,000 feet below the water's surface, there is very little life. Some exceptions are the giant tube worms shown here. Underwater volcanic vents spew hot water, creating a life-supporting environment for the worms. Because the ocean bottom has been so inaccessible, it has spawned countless mysteries of deep-sea monsters and mythical terrain.

Grenadier swimming around an extinct vent

Shrimp living around a black smoker vent

White crabs near volcanic vent

IGNEOUS ROCKS ~~ Igneous rocks form deep deep in the Earth, and originate from hot molten material. A classic example is basalt, which is formed from the lava that pours out onto the Earth's surface and cools quickly. Granite, another type of igneous rock, forms when lava cools slowly, deep inside our planet.

Rhyolite

This igneous rock is of volcanic origin. It is typically light-colored and slightly acidic. The white feldspar streaks indicate the directon of an ancient molten flow, thus the volcanic origins of this fine-textured rock.

Tourmaline in Quartz

Sometimes volcanic activity forces sheets of magma upward, creating dikes or mountain ridges. Crystal-filled rocks like these are often found in association with this type of formation. The light-colored portion is quartz, and the dark crystals are tourmaline. Because the magma cools so slowly, there is time for crystals to grow quite large.

SEDIMENATRY ROCKS ~~ Sedimentary rocks are formed on or near Earth's surface through the accumulation, compaction, and cementation of mineral particles, rock fragments, or organic matter. They are classified into three main categories based on their origins and composition:

Shale: The most common sedimentary rock; made of microscopic clay particles.

Sandstone: Composed of sand-sized grains, often recognized by its reddish color from iron oxide.
Conglomerate: Features rounded pebbles and gravel cemented together by finer materials

Formed from mechanical weathering, these are made of compacted fragments (clasts) of pre-existing rocks. They are classified by the size and shape of their grains. Sedimentary rocks are Earth's geological history books. They are unique because they are the only rocks that commonly preserve fossils and clues about ancient climates and environments. Additionally, they serve as crucial natural reservoirs for groundwater, coal, oil, and natural gas.

Mudstone

Settling to the bottom of most slow-moving stream beds, ponds or lakes is a fine, muddly silt. In the specimen exhibited here, the tiny particles that make up this mud eventually adhered to one another to make up this sedimentary rock known as mudstone. Its color comes from the traces of iron that were once mixed with the mud.

Aragonite & Calcite

Crystals of both aragonite and calcite have grown together to form this natural sculpture. Aragonite is a polymorph of calcite, which means that it has the same chemistry. Both are calcium carbonate minerals, but each has a different structure and crystal shape.

Conglomerate

Most sedimentary rocks show distinct layers of tiny particles cemented together. This example contains large pebbles cemented in the same manner. Known as a conglomerate rock, it consists of hundreds of water-rounded flint pebbles, fixed together after years of burial and pressure.

METAMORPHIC ROCKS ~~ Metamorphic rock forms when igneous or sedimentary rocks are exposed to extreme pressure, high temperature or permeation by other substances. In this manner, sandstone may be changed into quartzite, shale into schist and limestone into marble.

Sandstone into Quartzite ~~ The process of metamorphosis may cause sandstone to recrystallize in such a way that it fractures through the tiny sand grains instead of the cement which holds it together. The resulting quartzite has less grain structure and is harder and tougher than sandstone.

Shale into Schist

Shale is generally silty clay that has hardened into rock. The resulting rock may become slate after receiving moderate metamorphic pressure, or become schist if it receives extreme pressure. The schist in this exhibit is combined with mica, giving it a shiny, metallic appearance.

Limestone into Marble

When limestone is heated, it changes its chemical makeup because of intense geological pressure. Marble is recrystallized limestone. Although it is most often white, minerals such as iron oxide or carbon may discolor it, creating beautiful patterns. One of the country's largest marble quarries is located in Sylacuaga, Alabama.

Nothing sits still forever -- not mountains, shorelines or even the land beneath your feet. Plate tectonics is a well-accepted theory that describes how continents move over the Earth's surface. Some continents are constantly breaking apart, while others are crushng together. It is believed that at one time in the distant past, all the continents were joined as a single super-continent called Pangea.

STORM POWER ~~ Storms an exert powerful and destructive forces on the face of the planet. Wind and lightening are two of the best known "by-products" of storms, and both are capable of causing major damage to people and property. Wind is the simple result of air heating and cooling, rising and falling, creating a flow. From a gentle breeze to super storms like tornadoes, cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons, the wind can change the shape of coastlines and wear away the Earth's terrain. Lighting bolts are generated by huge thunderclouds. Like a battery, they are positively charged at the top and negatively charged at the bottom. When a moving thundercloud gets close enough to something with a positive charge, like a hilltop, chimney, or steeple, it strikes. The lightening bolt zig-zags to Earth and then back to the cloud until the hot and noisy discharge is complete. It is estimated that throughout the world there are more than 100 lightening strikes every second.

Fulgurites

The heat generated by a flash of lightening is unimaginable. Within six millionths of a second, the temperature may reach 50,000 degrees F, nearly five times hotter than the Sun's surface. When lightening strikes sand, the intense heat may cause the sand itself to melt. Upon cooling, the fused sand forms a fulgurite, such as the one above. These creations of nature may have been the original inspiration for the production of glass by man.

Tornadoes are small cyclones that create the most powerful winds. Caused by explosively unstable thunderstorms, tornadoes can generate violent columns of wind turning at 150-300 mph. There are over 800 tornadoes reported annually in the United States. On April 27, 2011, violent tornadoes left a path of destruction through Alabama. This piece of metal roofing, driven into a pine tree, shows how the force of a storm can cause extensive damage.

Water is one of the most powerful forces shaping the Earth. When water molecules freeze between tiny cracks in rock, the ice that is formed expands, exerting tremendous force. Even the largest of boulders can be shattered by tiny amounts of freezing water. The constant force of moving water also wears away the Earth's surface. It can create smooth stones from jagged rocks and rounded hills from craggy peaks.

UNDERGROUND WORLDS ~~ With the coming of the last ice age, man and animals began moving into caves for shelter. Later, caves were recognized as places of untold beauty and subjects for scientific study and exploration. Caves occur in limestone, grainy sandstone and volcanic lava. The porous nature of fossil laden limestone allows the formation of dark, mysterious underground passages in which strange stone shapes develop and subterranean pools and streams appear.

The exploration and study of caves is called Speleology, and shows that caves are not just holes in the ground but are intricate cavities formed from the dissolving of limestone and the formation of stalactites and stalagmites.

Birth of a Cave ~~ Limestone, composed of the mineral calcite, is dissolved when attacked by weak acids. The acid chiefly responsible is carbonic acid, which enlarges cracks into passages where formations take shape. It was once thought that caves were made by underground streams above the water table. Geologists now believe that caves form from slowly moving acidic water in a zone below the water table.

As rainwater seeps through surface soil, it combines with carbon dioxide from the air and from decaying organic matter to form Carbonic Acid. This weak acid eats away at the limestone by dissolving calcite from the stone and holding it in a water solution. Over thousands of years, the cracks are enlarged by the acid and form cavities, or caves.

When the calcite-bearing water reaches the air in a cave, some of the carbon dioxide diffuses out. This allows calcite to deposit on cave walls, floors and ceilings, and begins the build-up of various dripstone formations.

Passages of Mystery ~~ Cave features that result from the dissolving of minerals in limestone below the water table or from erosion by running water are known as Speleogens. They are most visible in the beginning of a cave's formation.

Flowstone is caused by films of water flowing over walls and floors and depositing layered sheets of calcite resembling icing on a cake.

Rimstone dams are steplike terraces formed from minerals deposited at the edge of enclosed pools of water. Although usually only a few inches high, dams may build up to several feet along streams and on cave floors.

Columns are formed when stalagmites and stalactities meet. Columns also occur where stalactities grow down to the floor or stalagmites reach the ceiling.

Aragonite is a cave mineral with the same chemical composition as calcite but with a different arrangement of its crystals. Aragonite is harder and is formed in warmer caves.

Some species that are able to live in the darkness of a cave can also exist in dark damp places outside the cave. They are called Troglophiles.

Cave entrances are open doors to birds and animals that freely move in and out. Plants, including mosses and ferns, flourish nearby in the cool, moist air. Cave are is not necessarily still; air currents flow back and forth through passageways some distance from the entrance.

The twilight zone, extending from the entrance to a point where sunlight disappears, is characterized by daily variations in air and water temperatures. It is a natural sanctuary for many forest creatures and it is the only zone within a cave where green plants can grow.

Farther along the passage, in the constant temperature zone, the temperature equals the mean annual temperature of the outside environment. In Alabama caves, the temperature of air and water is constant at 56° F. Droplets of water on the walls indicate that the amount of moisture in the air is high.

The museum goes on to exhibit animals that live in Alabama's Cedar Glades, Limestone Woods, and other forest settings. It also highlights the Coastal Plain and Sandhills and the animals that inhabit those areas. Alabama also has Swamp Forest and Coastal Scrub habitats.

The salinity of the Earth's oceans is not constant, it varies depending on factors such as evaporation, freshwater input, and rainfall. Along the equator, there is a great deal of rainfall and cloud coverage. Therefore, water evaporates at a slow rate. Closer to the poles, freshwater freezes into icebergs, constantly providing the oceans a freshwater source. Along the mid-range of all oceans, evaporation rises greating causing the water to be saltier.

In the Gulf of Mexico (nka the Gulf of America), the southeastern states' treasure chest, is full of life. The Gulf touches the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. The Mississippi and the Rio Grande Rivers are major water sources emptying into the Gulf, providing it with fresh water. The Gulf becomes clearer as the water travels down the coast of Florida and further away from major freshwater sources. Providing the south with a bountiful amount of food, recreation and tourism, the Gulf is a major economic force.

The 2010 oil spill devestated the economy as it harmed living animals, destroyed beaches, and slowed, if not stopped, tourism for a period of time. 2010 was a reminder of how crucial these areas and the oceans are. (Jim worked on this oil spill; if you want to learn more about it, you can ask him directly.)

Environments of Africa ~~ Many of the animals of Africa have been adapting to their environment since the Pleistocene era, two million years ago. For example, the giraffe's long neck resulted from the pressure of small animals eating the lower leaves. Because only the higher leaves remained, longer necks allowed giraffes to survive.

Such an adaption evolves from centuries of trial and error. If a species is not perfectly suited to its environment, it dies. If it is able to adapt, it lives. Unfortunately, many creatures are unable to adjust to their newest and most deadly pressure. This is the pressure of our species: the pressure of man.

Wild Africa is dying. Great beasts no longer abound from coast to coast. Most wildlife is now limited to refuges due to the pressure of man's rapidly increasing population. Until a balance is reached between man and beast, all life will continue to suffer. Hundreds of thousands of Africans starve, while pockets of wildlife are forced into increasingly smaller refuges. It's a complicated and desperate competition for land, involving politics, poaching and incomprehensible pain.

The African exhibit is neither a memorial nor a replacement for living Africa. It is merely an opportunity to learn more about the remarkable adaptions of man and a vanishing wild.

Many consider the Black Rhinoceros to be Africa's most endangered species. For example, in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, the rhino population has plummeted from about 500 in the 1970s to fewer than 30 in 1988. The reasons for this are bizarre. Rhinos are illegally slaughtered for their horn, which is used to make knife handles. It is also used to make aphrodisiac pills. These pills are ineffective because the particles of a rhino's horn consist of nothing but keratin, the same material which is found in fingernails and hair.

Lions

African Wild Dog with a White-Tailed Gnu

Cape Eland

Giraffe & Gerenuk

African Elephant

Cape Buffalo

Termite Mound

Termite Ground Nest

Ancient Egyptians honored their natural environment and developed a belief system that lasted more than 3,000 years. Here they tell why animals, such as cats and falcons, were worshipped. There are 2,300 year old Ptolemaic mummies.

Ancient Egyptians represented their religious beliefs and wrote their language through symbols called hieroglyphs. They referred to hieroglyphs as the medu netcher or "the god's words." Most symbols represent aspects of life after death.

Canopic Jars and Natron

After being removed from the body during the mummification process, the lungs, stomach, liver and intestines were washed in palm wine and spices and placed in canopic jars made of stone or clay. The brain was thrown away, believed to be of no importance. The heart, considered the center of intelligence, remained in the body.

These jars, which represented the four sons of Horus, were placed with the mummy in the tomb:

The jackel headed Duamutef guarded the stomach.

The falcon-headed Qebehsenuef guarded the intestines.

The baboon-headed Hapy guarded the lungs.

The human-headed Imsety guarded the liver.

During the Ptolemaic Period, images of canopic jars were often painted on the cartonnage of mummies although they were no longer used in the mummification process.

Natron (Sodium Salt) -- called net-jeryt (belonging to god) by the Egyptians, natron was vital for the embalming process. Obtained from dry riverbeds, these sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (salt and baking soda) crystals were used to dry out the corpse and prevent decay.

The Art of Mummification ~~ Ancient Egyptians believed in the resurrection of the body and everlasting life. This belief was rooted in their observations of the environment: the rising and setting of the sun, the phases of the moon, and the natural activities of plants and animals. They believed that if certain conditions were met, order was maintained and life after death could be achieved. Mummification -- the preservation of the body -- was one of those conditions.

The practice of mummification began almost 5,000 years ago in Egypt and changed over time. In the beginning, only the wealthy could afford to be mummified. At the time these Ptolemaic mummies were created, most Egyptians could afford some form of mummification.

Around 450 B.C., the Greek Historian Herodotus described the art of mummification:

Plants in Egyptian Mummification ~~ During the Ptolemaic Era (332-30 B.C.), ancient Egyptians manipulated their environment through advances in science, technology, and agriculture. Mummification slowed the natural process of decay: a manipulation of the physical body that prepared it for an eternal life.

Plants were essential in the mummification process. Spices were used in the embalming mixtures. Wine was used to wash the body. The cedar tree provided resin to preserve the dried corpse. The body was wrapped in linen derived from flax fibers. Papyrus was used to make the cartonnage or painted "paper," which covered the outside of the mummified body.

Wadjet

She Who Guards the Pharaoh ~~ Because of the cobra's behavior of rearing up, flaring its hood while facing its opponent and hypnotically weaving back and forth, the Egyptians viewed this reptile as a brave and talented enchantress.

Wadjet, the cobra goddess was depicted as a woman with a cobra's head or as a cobra striking Egypt's enemies. Wadjet was viewed as the protectress of Egypt, and she symbolized healing or protection. Wadjet was also considered an emblem of royalty and power. Often in art, the rearing cobra is shown on the head or the crowns of pharoahs as a uraeus, "she who rears up."