Katherine Hunt, 10, left, and Rachel Pellinen, 10, of Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School, examines one of the stations at a new exhibit at Dynamic Earth in Sudbury, Ont. on Tuesday February 11, 2020. Under the Arctic: Digging into Permafrost, opens to the public February 15 and will be at Dynamic Earth until September 7, 2020.
Dynamic Earth will ask visitors to put on their thinking caps, become climate science detectives, and help researchers solve challenges posed by the changing global climate in Under the Arctic: Digging into Permafrost, a new special exhibition set to open for the public this weekend.
Launched at a press conference on Tuesday, Under the Arctic explores the subject of climate change as viewed through the lens of a thawing Arctic using hands-on activities that feature an Alaskan permafrost tunnel replica, Canadian permafrost research, fossil research stations and interactive games.
“We’re very excited to be hosting Under the Arctic: Digging into Permafrost at Dynamic Earth,” Jennifer Beaudry, senior scientist at Dynamic Earth, said in a release. “The special exhibition weaves together real narratives from people whose lives have been impacted by the changing global climate. It can be difficult for the general public to understand the effects of climate change and this exhibition will allow visitors to see, touch, smell and understand its impact. This exhibit allows us to engage audiences of all ages in the science of the Arctic and permafrost in a fun and interactive way.”
Under the Arctic features a number of different puzzles, games and real artifacts, such as a mammoth tooth and bison skull. The key experience of the exhibit is a replicated permafrost research tunnel, where visitors will feel like they’ve been transported to the Arctic and be able to take in the sights and smells of an underground world that is usually hidden from view.
The exhibit also includes a field lab, where visitors can take on the role of a researcher and learn from hands-on experiments, design challenges, and exciting games that encourage exploration.
“The warming and degradation of permafrost has dramatic consequences for overlying ecosystems and threatens northern infrastructure,” said Dr. Pascale Roy-Leveillee, an associate professor of geography at Laurentian University, where she is a member of the Living with Lakes Research Centre and the Maamwizing Indigenous Research Institute.
“Canada has a responsibility to lead in permafrost research, with more than half of Canada’s landmass located in zones affected by permafrost and more than 140,000 Canadians living and working in these areas.”
Under the Arctic: Digging into Permafrost opens on Saturday and will be at Dynamic Earth until Sept. 7.
For more information, visit www.sciencenorth.ca/dynamic-earth.
“As the eighth largest science centre in the country, Dynamic Earth is an important attraction to Sudbury and Northern Ontario,” said Guy Labine, Science North CEO. “It is a tourism driver and contributes a great deal to a healthy and thriving economy. As such, it is a priority that it continues to offer new and changing visitor experiences, like Under the Arctic, that encourage locals and tourists to visit on a first-time and repeat basis to see what’s new and exciting. Our Bluecoat brand of interactive and hands-on delivery allows us to talk about real world issues that we’re faced with, like the science of climate change, in an interesting and unique way.”
Pascale Roy-Leveillee, permafrost researcher and associate professor of geography at Laurentian University, makes a point at the launch of a new exhibit at Dynamic Earth in Sudbury, Ont. on Tuesday February 11, 2020. Under the Arctic: Digging into Permafrost, opens to the public February 15 and will be at Dynamic Earth until September 7, 2020.
John Lappa/Sudbury Star/Postmedia Network
