Summer 2018
Climate Change Oceans: Acid vs. Life
This exhibit was on display in the North Gallery from May 26 through September 9, 2018.
Ocean acidification has been described as potentially the greatest environmental threat we face, yet very few people have even heard of it. The oceans have experienced a 30% increase in acidity in recent years. We're already seeing the impacts far and wide: it's changing fish behavior, making them more vulnerable to predation; it's harming coral reefs, the most biologically diverse areas of the sea; it's upsetting the ecological balance of the seas, and the world's oceans are rapidly becoming even more acidic. Visitors learn about acidification at live-action and computer animated video stations as well as several activity stations.
This traveling exhibit was presented by Northwest Invention Center & NRG! Exhibits.
Coral Reefs: Nurseries of the Sea
Image Credit: BBC America
This exhibit was on display in the James W. Cornyn Valley Gallery from May 26 through September 9, 2018.
Go under the sea to experience the lively metropolis of the coral reef! This exhibit will enrich the mind with the colors and variety of one of Earth's most biodiverse ecosystems.
Biology of Corals – Coral animals have been around since before the dinosaurs. Learn about this amazing creature and how they help sustain over one million species of plants and animals.
Our dependence on the reef - Coral reefs prove their invaluable worth by providing everything from food and shelter to cancer-fighting medicines and more.
Dangers to coral reefs - Coral reefs may be gone even before we can fully understand them. Learn about the many threats facing coral reefs, including how our fascination with reefs can be harmful.
Conservation efforts - Efforts to help conserve coral reefs include large-scale initiatives and dedicated individual action. Pick a single action from the exhibit recommendations and have a collective effect in saving this natural wonder.
This exhibit was created and toured by Paly Foundation.
Diary of a Hammerhead
Image Credit: Chris Dascher/iStockphoto Stuart Westmorland
This exhibit was on display in the James W. Cornyn Valley Gallery from May 26 through September 9, 2018.
If you thought you knew everything about sharks, think again…Experience the epic life of Harriet Hammerhead, a great hammerhead shark! Take a peek inside Harriet's diary to explore hammerhead sharks and their importance as apex predators and keystone species of the world's oceans.
Biology of hammerhead sharks - Learn what makes hammerheads some of the most unusual fish around. Sharks are "cartilaginous vertebrates." They have skeletons of cartilage rather than bone. But don't be fooled, the anatomy of the hammerhead makes it an efficient predator. That's not all, hammerheads give birth to live "pups," exhibit some interesting social behaviors and even have a sixth sense.
Hammerhead sharks are important - Learn why ocean ecosystems all over the world depend on hammerheads and other sharks to thrive. The disappearance of hammerheads causes disruption and endangers all levels of the food chain.
Dangers to hammerheads - The primary dangers to hammerheads are the demand for shark fin soup and bycatch. How many sharks are we talking about? Over 10,000 sharks are killed per hour around the world.
Conservation efforts - Can sharks be saved? Learn about the efforts of people dedicated to saving sharks as well as what "everyday people" can do to help.
This exhibit was created and toured by Paly Foundation.
College of Natural Sciences Research Posters
This exhibit will be on display in the James W. Cornyn Valley Gallery from May 26 through September 9, 2018.
This exhibition reflects a small but diverse sampling of student and faculty research projects from departments within the College of Natural Sciences at CSU, Chico. They stand as a testament to CSU, Chico’s commitment to undergraduate research. Gateway is honored to showcase undergraduate research and related faculty projects from the Spring 2018 semester. It is our hope that visitors will gain a deeper appreciation for the range of research being done at CSU, Chico and similar institutions nationwide, and that young minds will be inspired.
Beauty & The Beast: California Wildflowers & Climate Change
This exhibit will be on display in the Newberry Gallery beginning May 26, 2018 and through Fall 2019.
Exquisite photographs of California's wildflowers bring awareness to the beauty of the Golden State - as well as to the dangers facing our natural habitats from climate change. All geographic regions of California are highlighted in this stunning show, from the high alpine "rock gardens" above 11,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Death Valley National Park's below-sea-level environment.
The exhibit features 7 different sections: Mountains, Coastal, Desert, and Central Valley regions, the power of fire and renewal, a behind-the-scenes look at capturing these images, and an overview of California's geographic regions - those diverse and delicately balanced ecosystems supporting spectacular explosions of nature’s color. Most importantly, these beautiful images address how climate change and other human impacts effect California's wildflowers.
Photo credit: Carson Pass, El Dorado National Forest by Rob Badger and Nita Winter. This exhibition by Rob Badger and Nita Winter originated at the San Francisco Public Library and is traveled by Exhibit Envoy.