By Tara Thoel
For The State News
Fossils from birds, mammals, insects and reptiles were spread out over several tables at the MSU Museum on Sunday as a way for people to learn about different types of species.
People could even bring in fossils of their own to be identified.
"We were trying to find something to bring in, but we couldn't find anything," said Roxanne Dewyer, a premedicine and anthropology sophomore.
Students, families and others looked at the different fossils and classified seashells, and viewed other exhibits at the museum to commemorate naturalist Charles Darwin's 197th birthday.
"I am really into evolution and found out there was going to be new exhibits, and was really excited," Dewyer said.
Lansing's Potter Park Zoo brought live animals, and nine units and departments at MSU were represented by specialists in the fields. The specialists had tables with displays and were there to answer any questions.
There were two special hands-on exhibits — a seashell classification exercise, where participants could identify differences in groups of shells, and experiments with plants.
Darwin was a collector and a classifier, and Danita Brandt, an adjunct curator and specialist in the MSU Department of Geological Sciences, said these hands-on exhibits are a way for kids to do the kind of science that Darwin did.
"We have taken the inspiration from Charles Darwin — who was first and foremost a naturalist — and observed the natural world. He worked with plants, insects and animals, so we tried to incorporate that into the activities here," said Lora Helou, communications manager at the museum.
Last year, Brandt found a Web site on the celebration of Darwin Day, held near his Feb. 12 birthday.
Brandt discovered it was a site where people around the world could register events that celebrate Darwin's contributions to science.
"We wanted to celebrate science and discovery," Brandt said. "Here in East Lansing, we are really good at celebrating athletics and celebrating the arts. What we haven't really gotten into is celebrating science, discovery and what it is scientists do and how they do it. Today it is very important to get that word out about what a scientist does and how they do it."
Brandt is hoping to make the MSU event bigger and better each year, working up to Darwin's bicentennial in 2009.
As people came into the foyer, they found 130 reprints of different titles of research papers, written by members of the MSU community, that incorporate some aspect of Darwin's work.
"We wanted to show that the work Darwin did 150 years ago still has relevance for us today right here at MSU," Brandt said.
The museum also has a copy of a letter that Darwin sent to William James Beal, a botany professor at MSU in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The letter is a direct connection MSU has with Darwin.
Darwin replied to Beal after he wrote Darwin a letter that complimented him on his book about cross fertilization.
Beal went on to do experiments in cross fertilization and become a pioneer in the field following Darwin's work.
"With bringing in different units from campus to share their specialization in their area of study, hopefully we will be able to share with our audience an appreciation for science and to inspire them to think more about the natural world around them," Helou said.
