The Field Museum's Member Publication t •/» -•>ef ■>- -»^ >- Winter 2004-2005 December- February CRC Nearly Complete TTRex Gigantism \^olu/)er comfn'ctor fhm/ii$ M? ''■mmm^. FROMTHE PRESIDENT Big Changes Seen and Unseen New roads have been paved, trees have been planted and, finally, the construction fence obscuring the southeast corner of The Field Museum is about to come down. After years of planning, fundraising, building, reorganizing, preparing and excited patience, the Collections Resource Center (CRC) is nearly complete. From spears to skins to fossil plants, 2 million artifacts and specimens from the anthropology, geology and zoology departments are moving under the terrace for safe keeping. Mobile storage units and cabinets, advanced climate controls and strict safety precautions were installed to guarantee the well-being of these treasures. More than just items on a shelf, each piece is a carefully preserved archive of nature and culture that will soon be more readily accessible to researchers worldwide. Please read pages 2 and 3 to learn more about this landmark facility. Cell phone access will soon be available through- out the Museum. Much less visible is a new wire- less infrastructure that will be installed in 2005, poising The Field Museum as the first museum in the United States completely enabled for wireless radio, voice and data services. Many services that are currently limited or nonexistent will become available: Quality cell phone service throughout the entire Museum; Greatly improved cell phone service to Museum Campus, Lake Shore Drive and the neighboring parkland and har- bors, a known "dead zone" despite the area's millions of residents and visitors; A radio antenna service that supports our daily operational and security needs and con- nects to the City of Chicago's emergency services; Wireless network (WiFi) ser- vice for internal and public applications. With the opening of Machu Picchu: Unveiling the Mystery of the Incas and Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years, The Field Museum has mounted 56 temporary exhibi- tions since 1999. It has been our privilege to bring the world to Chicago. Among the most popu- lar have been Sounds from the Vaults, The Dead Sea Scrolls, The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition, Kremlin Gold, Cleopatra of Egypt, Sigmund Freud, Chocolate, Pearls, Eternal Egypt, Einstein and Splendors of China's Forbidden City. Through these exhibitions, we have been able to present challenging stories of environmental conser- vation, cultural expression and individual achievement in a cur- riculum designed to fulfill our mission of exploring the Earth and its peoples. My knowledge of the world has expanded enor- mously as I have seen them all, and I hope that you have learned from visiting this wonderful assemblage of exhibitions. As you plan your year-end contri- butions, please remember to include The Field Museum. We have enclosed a gift envelope for your convenience. We know you care about our scientific, educa- tional and exhibition work as much as we do, and your contri- butions assure their continuance. With gratitude and best wishes in 2005, John W. McCarter, Jr. President and CEO Wtaatjin.youlhiM< about in the^FJeM? For general membersnip inquiries, including adcsress cnanges, can abb.:; 12.2781. For questions about the magazine In the Field, call 312.665.7115, email acranch(a)fmnh.org, or write Amy E. Cranch, Editor, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496. INTHEFIELD Winter 2004-2005, December-Febt-uary, Vol.76, Mo.l Editor: Amy E. Cranch, The Field Museum Design: Depke Design Jf*! In the Field is printed on recycled paper "W using soy-based inks. All images ©The Field Museum unless otherwise specified. In the Field (ISSN #1051-4546) is published quarterly by The Field Museum. Copyright 2004 The Field Museum. Annual subscriptions are $20; $10 for schools. Museum membership includes In the Field subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of The Field Museum. Notification of address change should include address label and should be sent to the membership department. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Membership, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois. Cover: Blue Racers, Texas, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, various dates. © Terry Evans. The Field Museum salutes the people of Chicago for their long-standing, generous support of the Museum through the Chicago Park District. JL fe Field useum 1400 South Lal>;ftiiS'f%r*3 MiT i-f ivory traders and poison makers. Agriculturalists elsewhere were abandoning their homesteads, and pastoralists disappeared altogether. Three rockshelters that we excavated intensively are providing clues as to what was occurring. First, all the enclosures were constructed after the Portuguese conquered the coast and large-scale slavery became institutionalized. Second, they have separate partitioned areas for livestock, where we found copious amounts of dung, and for people, which contained cultural artifacts such as beds and hearths. Third, all three sites had barely discernible exits that may have allowed occupants to leave undetected. And fourth, an elaborate system used to build the walls indicates that efficiency, security and cooperation drove their design. Oral traditions corroborate archaeological finds How may we interpret the mighty Waata's depen- dence on small frogs and snails and the abrupt construction, use and abandonment of the fortified rockshelters? The stories we have collected from local ethnic groups repeatedly refer to drought, famine, disease, conflict, migration and slavery, among other tragedies. Even the once-sacred broth- erhood alliances in which women and children were safely placed in another group's custody lost meaning. For example, the pastoral Maasai frequently raided neighboring groups for cattle. The Kasigau warriors would retaliate, recovering their own cattle, as well as women and children. At some point, the Maasai also began counting peo- ple, including men, into their booty. We think they were replenishing their own lost populations and selling the men to Arab and Swahili slave dealers. At the same time, as more elephants were killed, the once-open savannahs reverted to woodland scrub and forests that attracted the tsetse fly, a vector that transmits sleeping sickness to people and try- panosomiasis to cattle and wildlife. As the lowlands became more inhospitable, the peoples of Tsavo retreated into the hills and other fly-free habitats. While our research in Tsavo is revealing the horrors of slavery, it is also pointing out ingenious ways in which people resisted enslavement and colonization and continued to forge communities. They clearly cooperated in building the fortified settlements that ring Mount Kasigau, which were likely used as lookouts to defend and warn the people of impending danger. In peacefiil times these shelters served as cattle and goat pens. It is time archaeologists began investigating the shelters further to ascertain, with the aid of histori- cal and oral traditions, whether and how they represent Afirican peoples' responses to slavery. Coastal and interior setdements may disclose a slave system that was as well established as those in the United States, South America and the Caribbean. Only then will we understand the impact slavery has had on individual lives and the cultural and political landscape of Africa today. ITF Illustration courtesy The Atlantic Slave Trade and Slave Life in the Americas w/ebsite, sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and the University of Virginia Library. slu'llcr ill Kasii^au, Tsauo. Right: Artifacts found at Mtwapa. Sites with human remains defined commu- nities and claims to land that was scarce in slave refugee areas. WINTER 2004-2005 December-Febriiiiry OFSPECIALINTEREST Diversity Project Reaches Untapped Communities Kim Lindsey, of Faith Pentecostal Church, with her children. Tiffany Plate, Writer, and Patricia Williams- Lessane, Program Administrator, Department of Education Patricia Williams-Lessane l •<- ^^' r'^y »*c J^^s^ ^J. 4^. ■^^K v^ Fossil Plants and Land Elevations Deep-Sea Wood Falls V ..^ 'M .! * , :i»i ^^ ^ r«- v\=^- Si (. / ^: ff •jv ^ F^'.;^t f.^ /- >^>?' // X ^t:?^ •»^ jff^ ■v / \ i'A^' FROMTHE PRESIDENT This Just in From Thp Fifild Museum It's not uncommon for major stories featuring a Field Museum scientist to hit the press almost weekly, and 2004 was an exceptionally newsworthy year for our scientific team. While I can't list every accomplishment celebrated in media outlets around the world, here are some interesting highlights. A radio-collared lion on Kenya 's Taita Ranch in search of dinner. ' As part of Common Ground, a Museum-wide effort to digitize our holdings, the botany depart- ment made great strides in digitizing its collections to enhance scholarly and public access. The department also progressed with V-Plants Plus, a groundbreaking collaboration with the Chicago Botanic Garden and The Morton Arboretum to create an online virtual herbar- ium featuring area plants. ' Alaka Wall and the Center for Cultural Understanding and Change completed an award- winning analysis of Lake Calumet's social assets, or strengths, to describe the region's potential for economic and envi- ronmental revitalization. ' Zoologist Bruce Patterson and his colleagues concluded that it would only require $8,749 annually to offset the dam- age of 26 lions on 160,000 acres of ranchland in Kenya, helping to mitigate human- lion clashes over livestock. •Illinois took the peregrine falcon off its Endangered Species List, with great thanks to zoologist Mary Hennen, a vigorous falcon steward. •Geologist Peter Makovicky and his colleagues counted rings on Sue's bones to describe the life- long growth pattern for Tyrannosaurus rex that included an extraordinary growth spurt in its teen years. Sue died at about 28. ' Anthropologist Ryan Williams and his colleagues discovered the Andes' oldest, large-scale brew- ery on a remote mountaintop in Peru. It produced a beer-like bev- erage used for ritual feasting and drinking during the time of the Wari Empire (AD 600-1000). ' The ongoing work of Debra Moskovits and the Museum's Environmental and Conservation Programs led to the creation of a vast national sanctuary in Peru. This will help ensure the protec- tion of thousands of species, halt advancing deforestation and sup- port indigenous peoples and their cultures. ' Department of Geology Chair Olivier Rieppel and his colleagues determined that the ancient Chinese reptile Dinocephalosaurus, which means "terrible-headed lizard," used its extremely long neck to suck in prey — a feeding method never before encountered. ' A team of anthropologists secured a $100,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to catalog, digitize and reconcile ancient Mesopotamian artifacts split between London, Baghdad and Chicago. The artifacts are from Kish, the famous 5,000-year-old archaeological site 50 miles south of Baghdad. • Geologist Jennifer McElwain developed a novel way to deter- mine ancient land elevations. (See pages 2-3 for more.) • Zoologist Phil Willink identified a fish found in Lake Michigan as the dreaded Northern Snakehead and led efforts to search for more of this invasive predator. None was found. • Anthropologist William Pestle and his colleagues used portable, digital X-ray equipment on mum- mies, pots and skeletons to obtain instant, cutting-edge images. (See page 15.) • Anthropologist Jonathan Haas and his colleagues discovered that America's first civilization in Norte Chico, Peru, was an immense complex of more than 20 urban centers that began about 5,000 years ago and survived 1,200 years. Each research milestone hailed in the media is often the result of years of work involving multiple people and institutions. I hope you feel a special sense of connection and ownership every time you read about The Field Museum, as your membership directly supports each scientist's extraordinary work. John W. McCarter, Jr. President and CEO What, do you th i nk about Tn the Field? For general membership inquiries, including address changes, call 866.312.2781. For questions about the magazine In the Field, call 312.665.7115, email acranch@fmnh.org, or write Amy E. Cranch, Editor, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496. INTHEFIELD Spring 2005, IVIarch-^ylay, Vol.76, No. 2 Editoi-: Amy E. Cranch, The Field Museum Design: Depke Design ^K In the Field is printed on recycled paper ^w using soy-based inks. All images ©The Field Museum unless otherwise specified. In the Field (ISSN #1051-4546) is published quarterly by The Field Museum. Copyright 2005 The Field Museum. Annual subscriptions are $20; $10 for schools. Museum membership includes In the Field subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of The Field Museum. Notification of address change should include address label and should be sent to the membership department. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Membership, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois. Cover: Surface of a California black oak leaf IQuercus kelloggii) magnified 400 times and showing epidermal cells, stomata and stellate, or star-shaped hairs. ©Jennifer McElwain. The Field Museum salutes the people of Chicago for their long-standing, generous support of the Museum through the Chicago Park District. Field j: fe useum 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605-2496 312.922.9410 www.fieldmuseum.org 2 A Field Museum paleobotanist has developed a way to determine ancient lancl elevations that involves tree leaves. Top: A 1 5-millioii-year-ol(i fossil Calijoriiici bhick oak /frtf (Quercus kelloggii). 4 A peculiar fossil mammal brings together two Field Museum scientists from different disci- plines in describing it. 15 Digital X-rays revealed previously unattainable images of mummies and other objects. Middle: A 1 ,500-year-oU Mochc vessel from Pert! that whistles when fluid is decanted. 16 A Field Museum zoologist deployed wood on the deep ocean floor to see what diverse animals would colonize it. Bottom: Dr. Janet Voiglit at sea. Museum Campus Neighbors Adier Planetarium it's a Race to ttie Edge of the Universe on May 12! The AdIer Planetarium celebrates 75 years of exploration with this anniversary sky show that examines exciting space advancements, from the discovery of Pluto to the continuous search for life beyond Earth. Then, time travel begins on July 1st! Experience TimeSpace, a 3-D show that transforms the AdIer into a portal to dazzling astronomical events in history. For more information on this or other current shows, visitwww.adlerplanetarium.org or call 312. 922. STAR. Shedd Aquarium On Memorial Day weekend, Shedd Aquarium offers three days of fun and festivities to celebrate its first 75 years and usher in the next. From the Australian lungfish acquired for the 1933 World's Fair to egg cases holding wiggly zebra shark babies in Wild Reef, Shedd has the largest and most diverse collection of animals of any aquarium in the world. For celebration information, visit www.sheddaquarium.org. SPRING 2005 .\ttmli-.M,iy INTHEFIELDFEATURE Fossil Plants a Link to Measuring Ancient Land Elevations Greg Borzo, Media Manager, Scientific Affairs One stomata, two stomata, three stomata, four. Jennifer McElwain, PhD, associate curator of paleobotany, has developed a novel way to determine ancient land eleva- tions. While not quite as simple as the children's chant, "One Potato, Two Potato," it does involve counting the stomata, tiny pores on tree leaves that absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) for photosynthesis, of living and fossilized leaves. The method will help geologists answer confounding questions about the rise and fall of mountain ranges. A small dried California black oak leaf collected with permission from Mount Star King in Yosemite !\^ational Park at an elevation of about 7, 000 feet. When you step into sand, everything around your footprint changes — bubbUng up, spreading out and caving in. The Earth does the same thing over geologic time as con-^ tinents shift: It's constantly changing. Knowing how high mountains and plateaus were in the past will help scientists study the evolution of species and how our climate system developed. "Understanding the past elevation of land surfaces, also known as paleoelevation, has been one of geology's Holy Grails," said Dr. McElwain, the sole author of the research, which was funded by the National Science Foundation and published in the December 2004 issue of Geology. Many existing methods to measure ancient elevations are inherently sensitive to climate, which changes unpredictably, or can only be applied to certain areas. This limits geologists' ability to globally test the links among tectonic uplift, carbon cycles and climatic cooling through the Cenozoic (65 million years to the present). However, Dr. McElwain 's technique, in which she counts the stomata on leaves dating back 65 million years, is the first paleobotanical method that works globally and is independent of long-term climate change. "The new method will help us understand the rate at which some of the Earth's most important mountains have uplifted," she said. Surface of a California black I oak leaf magnified 400 times showing epidermal I cells and stomata. JENNIFER MCELWA "It will alst) show how the process of mountain building influenced cUmatic patterns, as well as plant and animal evolution." Anyone who has climbed a mountain knows that the air gets "thinner" as you ascend. As with o.xygen, COt decreases at higher elevations. Therefore, the higher the altitude, the more the leaf compensates by increasing its number of stomata per square inch to absorb needed gases. By simply counting the number of fossil stomata. Dr. McElwain can estimate how much CO 2 was in the air when the fossil leaf developed. From that, she can estimate the elevation at which the fossil plant once lived. IN THE FIELD Dr. McElwain used historical and modern collections of California black oak (Qiierciis kelloggii), which has a long fossil record. Unlike most trees, this one grows at an unusually wide range of elevations, from near sea level to 2,440 meters (8,000 feet). In 2002 she and a team of graduate students collected leaves from more than 1 60 different populations of California black oak spanning the entire length and breadth of California. The historical leaves were collected in the 1 930s and stored within herbaria of The Field Museum and the University of California, Berkeley. This new method of estimating land elevation has an error of about 300 meters (980 feet), and sometimes as low as 100 meters (330 feet). This is a much lower error rate than those of existing paleoelevation methods, which are subjected to average errors of 450 meters (1,456 feet). The new method can be used for any plant species that is abundant across a broad range of altitudes and is well represented in the fossil record. High mountains and plateaus can prevent wildlife fk)m migrating and dispersing, which can result in plant and animal populations becoming isolated on opposite sides of mountain chains and 'Su V adapting in different ways. Therefore, knowing exactly when today's mountains reached their current elevations is relevant to understanding plant and animal evolution. In addition, high mountains and large plateaus (such as those in Tibet and Colorado) influence patterns of atmospheric circulation. Because this new method is independent of chmate varia- tions — which are impossible to predict, unlike changes in COt — it will allow scientists to identify the impact of elevation on global climate patterns. This research also highlights the importance of museum collections. Dr. McElwain noted. "You never know what information is locked up in specimens or artifacts kept at a natural history museum like ours until someone develops a new method, tool or technology to draw out those secrets." Dr. McElwain would like to apply the method to fossil leaves of other tree species. Ultimately it could be utilized to more precisely answer one of geology's biggest questions — how and when the Himalayas emerged, which are thought to have had a major impact on Earth's climate. Until recently, there was no way of testing this. ITF .p-^^. ^^ 'kT: W0' s^%... ->il I A 1 5 -million-year-old fossil California black oak leaf, on I loan from the Paleontological I Museum Berkeley, sur- rounded by leaves collected in California in 2002. SPRING 2005 March-Mayt NTHEHIFADFEATURE The Vulgar Mammal Amy E. Cranch, Editor Two long digits of a peculiar fossil mammal from southwestern Wyoming's Green River Formation stood out as if the animal were giving its modern viewers the proverbial finger. Not really, of course, but this unusual feature did catch the attention of two Field Museum scientists, who together have brought some closure to where this archaic mammal group sat on the evolutionary tree. Vice President of Collections and Research Lance Grande, PhD, has been studying fossil fishes from the Green River for 25 years. Whereas most sites produce only fragments of the past, whole plants and animals are found here, offering a stardingly detailed view of an extinct tropical lake community that prospered some 52 million years ago during the early Eocene. Apatemys chardini used its elongated fingers to extract larvae from tunnels in wood. Having been told that the animal was a primate — one of the few mammals discovered here — Dr. Grande invited Field Museum Provost Robert Martin, PhD, an expert in primate evolution, to review it. Dr. Martin recognized immediately that it was not a primate: It has rodent-like teeth and a few superficially primate- like features, but does not fit into any modern group. He checked a reference book on a slightly younger Eocene site in Messel, Germany, and found a nearly identical specimen from the family Apatemyidae, which died out and left no close modern relatives. The European specimen has two elongated fingers on each hand, and preparation of the Green River specimen revealed the same feature. Scientists have known for more than a century that apatemyids existed in North America and Europe, but evidence was initially limited to teeth and jaw fragments. Dr.Wighart von Koenigswald described the first near-complete skeleton from Messel in 1979, Heterohyus nanus. The Wyoming specimen, Apatemys chardini, is the most complete skeleton found to date in North America, bringing the total number of skeletons known in the world to five. Drs. Martin and Grande asked Dr. von Koenigswald to take a lead in describing A. chardini. A. chardini is preserved in three dimensions, revealing morphological details that are not pre- served in the compressed skeletons of its German relative. The Apatemys skeleton's posture suggests the animal drowned. Many characteristics indicate that it was arboreal, including specialized teeth for gnawing wood, and limbs and extremities adapted for climbing, clinging and leaping. We can also see a well-preserved baculum, a tiny bone presumably used to support the penis during insertion that most modern mammals have lost. Like the aye-aye, an unusual lemur from Madagascar, and the striped opossum, a marsupial found in New Guinea and northeastern Australia, apatemyids probably extracted wood-boring larvae from bark and crevices. This dietary adaptation is reserved for woodpeckers today, but since wood- peckers are absent from Madagascar and Australasia and did not yet e.xist at the time of apatemyids, these mammals all evolved to fill that vacant eco- logical niche. The Wyoming fossil does not shed light on the origin of apatemyids or their relationship to other placental mammals, but it does help scientists inter- pret how they were related to one another and distributed throughout North America and Europe. A. chardini is also an excellent example of what close cooperation between amateur and profes- sional paleontologists can produce. Jim Walker, a commercial fossil collector, discovered the specimen and generously lent it to Drs. Grande and Martin for more than a year, allowing them to deposit a cast in The Field Museum's collections. A. chardini showcases a happy scientific acci- dent — when a fish specialist and primate specialist come together to describe an extinct animal that is neither fish nor primate. Perhaps its long fingers weren't a vulgar gesture at all, but a beckoning to research one more evolutionary question among the unanswered millions. ITF ^HEFIELDFEATURE The World is Just Enough for Lichens H. Thorstai LiinibschJj'hE^/lssistaiit Curator, only way to get any sleep inthe Bltmg coTd, with stormy winds blasting over the coast, ^.$ to have a sip of whisky. Fortunately my Austrian colleague brought a small bottle with rfiiri' that gave us the warming respite7^?e needed as we camped for a week in th^^rsh- Antarctic, surrojj^n^g^by nothing but penguins, elephant seals, mosses and lichf^^^^ Byers Peninsula is one of the largest ice-free areas on the Antarctic's South Shetland Islands. While many lichens are distributed around the world, we were searching for Usnca spltacelata, a tough species that looks like an old man's beard and grows on bare rocks in Antarctica, the high mountains of the Peruvian Andes, the Arctic and even atop Mt. Rainier in Washington. Because of our interest in lichen systematics and evolution, this project compares the Antarctic species with those in the northern polar region and the Andes, which have a similar unforgiving climate. Lichens are natural cooperatives comprised of a fungus that grows in close association with algae and/or cyariobacteria (formerly called blue-green algae). Some ground lichens grow in tangles that help alleviate wind and water erosion in weak soil. The cyanobacteria "fix" nitrogen gas in the air so that it can be utilized as a nutrient. Caribou and reindeer rely on lichens as a major food source, ancl birds and insects make them their home. Even humans use lichens as a dye, medicine and food. Lichens also absorb whatever is in the air, often disappearing when they become too vulnerable to pollution. Fewer scientists study lichens compared to other plant groups. There are uncountable undiscovered species, and much existing data is based on erroneous morphological comparisons. The sensitive symbi- otic relationship of lichens is almost impossible to cultivate in a laboratory, especially since they grow less than a millimeter a year and live for hundreds to thousands of years. This makes collections-based and molecular research necessary to upgrading our knowledge. We used the Pritzker Laboratory for Molecular Systematics to understand how the "old man's beard" literally grows at opposite ends of the Earth, choosing this sizable bush-like species because it's easy to recognize and is allegedly well known. However, the DNA data that Nora Wirtz has collected showed us how wrong we were. Scientists have thought that there was only one species at both poles, but we found that we were working with four, some of which we will describe as new. Subsequent examination proved that subtle differences in these organisms' morphology and chemistry were previously neglected. Their geographic distribution is no less interesting: Two species occur in Antarctica, the high Andes and the northern hemisphere, while the other two were only collected in Antarctica and the high Andes. The data also suggest that the whole group origi- nated in the southern hemisphere, and two made their way northward through the mountains of the Americas. Our last fieldtrip to Peru, which was funded by The Women's Board and organized closely with the Natural History Museum in Lima, Peru, greatly improved our knowledge of the Andes' role in distributing these lichens. It also enhanced our col- lections, which previously contained mostly North American speciinens and have more than doubled in the past two years since the 195()s. Dr. Thorsten Lumbsch alone has helped describe more than 80 new species, including many crustose lichens, which form crusts that are rigidly affixed to what- ever they grow on. Each step in understanding lichens either revises what's known or adds to what's not. ITF Mt. Hiiarapasca (17,000 feet), Cordillera Blanca, Peru. Usnea acanthella, a shrubby beard lichen in the Peruvian Andes. . . ^'^r^:rt..s- ^WWI^^PliSr ^^A 1 4- " ^^^^B^P^.n^ Jt^StJ^M Wm^&hWi'^ 1, BpV_> . ^^•ttji \ * ,.<* jt^SU^^^^S^Sr A 9k • « W^^^SS^^mm 9^ \^ ' M h PJi^^^ V''- jEJi^ 'fJBWllfli'ffi iH ^V ?*^ ' ^ SPRING 2005 March-May I NTHEFI ELD FEATURE The Weasel in the Classroom Afiiy E. Cmitcli, Editor When a local schoolteacher showed her students a New York weasel — a ferocious creature that attacks everything it can — one boy was so captivated that he corralled his mother into searching for it at The Field iVluseum. They eventually found the Harris Educational Loan Center, which had lent the specimen to the teacher. With great aplomb, he explained what he knew as if he'd witnessed the weasel in his own backyard. A teacher slinres Harris Loan materials with her class. For 94 years, the center has offered Museum treasures to classrooms, Hbraries and other youth groups throughout Chicago and beyond. Revolutionary when it started, the program is still rare for its size and depth. Last year almost 300, ()()() children benefited from Harris Loan materials. Resources include 900 Exhibit Cases depicting scenes from the natural world; portable Experience Boxes on more than 70 topics that contain educa- tor guides, objects and activities; multimedia and print materials; and large-scale replicas, including a full-size reproduction of a Tyraiiiiosaurus rex head. The variety of themes — from prehistoric creatures to urban wildlife, ancient Egypt to Latin American food, and seeds to volcanoes — enables teachers to incorporate real cul- tural artifacts and botanical and zoologi- cal specimens into their lesson plans, an even more powerful experience for stu- dents when combined with a fieldtrip to the Museum. "Harris Loan appeals to educators in so many -ways," said Mara Cosillo-Starr, resource center administrator. "Borrowing is free, most importantly, and every activity meets Illinois learning stan- dards." Equally vital is that Cosillo-Starr and her associate, Moses Rasberry, are more than registrars. Educators look to them as curriculum advisors, fieldtrip planners and friends. It's not unusual for a teachers quick stop for materials to turn into a comforting chat about the challenges in the classroom. While Harris Loan meets educators' needs for experiential, accessible materials, the program has not rested on its laurels. The entire collection was recently catalogued, photographed and posted online. Teachers can now register for the program, search the holdings and reserve materials through our website. Several boxes are being revitalized. "I look at each box with critical eyes and ask, if I were a teacher, could I use this?'" said Cosillo-Starr. "Then I put in as much as I can imagine. Sometimes I create or expand a box because it's a cool topic and I know that teachers will use it." For example, inspired by the Museum's beloved dioramas, Cosillo-Starr developed a case in which students see the difference between real and artifi- cial specimens and learn about the painstaking techniques used to construct lifelike nature scenes. In addition, she added a teacher's guide, activities, a microscope and slides, and more specimens to the original tree box. "We have engaged actual classroom teachers to review our materials," said Elizabeth Babcock, PhD, teacher and student programs director. "This is exciting because it ensures a high degree of useful- ness." A new bo.x on renewable energy was created based on teacher requests that guides children in building model hydro and wind stations. Other efforts include basic maintenance — espe- cially critical with so many little hands using the materials — and building the community of users. A new website feature enables teachers to post lesson plans they've created that incorporate Harris materials. We will also establish offsite distribution centers in 2006 for educators who do not live or work near the Museum. Every attempt to e.xpand the Harris Educational Loan Center balances preserving its historical sig- nificance as one of the largest collections of its kind w^ith using the latest scientific theories and peda- gogical techniques. For the little boy, reading about the New York weasel might not have stirred the same enthusiasm as did touching one and taking an extra trip to see it again. ITF Any educator can visit wtini'.fteldmuseuw.org/harrisloan to register or reserve tiiaterials. 6 IN THE FIELD YOURGUIDETOTHE FIELD Calendar of Events for Spring 2005 March-May Inside: Exhibitions Festivals Family Programs Adult Programs Programs at a Glance Details inside! Family Programs Dino Bee 3/19 Sue's 5th Birthday 5/14-17 Mazon Creek Fieldtrip 3/19 & 4/16 The Two of Us 4/12-5/31 Family Overnights 3/25 & 4/1 Behind the Scenes 5/6 Cultural Connections March-May Adult Progrqnis Egyptian Magic V begins 3/29 Hieroglyphs and History begins 3/30 The Greatest Good Film Screening 4/2 Design Competition and Panel Discussion 4/16 Of Diamonds and Diplomats Performances 4/23, 4/24, 4/30 & 5/1 Volo Bog Fieldtrip 4/30 Behind the Scenes J/7 National Geographic Live! Series Solo Across the Poles 3/8 Inside Secret Worlds 3/22 Jungles 4/12 — SOLD OUT Tracing the Journey of Man 5/10 — SOLD OUT Final Days! JACQUELINE = KENNEDY: THE WHITE HOUSE YEARS Selections from the JOHN F. KENNEDY LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ©JFK LIBRARY FOUNDATION Through May 8 Revisit an era of style and grace to explore how Jacqueline Kennedy's taste, intelligence and charisma influenced American statesmanship and diplomacy. More than 70 garments, along with photographs, documents and film clips, reveal how the former first lady carefully shaped her image to reflect the vigor, ideals and internationalism of her husband's administration. This exhibition was organized by The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of The Grainger Foundation and Marshal! Field's. Lecture Inside the White House Hugh Sidey, Washington Contributing Editor, Time Magazine Laced with humor, Hugh Sidey's presentation will offer rare insight on the White House from an insider's perspective. Having personally known every president since Dwight Eisenhower, Sidey will examine the Kennedy Administration — from the Vienna Summit to that fateful day in Dallas — and the contemporary history of America's most famous home. Wednesday, March 30, 7pni Reserved seats: $24, members $22 General admission: $20, members $18, students /educators $15 (limited quantity) _x fe Field useum General Museum Information: 312.922.9410 Family and Adult Program Tickets and Information: 312.665.7400 Please note: Refunds will be issued by Field Museum staff, minus a $10 processing fee, for group and family overnights only. No refunds or exchanges are permitted for any other programs. Fees for programs cancelled by The Field Museum will be refunded in full. SPRIMG 2005 March-May Your Guide to the Field: Calendar of Events for Spring 2005 March-May Saturday, March 19 All activities are free with Museum admission Dino Bee Join The Field Museum and Chicago Parent magazine for tine first-ever Dino Bee! You'll witness 50 third-graders — all aspiring dinosaur experts — face off as they perfect their knowledge of dinosaur facts and figures. Ham Sue School Jim Holstein, TFM Geology Dept. Sharpen your pencil and get ready to learn about paleontology! Families are invited to talk to Field staff about the science of Sue, the most famous dinosaur in the world. 10am and 1pm Additional Dino Doings Treks With a T. Rex Foundation Theatre Group Tex the T. rex and his paleontologist guide, Dr Jonas, need help! Join this cast of colorful characters and their dinosaur friends from ail over the world as they try to figure out what T. rex did with its tiny arms. Also look for colossal dinosaur pup- pets roaming the Museum greeting dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages! Dinosaur Dynasty Discoveries from China iMay 21, 2005 -April 23, 2006 Meet dinosaurs you've never seen before, when T. rex Sue's friends come to visit — all the way from Chinal Sue Discovery Dig May 27-Septemher 5, 2005 Join one of the most spectacular dinosaur expeditions this side of China — and help unearth a full-size replica of our famous T. rex, Sue! 8 ; IN THE FIELD CALENDAR General Museum Information: 312.922.9410; Family and Adult Program Tickets and Information: 312.665.7400 Sue's 5! Joi Check out an array of free programs — including performances, activities and the chance to meet IVIuseum scientists — as part of Sue's 5th birthday celebration. SahirdcJY— Tuesday, May 14—17 All activities are free until Museum admission. Treks With a T. Rex Foundation Theatre Group Performance: 1 1am each day Scientists at the Field Presenters include Brian Sidlauskas, TFM Fishes Division, and Lisa Bergwall, TFM Geology Dept. Meet Field IVIuseum scientists, learn about their personal research inter- ests and see rarely displayed specimens from our collections, the foundation of nearly every IVIuseum endeavor. Saturday and Sunday, 1 lam— 2pm Additional Dino Doings Stop by Dino Zone on the upper level or a hands-on interpretive station to learn more about dinosaurs from around the world. ake your own dinosaur mask, investigate a model of Sue's claw, handle real fossils or locate dinosaur discovery sites on our Asia Mega Map! Later, join Story Time to hear a reading of A Field Mouse and a Dinosaur Named Sue, and make an art project to take home. Dino Zone: Saturday and Sunday, 10:30am— 4pm Monday and Tuesday, 10am— 2pm Story Time: 1:30pm each day Sneaky Sea Creature See how scientists are solving a 150-year-old puzzle regarding the unusually long necks of many ancient reptiles known as protorosaurs. A newly discovered fossil coming to the Field may have solved the mystery for one particular species. Find out how the strange neck of the 230-million-year-old Dinocephalosaurus orien- taliSy "terrible-headed lizard from the Orient," enabled it to quietly sneak up on elusive fish and squid and suck them in as food. March 19-fune 17,2005 SPRING 2005 March- Fieldtrip Family Fossil Hunt at Mazon Creek Do you like to hunt fossils? Visit the world-famous Mazon Creek site to discover what Illinois was like more than 300 million years ago! Plan on a quarter-mile walk to fossil locations. Designed for families with children 8-17 years old. Choose either Saturday, March 19 or April 16, Sam— 3pm $40, members $30 Workshop The Two of Us Join us in this eight- week excursion through the wonders of The Field Museum! You and your little one will travel the Museum's exhibition halls, sing songs, hear stories, touch objects, make art projects and enjoy snacks while exploring natural and cultural history, from bats and insects to games and art forms. Families with children ages 3—5 Tuesdays, April 12— May 31 10— 11:30am or 1:30— 3pm (Choose one time.) $95, members $80 For each child, one adult attends at no charge. Courses Ancient Egypt: Egyptian Magic V Tliomas Mudloff, Egyptologist Examine the mystique of the Egyptian goddesses Hathor and Isis through the rich histories their temples have left behind. You'll see how both temples and their well- preserved shrines, crypts and monuments provide clues to the fascinating cult of followers each goddess held. Beginners welcome. Tuesdays, March 29, April 5. 12, 19 and 26. and Monday, May 16, 6— 8:30pm $85, members $12 Ancient Egypt: Hieroglyphs and History Thomas Mudloff, Egyptologist Unlock the secrets of the past as you develop a basic knowl- edge of the remarkable language of ancient Egypt. Explore actual hieroglyphic records of historic events. Beginners welcome, but be prepared to do some homework! Class limited to 25 people. \i:dnesdays, March 30, April 6, 13, 20 and 21, and Tuesday, May 11, 6- 8:30pm S85, members $12 Below is a calendar of current and upcoming temporary exhmitions. Some dates may change. Visit our website at wvwv.fieldmuseum.org or call 312.922.9410 as the date of your visit nears. Jungles: Photographs by Frans Lanting May 27, 2005-January 1, 2006 Sue Discovery Dig May 27-September 5, 2005 Dinosaur Dynasty: Discoveries from China May 27, 2005-April 23, 2006 Family Overnights Dozin' With the Dinos Sue the T. rex is having a sleepover! Join us for a night of worl<- shops, tours and performances. Explore ancient Egypt by flashlight, prowl an African savannah with man-eating lions and stroll through the Royal Palace in Bamun, Africa. Then spread your sleeping bag amid some of our most popular exhibitions. The event includes an evening snack and light breakfast. Families with children ages 6—12 5:45piii on Friday until 9am on Saturday Choose from March 25 or April 1 $47, members $40 Behind the Scenes Discover the Treasures of the Americas Maxine McBrinn, TFM Anthropology Dept. Look closely at the extraordinary artifacts in the Treasures of the Americas exhibition, and learn why these pieces were choser from the Museum's extensive collections to represent the exquisite art of the Americas. Meet an anthropologist who will talk about their fascinating history and the unusual skill and care used to create these ceremonial and daily objects. Choose from two sessions. Families with children ages 8—12: Friday, May 6, 6pm Adults: Saturday, May 7, 10am $15, members $12 Film Screening The Greatest Good Journey across breathtaking landscapes and learn about the origins of the environmental conservation movement in America. This documentary explores the choices we have made in the last 100 years about land use, examining the American forest as it has evolved alongside our changing social values. Saturday, April 2, 2pm (Not rated. Running time: 2 hrs.) Free with Museum admission Design Competition and Panel Discussion Design Innovations in Manufactured Housing See first-hand how the next gener- ation of designers envisions the future of manufactured housing. Experts will critique the plans of students from the University of Illinois at Chicago-City Design Center and the Design Studio. Then, architects who contributed to the Design Innovations in Manufactured Hous/ng exhibition will discuss housing possibilities for Chicago's underserved neighborhoods. Saturday, April 1 6 Competition: 10am Discussion: 2pm $12, members $8, UIC and UT students free with school ID Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land Through May 8, 2005 Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years — Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum Through May 8, 2005 Treasures of the Americas: Selections Froir the Anthropology Collections of The Field Museum Through May 30, 2005 tural Connections |ence Chicago's cultural diversity through ar's theme, ''Narratives: Doorways to Our fiunities." Learn how folktales, rare documents ci#-murals play powerful roles in passing on cultural values, revealing community history and helping resi- dents address current social issues. Call 312.665.7474 for more information, or visit www.fieldmuseum.org/ccuc. March 12:Tclliii(i Tales to Teach April 13 and 1 4: Treasures from the Trunk — H{i;hU<;>hrs from Our Immigration History May 25 and 26: From Hal! to Wall — Counter-\'arratit>es in Chicago Cultural Connections has received generous support from: Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, The Joyce Foundation, Kraft Foods, The Women's Board of The Field Museum, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Bank On Robert Morris College, and the Chicago Public Schools' Office of Language and Cultural Education. Performance Of Diamonds and Diplomats A Staged Reading by Live Bait Tlieater Follow this humorous trek through Jacqueline Kennedy's social life with Chicago's acclaimed Live Bait Theater, based on etiquette expert Letitia Baldrige's memoirs. Tag along with Tish and the first lady as they redecorate the Executive Mansion, throw some swell soirees and lose their luggage on three continents! Saturdays and Sundays, April 23, 24, 30 and May 1, 2pm SI6, students /educators $14, members $12 Fieldtrip Unique Landscapes: Voio Bog and Glacier Park Visit one of Chicagoland's only true bogs to investigate the ecosys- tems and plant life that thrive there. You'll see evidence of what the last Ice Age left behind and learn about how our most common landforms were created. This is an adults-only trip, and space is limited. Please register by Monday, April 25. Saturday, April 30, 8am~3pm I $70, members $60 Design Innovations in Manufactured Housing Through January 16, 2006 eneral luseum Information: 312.922.9410; Family and Adult Program Ticl■€ 14 IN THE FIELD CALENDAR SCIENTIST'SPICK COURTESY WILLIAM PESTLE Swindling is not a modern practice. Digital X-rays of a 2,500-year-old Egyptian mummified cat from The Field Museum's collections revealed that it's actually a bundle of rags, proba- bly sold to a mourner who thought it was an offering to the goddess Bastet. This past December, the anthropology department was loaned a portable X-ray machine — more typically used in hospitals — that allowed researchers to see inside about 60 objects. Each one held pressing research questions and could test the equipment's applicability within a museum setting. Magdalenian Girl, an Ice Age mummy from France, gained mythic fame in the 1920s when rumors circulated that a jealous lover had killed her with a poisoned arrowhead. While the X-rays haven't verified her cause of death, they show impacted molars associated with adult teeth problems. She probably died as an elder rather than a child or teenager. Several animal mummies contained metal pieces that were likely inserted to make the ani- mal appear more robust and lifelike. Artifacts from Kish, a 5,000-year-old site in Iraq, showed restoration and conservation treatments performed in the 1920s. Scientists could see the internal mechanisms that make 1,500-year-old Moche vessels from Peru whistle when fluid is decanted. Images taken through a wooden sarcophagus of a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy revealed preserved brain tissue, which was traditionally removed. Whereas the Museum's older X-ray equipment is time-consuming and produces lower-quality images, the new machine works within seconds and generated nearly 400 images in just three days. They are currently being processed and reviewed for possible publication and dis- play. The department is seeking funds to purchase the $250,000 machine for permanent use. William Pestle, a collections manager in the anthropology department who specializes in human remains, chose this Scientist's Pick. Left: Gazelle mummy with metal inclusions. Center: Fake cat mummy. Right: Mummy with preserved brain. SPRING 2005 March-M.iy 15 FIELD How to Study Animab in Habitats You've Never Seen Wood from' a continental forest that falls into a stream ^jgg ^Jjgg^Jgn^ far out to sea. Seaweed, go-eseneck barnacles and other animals cofomze ttieTToating mass, which eventually sinks under the weight of its growing cargo and water logging. The original inhabitants disappear on the way down, maybe eaten or killed by near-freezing temper- atures. When the wood reaches the seafloor, animals that occur_ nowhere else be: ^ occupying it, exploiting the shelter and energy it stores. ^ A digital still from Alvin shows a spider crab and squat lobsters surround- ing wood deployed two years earlier Inset: Provanna macleani, the gastropod found in 1997 that sparked Dr Voight's interest in wood falls. The rarity of wood falls increases with distance from the shore. In the past decade I've had eight dives in Alvin, the only U.S. manned submersible, and nine cruises with four different Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV),but I've never seen a natural wood fall on the seafloor. During a trawling cruise in 1997, however, we netted a small log that carried a type of snail previously known only from hydrothermal vents and cold seeps, both habitats rich in hydrogen sulfide, a pungent chemical. Biologists who specialize in vents question how species find them in the first place, but detecting hot, chemical-rich (and stinky) vent fluids seems easier to me than locating a piece of wood. These snails offered a tantalizing glimpse of wood-fall specialists, but because the trawl net likely scraped other animals off the log on the way up, a glimpse was all I had. To know which animals exist on wood falls required more carefully collected specimens. The first steps My proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF) offered to get such specimens. Rather than trying to locate natural wood falls, I would generate my own, placing wood at depths below 2,200 meters (1.4 miles) and returning the two following years to collect it. With NSF funding and use of the WOW Jason, an unmanned robotic submersible, I put 18-inch-long lengths of wood in bags on the North Pacific Ocean floor during a three-week multi-disciplinary cruise in 2002. With many scientists involved in that cruise and several days of work planned at each site, we deployed acoustic transponders deep under water to aid in navigation. While diving, the ROV queries the transponders, and each one answers with a characteristic sound frequency. Transponders that are farther from the ROV appear to answer more slowly; differences in the sounds' roundtrip travel times allow us to determine how far the ROV is from each transponder. Because we used the ship's Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate each transponder exactly at deployment, we could navi- gate the ROV pretty well and translate its position into latitude and longitude. Working with my colleagues dramaticaUy increased our efficiency, but imagine trying to explain to geochemists and geophysicists ("hard" scientists) that you are using incredibly expensive ship and ROV time — $40,000 a day — to put wood on the seafloor in hopes of finding it again to see what might have grown on it. I tried to smile at their little jokes as I put one piece of oak and one of fir into each mesh bag with a meter-long marker line, readying them for what nught be a one-way trip. There was no guarantee that I would find it or that animals would have colonized it. I only knew that we would not recover plants because there's no light below about 500 meters (0.3 miles) depth. 1 couldn't use signaling devices because batteries can't last for two years at seafloor temperatures of 2 C (36 F). Direct use of the GPS was impossible 16 IN THE FIELD because satellite signals don't go through water. And because ROV and submersible lights penetrate only about 10 feet through the water at the bottom of the ocean, we couldn't be off by more than that if we were to ever see the wood again. Every time we left a bag on the bottom, I felt a pang of doubt as my colleagues gleefully reminded me of the prob- lems I would face later. During my first recovery cruise with the same science party and transponder system, we found all the wood we looked for, but the diversity of animals it carried was disappointing. The make-or-break cruise I had hoped my final recovery cruise this past September would be different; indeed it was. Instead of being a small part of a large science party, this time it was just me, my 14 handpicked scientists-colleagues, and, instead of an ROV, Alvin, a wonderful, time-tested tool. However, use of Alvin meant we had to use a different navigational system to relocate the wood. It takes six hours to deploy transponders, and my cruise was only long enough to get from site to site with one dive at each area. Therefore, I had to rely on the ship's high-tech GPS to determine where Alvin landed after its two-hour descent (through what can be strong currents) and how to get it within 1 feet of where we thought the wood was. At each area, I was afraid that our navigation would be off by just enough — or, worse yet, by a mile — and we would completely miss the wood. My shipboard colleagues never quite understood my concerns, as we promptly found the wood on every dive. When I started working with sub- mersibles, attempting to find 18-inch-long bags and a single marker line would have been so close to impossible as to be laughable. With the latest technology, however, we showed it could be done repeatedly. Once Alvin located the wood, the pilot easily loaded the bags into the 35-pound lidded boxes I had commissioned to bring them to the surface. If the wood had ascended through the water column unprotected, its tiny colonists would have washed off. Opening the boxes on the ship's deck revealed diverse animals that are rarely collected. We made the world's third collection of a wood-fall specialist previously known only from off New Zealand and Bermuda; some consider the animals a new class — a taxonomic level as different from sea stars, common echinoderms (spiny-skinned inverte- brates), as octopuses are from snails or bivalves. This new species of Xyloplax is now being described. Wood-boring clams are thought to be integral to the wood-fall fauna. Although only one species was reported in the North Pacific Ocean, our col- lections contain what I think are at least six species — all unknown to science — in two genera, one of which was previously known only from the Atlantic Ocean. One of my reference books says flatworms do not exist in the deep sea, but they were so abundant at one site that we collected hundreds of them. I think they were feasting on newly settled clams because where the flatworms were absent, there were so many wood-boring clams that the wood was falling apart. We collected animals from as deep as 3,227 meters (2 miles) under the surface and as far as 255 nautical miles from land — and the nearest tree. Even though I've never seen a natural wood fall, the animals must have been there, waiting, all the time. Discovering their diversity is the first step in understanding how they evolved to occupy this habitat. Although life on Earth is inherently fragile, my research in the deep sea constantly reveals sur- prisingly precarious existences into which animals have evolved. ITF I Go to uni'w.fieldmuseum. org /expeditions, then "Archived □ Expeditions," for personal dispatches from Dr. Voight's B research in the Pacific Ocean. SPRING 2005 Manh-M,iy 17 INTHEFIELDFEATURE Revitalizing Life Over Time: A New Look for a Very Old Topic Todd J. Tuhutis, Senior Project Martager, Exhibitions "Where are the dinosaurs?" You may have asked this on a recent visit to The Field Museum when you discovered that Life Over Time is now closed, and then wondered why. Life Over Time, which told the story of evolution since life's beginnings 4.5 billion years ago, opened in two phases between 1993 and 1994. It quickly became one of the Museum s most popular perma- nent exhibitions, attracting nearly 1.5 million visitors over its first three years. The exhibition's hands-on opportunities were a tremendous lure, in 77;/.< dnvnatic aninialed projection shows a thriv- ing shallow marine environment of the Cambrian Period (490-543 million years ago). addition to its dinosaurs, but many interactive ele- ments frequently broke down. Exhibitions staff ultimately had to remove some without replacing them, and Life OverTime's maintenance needs soon exceeded routine upkeep. Facing this practical dilemma, the Museum eval- uated the exhibition in 2001. While its original messages were still timely — that the history of life on Earth is vast, that every living thing is connected through evolution, and that evolution is an ongoing process — many elements failed to communicate these messages to our visitors. The evaluation also revealed just how much the evolutionary sciences had grown since Life Over Time opened, including at The Field Museum, where many scientists are at the forefi"ont of researching the complex and lengthy history of life on Earth. Life Over Time needed to incorporate new scientific theories and discoveries. In addition, acquiring Sue the T rex in 1997 had a significant impact. By studying this fossil, the most complete T. rex specimen yet discovered, scientists now know how fast Tyrannosaurus rex grew, how old Sue was and even how well the T rex could smell! We also know more about the Cretaceous world in which Sue lived from the fossils found at the same site. As a result of this evaluation, the Museum committed to a full-scale renovation of Life Over Time with four overarching goals: strengthen the exhibition's interpretive focus on evolution with a well-paced journey through time; highlight the Museum's spectacular fossil collections to position The Field Museum as the place for dinosaurs in Chicago; create a link to and context for Sue, which will remain on display in Stanley Field Hall; and make the exhibition flexible to accommodate current scientific information, debates and new discoveries. Over the past three and a half years, the exhibi- tions department has created a stunning new design. Here are some highlights to come: • Nearly 750 additional specimens, including an 1 8- foot-long juvenile sauropod dinosaur, Rapetosanms Kransci, that has never been displayed; • Eight "Scientist Stops" featuring Field Museum scientists talking about their research, and six interactive stations on "Evolution Essentials" that explain how evolution works and how we know; • An expanded section on hominid evolution featuring a full-scale, three-dimensional reconstruction of "Lucy," a 3.18 inillion-year- old Australopithecus afarensis; • 24 cleaned and restored Charles R. Knight murals, originally painted for the Museum in the 1920s; • An e.xpanded dinosaur hall with a dramatic new entrance and a kid-friendly "dino " activity area. Life Over Time closed in March 2004 to get ready for this spectacular new permanent exhibi- tion. Look for more exciting details — including a new title — as we prepare to unveil the exhibition in March 2006. In the meantime, come see Dinosaur Dynasty: Discoveries from China, opening on May 27, or visit the Dino Zone on the upper level by the McDonald' s Fossil Prep Lab. The renovation of Life Over Time is made possible, in part, with support from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Education. 18 IN THE FIELD OFSPECIALINTEREST An Evening of Style and Grace With the graceful columns of Stanley Field Hall providing an elegant backdrop, more than 1,200 guests celebrated the opening of the Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years exhibition at The Women's Board gala. An Evening of Style and Grace. Chaired by Maureen Dwyer Smith and co-chaired by Mrs. David W. Grainger, the event evoked a Kennedy-era state dinner with special guests that included Caroline Kennedy and her husband, Edwin Schlossberg, Senator and Mrs. Edward M. Kennedy, Governor and Mrs. Rod Blagojevich, and Senator and Mrs. Barack Obama. "It was one of those nights when everything came together perfectly — the flowers, the food and especially the people," said Smith. "I have never been so proud of our Women's Board and the staff of the Museum. I can't thank everyone enough for their support of The Field Museum!" The event raised more than $1 million to support The Field Museum. The Women's Board gratefully acknowledges the gala's lead sponsor, Marshall Field's, and additional sponsors Abbott Laboratories, Mr. and Mrs. John V. Crowe, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Field V, Illinois Tool Works Inc., Mr. and Mrs. Fred A. Krehbiel, Northern Trust, Anne and Chris Reyes/Reyes Holdings, LLC, and Sara Lee Corporation. Left: Mr. and Mn. Dmnd W. Crainj^er Ri};ht: Edward Byroi: Smith, Jr., Maureen Dwyer Siiiltli, Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg This exhibition was organized by The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of The Grainger Foundation and Marshall Field's. Tsunami Remembered On Dec. 26, 2004, an underwater earthquake in the Indian Ocean unleashed a devastating tsunami that pummeled 12 countries and killed at least 175,000 people. The whole world held its breath in despair and disbelief as the news unfolded, each one of us affected by the tragedy in deeply personal ways. The Field Museum has culled exquisite artifacts from the anthropology collections that came from cultures in the tsunami's path. They are on public view in the Regenstein Laboratory, which is inside the Traveling the Pacific exhibition. The spectacular objects include an exquisitely beaded pouch and belt from Penang, Malaysia (1), and a dog-like "scare devil" sculpture from the Nicobar Islands in India. An ornate temple lamp of a bird carrying a heavenly musician on its back came from the Tamils, one of the oldest cultures of South Asia. A chief from Nias, Indonesia, once wore the dramatic iron cuirass (body armor) and helmet (2 and 3). The mask from ^ Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka, was used in sacred dances that were part Buddhist and part Hindu and intended to exorcise spirits and praise the sick. These and other objects are on display through April 10. Also look for the full-length sculptures by Malvina Hoffman of an Andaman aborigine on the west upper floor by the Japanese lacquer, and a Tamil man climbing a palm tree on the east upper floor near the minerals. SPRING 2005 March-May 19 FROM THEARC HIVES Glass Plate Negative s to Retire Nina Cummin^s, Photo Aniiiivs All good things must come to an end, or at least be put to rest. The Field Museum's glass plate negatives — part of a stunning archive of some 500, ()()() images spanning 110 years — present both an extraordinary resource and special challenge. Scholars, publishers, muse- ums, filmmakers and others hail them as rare, beautiful moments of our nation's past, yet ongoing handling of the frail plates to reproduce print or digital images has put them at risk. The Legends Collections, in particular, were produced between 1 895 and 1 906 and contain / . Dyiiaiiiite blast oti the site where an Apatosaurus was found. Fniita, Colorado, 1900. 2. Maasai warriors modeling for Carl Akeley's sculptures, now on the Museum 's ground floor East Africa, 1906. 3. Architectural overview of a Hopi village. 4. Unidentified woman at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, in an unusually informal pose for the time. 2,500 images from significant events in both Field Museum and American history: • Photographer Harold Menke captured Elmer Riggs's dinosaur-collecting expeditions to Wyoming and Colorado, which yielded the type specimen of Brachiosaunis and the tail of an Apatosaurus; • Carl Akeley, renowned as the father of taxidermy, documented his travels to Africa to collect mam- mal specimens and ethnographic objects; • Charles Carpenter accompanied anthropologist George Dorsey to Arizona to record Hopi people and villages. This collection's value climbed when the US government eventually banned photogra- phy on the reservations; • Carpenter also took portraits of native groups representing the United States, Argentina, Africa and the Philippines at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. While the plates have been carefully maintained for decades, changes in temperature and relative humidity can cause cracking, blistering and lifting of the emulsion from the glass base. A grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission is enabling the photo archives depart- ment to duplicate the plates to film and create an online database, making the collection more accessible for research and publication. In order to preserve these precious archives, the delicate originals will be retired from active circulation. 20 IN THE FIELD MEMBERSHIP/ANNUALFUNDNEWS S;^ve the Date - 54th Annual Members' Nights Don't miss the most highly anticipated member event of the year On June 2 and 3, go behind the scenes to visit areas that are normally off limits to the public. Explore our vast collections, meet our scientists and see where our exhibitions are devel- oped. Enjoy world music and dance, and participate in special activities. Your invitation will arrive soon. Sue Suite a Super Sweet Deal To celebrate Sue the T. rex's 5th birthday, The Field Museum and The Ritz-Carlton Chicago are unveiling a Sue Suite package for dinosaur lovers of all ages! Children will receive a Sue-inspired gift and special welcome packet. Your suite will be transformed with a "Do Not Disturb: Dinosaur Sleeping" door tag, framed Sue posters, dinosaur-themed toss pillows and a dramatic 9-foot-tall cutout of a T rex! Other special amenities include "decorate your own" cookies and a dinosaur toothbrush, toothpaste and soap, as well as videos, games and puzzles available on loan. Children 1 2 and under can enjoy complimentary meals from the room service menu and have an opportunity to make cookies with the hotel's executive chef. Whether it's a birthday surprise for the young paleontologist or a family weekend in the city, please call The Ritz-Carlton Chicago at 800.806.9232 to check rates and availability. XRT93 Prpsp nts Pla y the Field Mix culture with cocktails, hear the best bands and explore our exhibitions- all for a discount. Tickets to XRT93's Play the Field, a popular monthly concert series, are $15 at the door for Field Museum members 21 and over with their ID card. The price includes a complimentary cocktail. Come see The Samples on March 24, an acoustic band known for its infectious, soulful songs on socio-political issues and matters of the heart. Visit the events calendar at www.fieldmuseum.org as the date nears to find out who's playing on April 28 and May 26. All shows are from 6 to 11pm. The summer concerts will move to the terrace. All proceeds benefit The Field Museum. PbytheField TheFielc Museum WXSCT scene ..-?'^ SPRING 2005 March-Miiy 21 Rebuilding Your Museum Filling in a Lightwell Behind every construction barricade at Tlie Field IVIuseum is a new project to enhance your visit or the research potential of our scientific staff. The original building contained six lightwells, which were hollowed spaces in the roof with windows that brought natural light and air into the Museum's upper floors. As time passed, however, conservators learned that controlled lighting is imperative to preserving artifacts and specimens. HVAC systems also improved. The windows were eventually covered, making the lightwells obsolete. Each one, roughly 42 feet wide by 120 feet long, has been filled in to form needed exhibition and research space. The northeast lightwell is the last one to be completed. This project is partly linked to the renovation of the Life Over Time (LOT) exhibition, which is reopening in 2006. Filling in the lightwell's second floor will improve visitors' ability to move through the new exhibition, which was shaped like a giant U and cum- bersome in certain sections. The added floor will also increase gallery space for rotating content on current information, debates and new discoveries in the evolutionary sci- ences. (See page 18 for more on the LOT renovation.) Filling in the third floor will increase the botany department's storage and academic areas. In all, this project adds about 15,000 square feet to the Museum's footprint. The northeast lightwell project is sponsored, in part, through grants from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 1. View inside the lightwell bejc it ims filled. 2. Smoothing out a newly added conacte floor. 3. Early phases of the new rooj INTHEFIELD Summer ^^■^. June-August FROMTHEPRESIDENT An Op enin g, a Closing and a New Beginning Tokyo was plastered in Sue posters. Curiosity and a sense of wonder know no boundaries. I recently returned from a trip to Japan where a cast model of Sue made its international debut at Tokyo's Dino Expo. Our famous T. rex was a smash hit — Tokyo was plastered in Sue posters and more than 200,000 visitors flooded Dino Expo in the first month of the event that will travel to Nagoya, Osaka and Kitakyushu before closing in April 2006. While in Tokyo, our Field Museum team also met with representatives from museums in New Zealand, Singapore, Korea and China to discuss taking the traveling Sue exhibition to their countries. We hope to build on the success of Sue in Japan to launch an extensive world- wide tour. With this issue of In the Field we mark an end and a beginning. We say farewell to editor Amy Cranch, who is moving with her fiance to the San Francisco area. Amy took the magazine in bold new direc- tions and received overwhelmingly positive feedback all around. In recalling her five years here, Amy admits she was at first unfamiliar John McCarter (center) and Japanese ojpcials at Dino Expo ribbon cutting. with the world of science. But tap- ping into the Museum's vast store of knowledge deepened her wonder for the world and commitment to her nature-centered lifestyle. With each person she encountered here and each story she worked on, she realized her job was anything but routine. Amy especially would like to thank her two primary collaborators, Meighan Depke of Depke Design and Allison Nelson of Unique Printers who have diligently helped her produce each quality issue. In turn, we thank Amy and wish her the best as she enters an exciting new chapter in her life. As Amy leaves, we welcome Nancy O'Shea to the editor's desk. Since 1997 Nancy has worked as media relations manager in our public relations department. Her resume also includes jobs in journalism, marketing and education. The depth of her experience plus her familiarity with the Museum will help us continue In the Field's tra- dition of providing an in-depth look at this great institution. John W. McCarter, Jr. President and CEO What do ynu think ahnut Tn the Fipid? For general membership inquiries, including address changes, call 866.312.2781. For questions about the magazine In the Field, call 312.665.7115, email noshea@fieldmuseum.org, or write Nancy O'Shea, Editor, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496. ^-••t^^'Kxr^s^sir.- INTHEFIELD Summer 2005, June-August, Vol.75, No. 3 Editor: Nancy O'Shea, The Field Museum Design: Depke Design ^K In the Field is printed on recycled paper ^w using soy-based inl;scovef^ Dinosaur Dynasty illustrates the amazing diversity of dinosaurs from the !\/lamenchisaurus, the longest-necked animal that ever lived, to the feathered dinosaur Caudipteryx. Visitors will see how dinosaur life begins from two very different nests of fossil eggs — and how it may have ended for at least one plated Tuojiangosaurus, shown under fierce attack by the crested meat-eater Monoiophosaurus. This exhibition offers hands-on fun for dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages. For a full day of dinosaur doings, combine a visit to Dinosaur Dynastyw'dh a trip to the Sue Discovery Dig (see inside flaps). This exhibition was produced by DinoDon, Inc., in cooperation with Beringia Ltd. and the Inner Mongolian Museum. useum General Museum Information: 312.922.9410 Family and Adult Program Tickets and Information: 312.665.7400 Please note: Refunds will be issued by Field Museum staff, minus a $10 processing fee, for group and family overnights only. No refunds or exchanges are permitted for any other programs. Fees for programs cancelled by The Field Museum will be refunded in full. SUMMER 2005 June-August 7 Your Guide to the Field: Calendar of Events for Summer 2005 June-August ue Discovery Dig Tlirough September 5. 2005 Join a spectacular dinosaur expedition — and Inelp unearth a full-size replica of our famous T. rex, Sue! Under a 6,000- square-foot tent on the Museum's southeast terrace, this activity-based dinosaur dig has something for every family with children ages 4-11. Junior paleontologists can pick up their field tools and get to work uncovering Sue's buried bones, then head to the fossil preparation lab to finish the job, unpacking and cleaning a variety of T. rex bones. Our dinosaur team will be on hand to help kids identify fossils, examine their finds and record their observations. It's a great summer activity for the whole family at the Field. Evolution of an Exhibition Did you know that by the time Evolving Planet — the new expanded exhibition on life over time — opens in spring 2006, four con- servators will have spent an entire year restoring the Field's incomparable collection of Charles R. Knight murals? Twenty-four of these murals, commissioned by the Museum in the 1920s to depict dramatic scenes of prehistoric life, will be prominently featured in the new exhibition. Evolving Planet is a brand new look at the history of life on Earth, highlighting the Museum's spectacular fossil collections. Nearly 750 additional specimens will be added to the new exhibition, which will also be flexible enough to accommodate new scientific information, debates and discoveries. Come check it out in March 2006! Inset: New view of Evolving Planet. Rendering by Eric Manabat. \r ■***■ 8 IN THE FIELD CALENDAR '.>jc-aBE.;»;i<«' ji» .;.y^' aawa General Museum Information: 312.922.9410; Family and Adult Program Tickets and Information: 312.665.7400 Dinosaur Discovery Days Enjoy a performance by the Foundation Theatre Grou specimens from the Museum's collections and handle through the exhibitions, stop by an interpretive statio halls to hear a reading of a dino-themed book during Fnday,Jtily 8— Sunday, Jtily 10, Watn—2pm Free with Museum admission Media Sponsor: Chicago Parent p, see rarely viewed real fossils! Wander n and settle into the Story Time. Treks With a T. Rex Foundation Tlieatre Group Tex the T. rex and his paleontologist guide, Dr. Jonas, need help! Join this cast of colorful characters and their dinosaur friends from all over the world as they try to figure out what Tyrannosaurus rex did with its tiny arms. Saturdays, June 4, July 9, Aug. 6, Sept. 3, 1pm Free with Museum admission Interpretive Stations and Story Time stop by a hands-on interpretive station to learn more about dinosaurs from around the world and make your own cre- ative dinosaur art project. Museum docents will be on hand to answer questions and share their in-depth knowledge, facts and figures. Then take a seat in the exhibition halls to hear a dino-themed tale during Story Time! Saturdays and Sundays in June; Daily in July and August Interpretive Stations: 10am— noon and 1pm— 3pm Story Time: 1:30pm Free Museum admission Free Week on Museum Campus Sunday,June 5—Friday,June 10 In addition to free general admission to The Field Museum, you'll get access to a variety of free outdoor activities near the new east entrance. You and your little ones can assemble a giant 3-D puzzle of a Triceratops, play the Renewable Energy game or trace your favorite dinosaur in chalk outside the Museum! Dinosaurs and Fossils at the Harris Educational Loan Center Now available to families! Stop by the Harris Educational Loan Center and find out about the dinosaur- and fossil-related materials available to families, educators, scout troops and home schoolteachers. This summer, we will be featuring free demonstrations of two featured Experience Boxes, Dinosaurs and their Times: Cretaceous, and Dinosaurs and their Times: Jurassic. Fridayjuly 8—Sunday,July 10, 10am-1pm Free with Museum admission Visit unvu'.fieldnmscinn.org/harrisloanfor details. SUMMER 2005 June-August 9 Family Overnight Dozin' With the Dinos Sue the T. rex is having a sleepover! Join us for a night of family worly and associate curator, birds, chose this Scientist's Pick. The scientific name for the Greater Bird of Paradise means "with- out feet," the result of a mistake. SUMMER 2005 Juuc-Auiun 15 INTHEFIELDFEATURE Hengduan Mountains: Rugged Lands, Diverse Life Richard Ree, PhD, Assistant Curator, Depannwnt of Botany Photos by Richard Ree A new day was beginning in Qamdo. Nestled in the folds of eastern Tibet, the monastery courtyard was serene. Saffron-robed monks moved quietly through curtained doorways, their embroidered boots lined up outside, and chanting resonated softly from the darkness within. Outside the gates, sunlight filtered through the smoke of juniper incense, while devotees circled the compound and spun their prayer wheels. Hengduan s hiologocial richness is displayed by tite many species of Umsciivrt found there. Shown left to right: Pedicularis integritolia, tlic author with plant species at id Pedicularis cranoloph.i. My reverie was broken by a mobile phone ringing strains of Mozart. The only other person around was an elderly Tibetan fingering her prayer beads, her toothless face a study in creases. She rummaged nonchalandy in her robes, flipped open the phone, and began a lively conversation. I smiled at this juxtaposition of tradition and modernity, but also felt a sense of foreboding. In the face of e.xtremely rapid economic and social change, what will happen to one of Chinas greatest natural resources — its biodiversity? A rugged patchwork of habitats Biodiversity brought me and colleagues from Harvard University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Kunming and Beijing, and Kyoto University to this place — the Hengduan Mountains. Comprising around half a million square kilometers of eastern Xizang (Tibet), western Sichuan and northern Yunnan, it is one of the world's primary biodiversity hotspots, containing more than one- third of China's estimated 30,000 plant species. While our collective mission was to inventory the area's plants and fungi. I wanted to find and collect species of Pedicularis, the enigmatic lousewort. When the Indian subcontinent coUided with Asia about 55 million years ago, two of the planet's most distinctive landforms uplift;ed, the Himalayas and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. A dramatic series of longitudinal ranges favorably configured for the origin and preservation of a rich biota arose at the eastern end of the collision zone. Here, four great rivers (the Irrawaddy, Salween, Mekong, and Yangtze) drain the rising plateau to the north, and sununer monsoons flannel up the valleys fiom the tropical south. Moist subtropical forests (1,000— 2,000 meters) give way to rhododendron-and conifer-doiTiinated zones higher up (2,500-4,000 meters). Interspersed are arid valleys with distinctive vegetation, including exotic cacti. Throughout the region, majestic peaks and ridges draped in slopes of loose rock, alpine meadows and glaciers rise well over 5,000 meters like "islands in the sky." Heterogeneous landscapes like this promote the origin of species. Natural selection causes popula- tions to adapt to each local condition, which can eventually lead to reproductive isolation, a surefire precursor to evolutionary divergence. Organisms dispersing between isolated patches of habitat can estabhsh new populations that over time become genetically distinct fiom their relatives. This creates new branches on the tree of life and may con- tribute to the formation of biodiversity hotspots. Many other factors Ukely contribute to the Hengduan 's biological richness. It direcdy abuts the humid tropics, fixjm which such species as Roscoea, small alpine herbs in the ginger family, and Iticarvillea, dry-adapted shrubs closely related to rainforest vines, originated. In times of climate change, as during the glacial cycles of the 16 i !N THE FIELD Pleistocene, its longitudinal valleys formed corri- dors that allowed species to migrate north-south, thereby avoiding extinction. But much more research is needed to better understand why the region is so diverse. Why, for example, have there been so many evolutionary radiations of species in the harsh alpine zone? Penchant for Pedicularis My interest in the Hengduan region began Of the roughly 500 species in Pedicularis, more than half occur in the Hengduan region. I want to know why there are so many species here, how they coexist and how such unusual traits as long floral tubes evolved. By tracing the "family tree" of Pedicularis using DNA sequences, I have inferred that long tubes evolved as many as nine times inde- pendently, suggesting that this trait is highly adaptive (repeatedly gained by natural selection). However, there is a paradox: Pedicularis is serendipitously. As a wet-behind-the-ears graduate student planning to study passionflowers in South America, 1 nevertheless joined my advisor in west- ern Sichuan in 1997. 1 was intrigued by how Httle this remote area had been explored. Jesuit mission- aries and a handful of explorers contributed to the earliest collections in western herbaria. In the 1920s and '30s, Joseph Rock, for example, made extensive collections of the region's plants and animals, photographed the landscape and its inhabi- tants, and studied local cultural minorities, especially the matriarchal Naxi.Time seemed to roU back- ward as our small convoy slowly penetrated the mountains, negotiating rough-cut roads that also served as a place for the locals to dry their grain. In the field, we often met gatherers of traditional medicinal plants. As I struggled to learn an unfamiliar flora — and to catch my breath while pressing specimens above 4,000 meters — I became fascinated with certain small herbs with unusual flowers. Many species sported peculiar beak-like protuberances that were often coiled or twisted, and some had flowers with lengthy tubes (up to 12 centimeters), a trait nor- mally associated with pollination by animals having long mouthparts specialized for extracting nectar. I collected different species of Pedicularis at almost every place we stopped, and by the end of the trip, they became the primary subject of my dissertation research. pollinated almost exclusively by bumblebees, which do not have long mouthparts. In addition, the long- tubed species do not produce nectar; visiting bees only collect pollen. We do not know why Pedicularis has long tubes, and the fact that they have evolved repeatedly adds to the mystery. Biodiversity hotspots, while rich with endemic species, are severely threatened by human activity. Since my first visit, I've witnessed firsthand the stag- gering rate of infrastructure development in the form of paved roads, hydroelectric dams and urban settlement. Disturbingly, I still see heavily laden log- ging trucks. Traditional ways of life continue to persist — the black tents of nomadic yak herders stiU dot the rolling plateau, for example — but in towns, tradition is increasingly falling by the wayside. Young people flock to internet cafes. Electric blenders are used more than wooden churns to make Tibetan butter tea. Progress, it seems, takes many forms. I've continued to collaborate primarily with Dr. David Boufford at Harvard and Dr. Sun Hang at the Kunming Institute of Botany to inventory the Hengduan region. We distribute our results by send- ing specimens to other herbaria, through the web and publication. Not only does this facilitate much- needed basic research, it provides baseline data on which Chinese authorities can make sound biodi- versity management decisions and thereby conserve this precious resource. ITF Left to right: Pedicularis siphonantha, Pedicularis mollis and a Buddhist stupa near the Tibetan border. SUMMER 2005 June-August INTHEFIELDFEATURE Field Museum Primate Expert Helns Solve Mvsterv of Gr'v' Borzo, Medin M,vmger. Sdefilijic Affairs Photos by Robert D. Martin After decades of speculation, the origin of Gibraltar's famous Barbary macaques has been determined. ^. The only free-ranging monkeys in all of Europe, Gibraltar's 200 or so semi-wild macaques enjoy the run of the hillsides in this British territory — much to the delight of millions \ of tourists, as well as to the chagrin of some officials ' responsible for their management. Gibraltar's Barbary macaques are the only free-ranging monkeys in Europe. f^i m W' ^ \ s\ There were not always, how- ever, this many macaques on Gibraltar, which serves as a gateway to the Mediterranean Sea. In 1942, after the population dwindled to almost nothing, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered that their numbers be replenished due to a traditional belief that Britain would lose Gibraltar if the macaques there ever died out. The clandestine move was taken to bolster Britain's morale during World War II. Ever since, scientists have wondered exactly where the macaques came from. Now, an analysis of mitochondrial DNA from 280 individual samples reveals that the macaques on Gibraltar descended from founders taken from forest fragments in both Morocco and Algeria. The research was recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Robert D. Martin, PhD, a primatologist and Field Museum provost, was co-author of the study. "Our project was designed as a test case for conservation genetics," said Martin. "The Gibraltar colony of Barbary macaques provided an ideal example of genetic isolation of a small population, which is now a regular occurrence among wild primate populations because of forest fragmen- tation. To our surprise, we found a relatively high level of genetic variability in the Gibraltar macaques. This is now explained by our conclusion that the population was founded with individuals from two genetically distinct populations in Algeria and Morocco." Key to study: mitochondrial DNA In mammals, mitochondrial DNA is inherited exclusively from the female, so it can be analyzed to determine matrihneal origins. This is especially relevant with mam- mals, such as macaques, that practice female philopatry, a social system in which females remain in their birth groups while males migrate between groups. The research first identified 24 different haplo- types in the Algerian and Moroccan colonies of macaques. Each mitochondrial haplotype is identi- fied by means of a specific DNA sequence. Since the Algerian and Moroccan haplotypes are clearly distinct, evidence of any given haplotype in the mitochondrial DNA of Gibraltar macaques would indicate that they descended from the geo- graphical population with that haplotype. It had long been thought that the Gibraltar macaques were exclusively derived from founders imported from Morocco. In fact, both Algerian and Moroccan haplotypes were found among the Gibraltar macaques, indicating that the Gibraltar colony was founded by female macaques fix)m both regions. There are 19 species of macaques, which have proven to be remarkably adaptable. In fact, macaques are found in more climates and habitats than any other primate except, of course, humans. The Barbary macaque, M. sylmnus, is the only species that lives naturally in Africa; all other species live in Asia. Some scientists beHeve the Barbary 18 IN THE FIELD OFSPECIALINTEREST macaques were first brought to Gibraltar by the Moors, who occupied Spain between 711 and 1492. On the other hand, it's possible that the original Gibraltar macaques were a remnant of populations that had spread throughout Southern Europe during the Pliocene, up to 5.5 million years ago. About 20 years ago, sci- entists estimated there were 20,000 Barbary macaques in Africa. Today, the wild population is only half that number, which led the World Conservation Union in 2002 to include the Barbary macaque as "vulnera ble" on its Red List of Threatened Species. The research also indicated that the initial split between two main sub groups of M. sylmnus occurred about 1.6 , million years ago. The other co-authors of the study are Lara Modolo at the Anthropological Institute of the University of Zurich in Switzerland, who con- ducted all of the laboratory work on the DNA samples, and Walter Salzburger at the University of Konstanz in Germany. "Our findings reveal that the Algerian and Moroccan popula- tions are genetically very distinct and that there are major genetic differences even within Algeria," Modolo said. "Mixing of founders from Algeria and Morocco explains why the Gibraltar macaques have kept a surprisingly high level of genetic vari- ability despite a long period of isolation. ' "At the same time, the large degree of genetic difference seen between various wild populations tells us that we should be cautious about translocating animals from one area to another," she added. "This is just one of the lessons for conserva- tion biology to be learned from this study." ITF Tour Sicil y and Pompeii with The Founders' Council The Founders' Council inaugurated its travel program last year with an exciting trip to Brazil's lush and ecologically rich Pantanal region. Tour participants visited this bio- logically diverse area alongside world-class Field Museum scientists, learning more about the Museum's important research through first-hand exploration. The adventure continues this year with Crossroads of Civilization, a guided tour of Sicily with an optional trip extension to the archaeological ruins of Pompeii. Led by Field Museum Curator Jonathan Haas, PhD, and Northern Illinois University Professor Winifred Creamer, PhD, a husband and wife team, the tour will explore one of Europe's most historically complex and cultur- ally diverse regions. As Dr. Haas explained, "Sicily is known as the crossroads of civilization. It is one of those corners of the world that offer great insights into patterns of society and civilization that cut across the boundaries of time and cultures." A fitting companion to Pompeii: Stories from an Eruption, an exhibition about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius opening Oct. 22, the Crossroads tour will take place Oct. 22 to 31. It will commence in Palermo, with excursions to Cefalu, Agrigento and Taormina, to name a few. Participants will visit magnificent Greek and Roman ruins, some of the best-preserved architectural sites in the world, and learn about the origins of government and the development of complex societies. Mount Etna, striking archaeological museums and spectacular Norman cathedrals will serve as backdrops for discussions about the rise of civilization. The optional two-day tour extension to Naples and Pompeii will bring the tour full circle, as an ancient civilization is viewed alongside a bustling modern metropolis. Crossroads of Civilization promises to be a wonderful and enlightening journey. To learn more about the tour and other unique opportunities available exclusively to Founders' Council members, please contact Monica Cawvev at 312.665.7773. Tlic forum at Pompeii. SUMMER 2005 Jiitie-Aui;ii FROMTHE ARCH IVES Remembenng Rainer Ray Troll, Artist Illustrations and images ©Ray Troll My friend and mentor, Rainer Zangerl, PhD, died last year at age 92. He was appointed as curator of fossil reptiles at The Field Museum in 1945, and served as the geology department's chair from 1962 until his retirement in 1974. He continued his research and publishing until the last year of his life. I'm a fish-obsessed arrist living in Alaska, so it's unusual that I would befriend a retired scientist liv- ing on an Indiana farm. But when your work leads to the obscure netherworld of prehistoric sharks, there are only a handfiil of people to turn to. I saw a profoundly puzzling fossil shark at the Natural Historv" Museum of Los Angeles County in 1993. Helicoprion looks hke a spiral snail shell at first, but a closer look reveals finely serrated shark teeth that decrease in size as the coU winds inw-ard. I wondered how the teeth grew and how it ate, yet Ornithoprion, Dr. Ztvigerl's favorite animal that he had discovered. Ray Troll, right, with Dr. Zangerl at his Indiana farm. even though Helicoprion had been discovered more than 1 00 years before, few scientists had studied it, and no artists had portrayed it accurately. I called Dr. Zangerl out of the blue, and we talked for hours about the lost world of Paleozoic sharks. I distinctly remember the "aha" moment when he told me that teeth grow in fiilly formed and do not increase in size with age. Amazingly Helicoprion kept all its teeth ftom birth to death and simply coiled them into its jaw; the baby teeth were at the center of the vorte.x. Dr. Zangerl laughed when I wisecracked that this was the only animal in the history of life to cheat the tooth fairy. Dr. Zangerl told me about even weirder sharks that once inhabited North America, and I began drawing them. I visited him in 1994, an unforget- table time discussing the wonders of Ufe on our planet, eating his tasr\' homemade bread, and hunt- ing for fossUs in his fi-ont yard. (Not surprisingly. Dr. Zangerl had built his home on a great fossil deposit.) Dr. Zangerl emigrated fi-om Switzerland in 1939. He had a wonderflil way with words, trilling his Rs and describing ancient sharks as "fierce cr-r- r-itters." He published more than 60 scientific papers on a variet)- of subjects and wrote a now- classic memoir on the Pennsylvanian black shales that permeate the Midwest. Over a steak dinner at a roadside diner, he casually mentioned that he had translated Willi Hennig's Phylogenetic Systematics with a fi-iend in the 1960s — triggering a revolution in systematic biology. Dr. Zangerl pointed out several Indiana quarries where he had split thousands of rocks in search of ancient life. Like a 5-year-old school kid at the master's knee, 1 asked which was his favorite of all the fantastic animals he had discovered. Without hesitation he said, "Ornithoprion, a very strange cr-r-r-itter indeed. It had a pointed snout and a lower jaw shaped like a bony probe. All we ever found was the head, but what a head it was!" Inspired by my sojourn to old "Dr. Z," I drew like a madman back in Alaska and took extra care in reconstructing Ornithoprion. I sent him some copies and cautiously called a week later. "Well, um . . . what did you think of the drawing?" I asked. "It's absolutely perfect. You really brought zat cr-r- r-itter to life," he trilled. Now, everv' rime I look at that drawing, I remember my pal. Dr. R-r-r-ainer Zanger-r-r-I, and smile. Visit www. trollart.com to see Ray Troll's quirky drawings and paintings based on the latest scientific discoveries in ichthyology and paleontology. w\ IN THE FIELD MEMBERSHIP/ANNUALFUNDNEWS Make Room for Sue-in Your Hotel! To celebrate Sue the T. rex's 5th birthday, The Field Museum and The Ritz-Carlton Chicago are unveiling a Sue Room package for dinosaur lovers of all ages! Guests will receive a special Sue-inspired gift at check-in, and dino-decorated accommodations featuring framed Sue wall posters, dinosaur-themed toss pillows and toiletries and a dramatic nine-foot-tall talking Tyrannosaurus rex cut-out! Children 12 and under also enjoy complimentary in-room dino dining. And when it's time to hibernate, just hang the "Do Not Disturb: Dinosaur Sleeping" sign on the door for a little post-primordial shut-eye. For more information or to make a reservation, caU The Ritz-Carlton Chicago at 800-806-9232. Fossil hunter Sue Hendrickson checks out the Sue Room inhabitants. Mark Your Calendars For Donor Appreciation Night Summer is the perfect time for us to thank all of our Annual Fund donors. You will soon receive your invitation 'to The Annual Fund Donor Appreciation Night, Aug. 18. It offers a wonderful opportunity to view Dinosaur Dynasty: Discoveries from China. We hope that you will take fuU advantage of your benefits this summer including free admission, special exhibition tickets and guest privileges. For more information on The Annual Fund, call 312-665-7777 or email annualfund@fieldmuseum.org. New Field Ranger Program Want to help your kids get the most out of their visit to the Museum? Enroll them in our new Field Ranger program! They'll get an activity-filled passport that guides their exploration of our exhibitions and their participation in our exciting family programs. They'll search out clues and answers to riddles in some of our most popular exhibitions, like Inside Ancient Egypt and the Pawnee Earth Lodge, take part in Story Time or our hands- on Interpretive Stations, and receive stamps for each right answer and each program they attend. Gather up a number of stamps from program facilitators or any of the Ranger Stations, and get a special Field Museum prize! Cost for each child's 1 1 Field Ranger membership is $10 in addition to Family mem- bership fee. Ask about it at the Museum's membership desk. For more information, please call 312.665.7700. Field Rangers earn stamps in their passports by participating in hands-on activities. Pompeii Member Tickets Now Available On May 31, members may begin to reserve their free member tickets to view Potvpeii: Stories from an Eruption. The tickets may be used for viewing the exhibition during public hours Oct. 22 through March 26, 2006. Call 312.665.7705 for the member ticketing hotline. Field Museum members also have the choice of using their Pompeii tickets during the members-only viewing dates scheduled for late October. Tickets for those dates will not be available until four weeks prior and are available on a first come, first served basis. Information about members-only viewing will be mailed in Sept. SUMMER 2005 Jutic-Augiisi 21 Rehuil-din g Your Museum Enjoy The New Terrace The Museum's southeast terrace has reopened as an exciting venue for activities and family summer fun! The Sue Discovery Dig inaugurates the new space. The terrace was closed in Sept. 2001, when construction of the underground Collections Resource Center (CRC) began. At that time, workers removed and numbered the terrace's original marble stairs, balusters, and other stone components for storage off-site. While construction of the CRC progressed, experts cleaned and rehabbed the marble, cutting damaged stones into smaller pieces for reuse. When the roof of the CRC was built last year, plans called for two layers of water- proofing to assure that moisture from the outside terrace would not damage the invaluable collections stored below. The terrace was then rebuilt in the Museum's classic architectural style using over 6,000 pieces of rehabbed and new marble and 10,000 granite pavers. A ramp leading from the new east entrance makes the terrace fully accessible for persons with disabilities. This summer, landscapers will add the finishing touches by planting 18 shade trees at the sidewalk level and 22 more trees in raised planters on the terrace. The terrace is a wonderful spot for relaxing outside when visiting The Field Museum — it's the place to be this summer! iif iimiiili The framework for the Sue Discovery Dig tent rises on the southeast terrace. Preparing the terrace for landscapint;. Marble ba'aisiers were cleaned and reinstalled. EFIELD Fall 2xjxjj September- November SS-W?F5".f^K»^"' FROMTHEPRESIDENT Better Than Ever The neii> east entrance is a beautiful addition to The Field Museum. Our east entrance is now open! Aside from serving as a beautiful "front door" to the IVIuseum Campus, the new entrance fills other important needs. It graciously welcomes all visitors, including the disabled, by providing universal access. It also serves as our new point of entry for school groups and instills students with a sense of wonder as they prepare to experience our exhibitions. On the evening of June 6, the Museum held a ribbon cutting to celebrate. Special guests included Marca Bristo, president and founder of Access Living Chicago and former chair of the National Council on Disability. Marca thanked the Museum for includ- ing the disabled community in the planning of the new entrance. In turn, we are grateful to Marca for her early and outspoken support of the project at both the city and state levels. Henry Betts, MD, chair of the Rehabilitation Institute Foundation and past president and CEO of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, also complimented the Museum, saying that projects such as ours help improve the lives of disabled citizens. Tim Mitchell, general superintendent and CEO of the Chicago Park District, also spoke and he and his department were recognized for their invalu- able assistance. Helping us at the ribbon cutting were Kelly Naughton, a Field Ambassador teacher from Chicago's Bridge Elementary School, and her stu- dent Michal Tutka. They were the first teacher and student to cross the threshold. In coming years, millions more will follow to begin their school fieldtrips in this inspiring place. After the ribbon cutting, trust- ees and guests flowed into the wide, spacious hall that links the east entrance to the rest of the Museum. As they enjoyed refreshments and educational demonstrations, many commented that the room is among the city's most attractive new venues for parties and receptions. In fact, at the time of the ribbon cutting, our special events department had already booked the east entrance and hall for several after-hours events! We're already realizing the full potential of the new space. With the opening of the east entrance, the rebuilding and land- scaping of the nearby southeast terrace, and the opening of the new exhibition Pompeii: Stories from an Eruption (Oct. 22), we're confident that you'll agree — a visit to The Field Museum is better than ever. Marca Bristo speaks to guests gathered inside the east entrance. Finally, this month we will dedicate the new Collections Resource Center (CRC), the 180,000-square-foot facility built underground to house over two million specimens and artifacts from our collections. Later this fall, we plan to begin the enor- mous task of moving into this area where researchers from around the world will come to study our collections. Perhaps the next time you're here, you'll catch a glimpse of Museum staff members trans- porting large dinosaur fossils, ancient sculptures, or jars of fish specimens into the CRC! John W. McCarter, Jr. President and CEO Por^e'fiei'Sf Membership inquiries, ihctudlng afdar-fefk' !!'!^V{'3^'irtaII 866.3I2.27Sr.'For qu&sttdhS"a&6uf '" the magazine In the Field, call 312.665.7115, email noshea@fieldmuseum.org, or write Nancy O'Shea, Editor, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496. USi. Tjaea-ytyir-^ j^:..V,^!;gg-..^^^;. -:-i. v: INTHEFIELD Fall 2005, September- November Vol.76, No. 4 Editor: Nancy O'Shea, The Field IVluseum Design: Depke Design f\ In the Field is printed on recycled paper ^ using scy-based inl