May 17-Sept. 7
“The Scoop on Poop: The Science of What Animals Leave Behind”
Although poop is a rather unusual topic for discussion, “The Scoop on Poop: The Science of What Animals Leave Behind” is the educational -- albeit lighthearted -- second traveling exhibit to be hosted by the new East Tennessee State University and General Shale Brick Natural History Museum and Visitor Center at the Gray Fossil Site.
Scheduled May 17-Sept. 7, the interactive exhibit, based on the popular book by Dr. Wayne Lynch, is produced by Peeling Productions, the exhibit arm of Reptiland, a specialized zoological park in Allenwood, Pa.
And, although fish do it, frogs do it, and pythons, eagles and elephants do it, poop is just one of those subjects most people find difficult to talk about with a straight face. So, this peek at poop uses colorful graphics, artifacts, models and interaction to treat the subject with “a tactful blend of good science and fun.”
Visitors are invited to listen to an animal’s digestive system, learn the “language of poop” in countries around the world, examine fecal samples in a veterinarian’s lab, compete in dung beetle races, track wild animals by clues left in scat, see how long it takes for an elephant to poop its body weight, improve their “No. 2 IQ” in stool school, and meet a dinosaur “dung detective.”
The exhibit is sponsored in part by Bill Gatton of Johnson City: Saturn, Acura & Mazda. And, live animals for the exhibit are provided by Rob Cole, Bays Mountain Park; Dr. Karl Joplin, ETSU Department of Biological Sciences; and Dr. Greg Hanley, ETSU Division of Laboratory Animal Resources.
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