Science / Medicine : Multidimensional Museum Exhibit of Holography
Production of three-dimensional imagery has been pursued by scientists and others for decades. This has manifested itself in some interesting ways, such as the movie theaters filled with people wearing 3-D glasses in the 1950s. Another manifestation of 3-D imagery is the hologram. “Holography: Images in Time and Space,” currently at the Museum of Science and Industry in Exposition Park, explores these fascinating images.
A hologram is produced using laser light and is illuminated using ordinary light. The appearance of a holographic image can be very realistic, prompting their use in reproducing rare and delicate archeological artifacts. The exhibit traces the history and progress of three-dimensional imagery and current uses of holography in industry, medicine, archeology and other areas.
Visitors will be shown various types of holograms and how they are made and will be able to peer through an illusory telescope at an illusory Halley’s comet. There are also workshops on making holograms and a hands-on section for children to explore.
The exhibit, which features more than 150 holograms from 15 countries, including the Soviet Union and China, will be at the North Exhibit Hall, Armory Building, through March 25. Call (213) 744-1864.
SCIENCE FOR KIDS
Children ages 6 to 10 can learn about the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, how some people marked time by the sun’s path across the sky, and the importance of astronomical phenomena to other cultures in a Native American Winter Solstice workshop to be held Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Westside Arts Center in Santa Monica. Advance registration is required. Call (213) 395-1443.
Stuffee is a 7-foot-tall, blue-haired doll with a zipper down his middle so that youngsters can pull out his heart, lungs, liver and other organs to examine and learn about the human body. In the exhibit, Stuffee’s House, at the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena, children can also listen to their hearts with stethoscopes, take their blood pressure and learn about the circulatory system. Call (818) 449-9144.
ZOOLOGY
Medflies are being found almost everywhere these days and have now been seen at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in Exposition Park. These sterile flies, however, are part of an exhibit containing nearly 20 species of local and exotic live insects, including a bejeweled beetle taken from an individual who used it as jewelry. Museum staff members will be on hand every Saturday to answer questions about the insects. Call (213) 744-3466.
ANTHROPOLOGY
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will note the winter solstice with a program on the prehistoric rock art of California, the Southwest and other areas of the world. The program will feature an examination of the Winter Solstice Marker found in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. The presentation will be held in the museum’s Fleischmann Auditorium, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Call (805) 962-0129.
PRIMATOLOGY
The Foundation for Field Research is looking for volunteers to assist a primatologist studying tool use among chimpanzees in the tropical rain forests of Sapo Park, Liberia, West Africa. Participants share the project’s cost, which is generally tax-deductible. Team members are needed for Jan. 4-19, Feb. 1-16, and March 1-16. Call (619) 445-9264.
ORNITHOLOGY
Take a break from the holiday rush and join members of the Santa Monica Audubon Society in an exploration of the Malibu Lagoon area where several species of birds can be found. Participants will meet at the lagoon parking lot at 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 24. Call (213) 876-0202.
