Bats, caves and bugs at the Science Museum of Virginia Date published: 10/8/2009 By COLLETTE CAPRARA FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR If the month of October typically conjures up images of bats flitting around a bubbling cauldron, the Science Museum of Virginia aims to shine a little light on those airborne animals with its new exhibit, "The Masters of the Night." As if literally passing through the barrier of myths and misconceptions about bats, visitors enter the exhibit by going through a threshold designed and lighted as a neo-gothic portal, complete with a bat-like gargoyle staring down from the arch. On the other side, they enter the real world of bats, presented through hands-on, interactive stations and exhibits. And while the facts about these critters may differ from spooky stereotypes, they are no less awesome. In one demonstration, visitors can try on an enormous set of replicated bat ears to experience these marvelous mammals' keen sense of hearing. At another station, they can explore bats' skills at echo-location, a sonar skill that allows them to locate objects in the dark, based on the length of time that it takes a screech they emit to bounce back. In an exhibit of a "bat nursery," visitors will learn how a mama bat can locate her baby even among hundreds of others by its unique cry. "These little guys know their way around a lot more than we give them credit for," said museum spokesperson Nancy Tait. With cave-like settings and theatrical lighting, the exhibit conveys the truth about bats in a way visitors will long remember. A section called "The Importance of Being Bats" explores the role bats play in the ecological system, as they control insect populations and help to disperse seeds and pollinate plants--including many fruit-bearing trees in endangered rain forest environments. Guests will marvel at the sheer size of bats' appetites and the amount they can eat in just one night. They can also compete to find the most bats in replicated environments of their favorite "hang"-outs. In addition to these replications, actual stalactites and stalagmites will be on display, courtesy of Luray Caverns and the Lora Robins Gallery at the University of Richmond. The museum staff has also incorporated terrariums in the exhibit to showcase other cave critters that share the bats' environs, including centipedes, millipedes and giant roaches. A number of special events will be offered at the museum in conjunction with the featured exhibit, including two storytelling sessions at the Carpenter Science Theater: "Amazing Tales of Creepy Crawly Things" and "Amazing Tales of Caves and Bats." In addition to all of that, the five-story, surround-sound IMAXDOME will be showing two related films. "Journey into Amazing Caves" takes the audience deep within underwater caverns of Mexico and through gleaming, blue glacier ice mazes of Greenland. And "Bugs!" provides an up-close view of insects as caretakers of the natural world--including their role in the delicate ecological balance of the rain forests. This weekend also offers a unique experience for middle-school girls, who are invited to participate in a "Girls in Science" sleepover, where they will work in teams to solve a "crime mystery." With the guidance of members of the Society of Women Engineers, groups of girls and their chaperoning moms can experiment with techniques of forensic science--including fingerprinting and a process called electrophoresis that helps to analyze evidence. "This will be a firsthand experience of 'A Night at the Museum,'" said Tait. "It's a rare chance to explore the exhibits after hours, and, with the sponsorship of Dupont, the fee is nominal--and moms are free." _http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/102009/10082009/498905_ (http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/102009/10082009/498905)
