Chinese Dinosaurs Exhibition
“Dinosaurs from China”
In part sponsored by the Australian Skeptics this impressive exhibition of dinosaurs and their progressive evolution into birds runs from 19 November 2004 to 17 April 2005 in the Melbourne Museum. “After visiting the Chinese Dinosaurs exhibition people will fully appreciate that dinosaurs are not extinct
they’re alive and well, and singing in your back yard.” (Prof Archer, past Director of the Australian Museum)
From China comes an exhibition of massive proportions. One of the largest collections of dinosaur skeletons ever to tour Australia is about to take over Melbourne Museum including giant skeletons, rare fossils and new discoveries such as amazing feathered dinosaurs as well as a fantastic programme of children's activities. Adult $16; Child $6; Concession $8; Family $36 (also includes entry to Melbourne Museum and a free ticket redeemable until 10 July 2005)
This is a singularly appropriate sponsorship for the Skeptics, as one of our principal concerns has always been to counter the influence of religious fundamentalists on our education system and particularly on the teaching of science. These ‘Young Earth Creationists‘, in endeavouring to keep their followers in ignorance of the evidence that really exists to underpin scientific theories of the evolution of species (and much else) have put up perennial strawman arguments along the lines of “There is no example of one species changing into another species” and equally fatuous questions such as, “Of what use is half a wing?“
Such propositions have never been scientifically valid ones, but they have had a superficial plausibility for the unsophisticated followers of this anti-scientific cult. The dinosaur specimens sponsored by the Skeptics in this exhibition, showing different transitional species on the road from reptile to bird, will serve to graphically expose such creationist rhetoric for the specious nonsense it always has been. (See Creationism Articles)
- (Photo1: Model of Sinosauropteryx prima made by Alan Groves working with palaeontologists Drs Walter Boles and Sue Hand.)
- (Photo2: Model of Sinornithosaurus smillenii made by Alan Groves working with palaeontologists Drs Walter Boles and Sue Hand.)
For more details about the Melbourne Museum Event see http://melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au/whatson/show.asp?ID=561503
For more information
- Australian Museum Chinese Dinosaurs Site
- Background story (with photos) – Association of Australasian Palaeontologists
- The Science Show (RN) (2002)
