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Investigate Earth Science - Page 2

© Christine Roane

The Johnston Geology Museum at Emporia State University (Emporia, Kansas) offers 45 displays, including the world famous Hamilton Quarry Fossil Assemblage, the Tri-State Mining Display, petrified tree stumps and the Hawkins and the Calkins Indian Artifact Collections. At the website you can view many items, such as fluorescent minerals, crystals, corals and fossils.

In California, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County boasts one of the finest exhibits of gems and minerals in the world. Roam its 6,000-square-foot Hall of Gems and Minerals, which has "The Cyberscope." This is a robotic microscope interfaced to a computer, video monitor, lighting and user controls that allows visitors to investigate gems and minerals under high magnification. And, incidentally, new discoveries are still turning up. In August the LA museum announced that a new mineral, Juanitaite, was named for one of its volunteers, amateur geologist Juanita Curtis.

This sampling, as always, is just a tiny smattering of many fine museum offerings out there. Have a favorite? Like to see your local museum in this column? Tell me what I'm missing by clicking here. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

1. "Wild World" written by Cat Stevens. © Cat Stevens

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