News from Our Scientists
Free with admission
News from Our Scientists is a rotating exhibit featuring the work of the Museum's scientists.
Mapping the Lives of Trees
NHMU scientists are utilizing Google Earth in a whole new way. Instead of exploring the globe, they use it to map the lives of ancient trees.
The annual growth rings of the trees used in this research show rainfall, drought, and wildfire conditions - all of which impacted the trees growth. Scientists use magnified, high-resolution images of tree rings finer than a human hair, and measure them with mapping tools in Google Earth.
The exhibit features a slab from a 1500-year-old bristlecone pine. Scientists use the rings on the slab to identify what conditions aided the tree's growth, and when the tree died. This slab was harvested by NHMU scientists in 2016.
See research previously displayed in the News From Our Scientists exhibit archive.