Geology, changing climates and animal adaptation

On Thursday the 23rd of June the Otago University Geology Outreach students came to work with Room 15.

Thomas and Rachael from the Otago University Geology Outreach came to Room 15 to explain how rocks capture the history of the Earth.  Thomas talked about how the Earth we know today was formed.  He explained how the climate had changed due to plate tectonics and talked about how Antarctica used to be a tropical place.  Thomas and Rachael showed a slide of a the changing position of the continents and the students pieced together Pangea.  This activity showed the students where species used to live.  Thomas also bought a selection of rocks from around Dunedin and explained the changing environment due to climate change as well as the rising and falling sea level.   He showed the students a rock from Oamaru and explained how the shells in this rock prove that Oamaru use to be a tropical place.

Rachael bought with her a cast of a toothed dolphin and explained to the children how the first whales walked on land about 50 million years ago.  She showed the progression of evolution of whales and explained that modern day whale still have leg bones.  She said scientists are working to find out what purpose these leg bones have or if adaptation and evolution will mean the bones will disappear in future generations.