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Great Cosmic Mysteries

While the other sections of this exhibit invite visitors to explore what we currently know and understand about our place in space and time, this area acknowledges that there are deep mysteries yet to be understood. A series of interconnected rooms introduces a gallery of mysteries Ð dark matter and energy, black holes and the possibility of life elsewhere in our universe. A fourth room invites visitors to reflect upon their own connections to the cosmos in a unique and contemplative theatre.

Connecting with the Cosmos gives visitors the opportunity to make personal and aesthetic connections to the themes of the exhibit in a Video mini-theater. Contemplate your connection to the cosmos through words, music and images.

What Is the Cosmos Made Of? introduces visitors to the ideas of dark matter and dark energy using a display about the composition of the cosmos, both observable and invisible. View an eclectic sample of the 5% of the universe we know about; see evidence for the invisible world of sub atomic particles in a cloud chamber; examine the evidence for unseen matter and energy in the universe.

Are We Alone? engages visitors' thoughts about other worlds and displays information about the search for extra-solar planets and the possibility of life beyond Earth. Explore the conditions for life in various parts of the universe (computer interactive); enjoy historical views of other worlds and artistic visions of newly discovered extra-solar planets; compare a model of an alien solar system to ours.

What are Black Holes? familiarizes visitors with the science around and about black holes through an immersive virtual exploration of black holes. Take control of a spacecraft orbiting a black hole; launch probes into the black hole to explore its bizarre behavior; learn about the anatomy of and evidence for black holes.