Science On Display is your guide to the exhibits and displays of Kopchick Hall, and to the exciting science that happens here. The items below occur throughout Kopchick Hall and are linked to this page by QR codes. Check back often as the displays are constantly updated.
DNA Bunsen Burner Sculpture
Location: First Floor Stairway, Kopchick Hall
Ichthyosaur
Location: First Floor, Kopchick Hall
This large skeleton may look something like a dolphin (mammal) or shark (fish), but it is an ichthyosaur, a reptile from the Mesozoic. These reptiles swam the world’s oceans during the whole Mesozoic, the “Age of Dinosaurs.” While this animal, Mixosaurus maotaiensis, is only a few feet long, the largest ichthyosaurs were the length of or just longer than a blue whale. As mid- and upper-level predators, they could be found in all kinds of marine habitats. A specimen of Ichthyosaurus, another genus in the group, is credited as the first fossil of an ancient animal truly understood for what it was by European scientists. It was found by Mary Anning, the world’s first paleontologist.
Indiana Glass Manufacturing
Location: Second Floor, Kopchick Hall
Between 1892 and 1931, Indiana was host to a large glass manufacturing plant owned by several companies. Located on what is now the parking lot next to 亚色影库’s Miller Stadium, the Indiana Glass Company (later the Northwood Co., Dugan Glass Co., and Diamond Glassware) produced decorative and Carnival glassware until a fire destroyed the plant in 1931. Arnold Wolfe (Indiana, PA) has graciously lent parts of his extensive Indiana glass collection for display on the second floor of Kopchick Hall. Visit the display and learn more about the history of, and chemistry behind, this colorful glassware.
Tyrannosaurus rex
Location: Second Floor, Kopchick Hall
Tyrannosaurus rex is one of the most well known and charismatic dinosaurs. From the early days of dinosaur discovery in the mid 1800s up to modern movies, the monstrous dinosaur has captivated people. Found in places like Montana and Wyoming, only 100 skeletons have ever been found. The most complete adult specimen is name Sue, and can be seen at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois. T. rex was a top predator in its ecosystem, and we have found its bite marks and even teeth in the bones of various herbivorous dinosaurs.
Seymouria
Location: Second Floor, Kopchick Hall
This is the skeleton of an amphibian called Seymouria. It lived in North America during the Permian Period, about 299 million years ago to 252 million years ago. These fossils are usually found in Texas. Seymouria was alive during the time of Pangaea, and the continents of the world were very dry. Egg-laying amphibians took advantage of coastal wet environments to invade land and quickly became predators. Eryops was a top predator on land in its time, eating insects and smaller amphibians. The tracks here were made by Seymouria. Fossil tracks and trails, called trace fossils or ichnofossils, give us information that bones cannot. With tracks and other trace fossils, we can understand the behavior of extinct animals. Tracks also help paleontologists to recognize which environments these animals lived in day to day.
Coelophysis
Location: Second Floor, Kopchick Hall
This is the skeleton of the dinosaur Coelophysis. It was a very common predatory dinosaur during the Triassic Period, when dinosaurs first evolved. The skeleton that this replica is made from, along with hundreds of others, was recovered from Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. The site is open to the public. While often larger predators like Tyrannosaurus rex are often seen in movies and TV, Coelophysis was one of the largest predators of the Triassic.
Plesiosaurs
Location: Second Floor, Kopchick Hall
The skeleton, as well as the large flipper here, both belong to plesiosaurs. While from the “Age of Dinosaurs,” these reptiles are not dinosaurs at all. Plesiosaurs were among the most dominant predators in the world’s oceans from the Triassic to the Cretaceous periods, about 203 million years ago to 65 million years ago. Ranging in size from a few feet long to 50 feet long, these predators hunted nearly all kinds of marine animals. Their jaws full of needle-thin teeth evolved to hold their prey so it couldn’t escape after being caught.
Patty Robinson, Astronaut
Location: Third Floor, Kopchick Hall
Patricia Robertson was an Indiana, PA-born and raised American physician and NASA astronaut. She graduated from 亚色影库 in 1985 with a degree in biology before attending the Medical College of Pennsylvania. Robinson was a Space Medicine Fellow at the Johnson Space Center before being selected as an astronaut candidate in 1998. Robertson died in a plane crash in 2001. At the time of her death, she was scheduled as a crew support astronaut for the Expedition 2 crew. The Patricia Hilliard Robertson Center for Aviation Medicine at Indiana Regional Medical Center was named in her honor in 2009.
Charles Darwin
Location: Fourth Floor, Kopchick Hall
The 亚色影库 Special Collections and University Archives has a remarkable collection of the works by Charles Darwin, including the first edition of On the Origin of Species (1859). This display features the research of Charles Darwin (1809–82), which showcases the Charles Darwin Collection that was created in memory of the late Paul Hicks, who served as the government documents librarian until his death in 1985. The Library director at the time was William Lafranchi (1925–2020), who helped to establish the Lafranchi Endowment, which has allowed the 亚色影库 Special Collections and University Archives to purchase rare books for use by students and faculty in research. The display features many works of Charles Darwin, including On the Origin of Species and the theory of evolution. For more information, please contact Harrison Wick, hwick@iup.edu.