Experience “one of the greatest fossil discoveries of the past half-century” as described by National Geographic in the new Origins exhibit at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. Two new species of ancient human relatives, Australopithecus sediba and Homo naledi made worldwide headlines and provided game-changing insights into the origins of humanity. Fossils of each species left South Africa to be on public display for the first time in a world-exclusive, six month engagement in Dallas, Texas. This is an incredibly rare opportunity to see real hominin material in North America.
Groove Jones worked with the Perot Museum team on a variety of components for the exhibit, including an interactive AR (Augmented Reality) hands-on experience that allows visitors to dig for fossils as if you were on location in South Africa as well as lighting and animated graphics packages being projected on walls at the exhibit.
The 5,000 square-foot exhibition centers around the fossil skeletons of two individuals – one from each species – and tells the incredible story of the discovery, excavation, and research by an international team of brave and dedicated scientists. Visitors are then invited to step into the shoes of a real paleoanthropologist in the interactive Dig Site, where handheld tablets outfitted with special augmented reality radar technologies lead these budding researchers to find and analyze fossil replicas.
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About Groove Jones. Groove Jones is an award-winning creative technology company that produces next-generation experiences. The studio is best known for their work in AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality), ML (Machine Learning), and AI (Artificial Intelligence) Application development. Groove Jones works with companies to realize the opportunity digital reality presents by leveraging this new storytelling language and connecting them with their audience where they are engaging. For more information visit – https://www.groovejones.com
About the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The top cultural attraction in Dallas/Fort Worth and a Michelin Green Guide three-star destination, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit educational organization located in the heart of Dallas, Texas. With a mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the Perot Museum delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor and outreach experiences through its education, exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The 180,000-square-foot facility in Victory Park opened in December 2012 and is now recognized as the symbolic gateway to the Dallas Arts District. Future scientists, mathematicians and engineers will find inspiration and enlightenment through 11 permanent exhibit halls on five floors of public space; a children’s museum; a state-of-the art traveling exhibition hall; and The Hoglund Foundation Theater. Designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis Architects, the Victory Park museum has been lauded for its artistry and sustainability. To learn more, please visit perotmuseum.org
About the National Geographic Society. The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate the wonder of the world, define critical challenges and catalyze action to protect our planet. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 14,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature convenings and content. To learn more, visit nationalgeographic.org.
About the University of the Witwatersrand. Wits University is a research-intensive University, one of the leading institutions on the African continent that produces world-class research that is locally relevant and globally competitive. Wits is a global leader in the paleosciences, one of its key research areas. Wits’ research output has increased by over 45% in the last four years with more than 85% of its research published in international journals. Wits offers a free space for the exchange of ideas and a vibrant intellectual community that fosters debate and knowledge transfer both within and beyond our lecture halls. Wits’ latest research available at wits.ac.za/research
