Amber, which is “hupo” in Mandarin, refers to fossilized resins in diverse appearance and colors from various localities around the globe. The crafts made of yellowish Baltic amber, the king of amber—Dominican blue amber and the organism-included Burmese amber are the most remarkable. Taiwan also yields amber, one of which is so far the only arthropod-including amber. Join us for the adventure into The Moment Buried En Resin!
Amber has been long considered gem and thus its authenticity is crucial. Either real or fake amber has impact on the development of science. In fact, burning is the best identification method but not the practical one given the preciosity of amber. Therefore, come to have a tour in the exhibition and you will learn how to identify real amber from fake!
Since 2013, an unprecedented number of amber inclusions were uncovered from the Cretaceous deposits of Myanmar and have been on the cover of top scientific journals. For instance, a bird, a dinosaur tail, an ammonite, a crab, a laying lizard, all of which offer a window to the deep past that allows us to infer the fascinating evolutionary history.
“To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wildflower.” Amber does the same. The movie Jurassic Park in 1993 showcased the dinosaur cloning from a mosquito-included amber, which further brought a follow-up more than billions of dollars profit. However, how far have paleontologists reached? Can we clone dinosaurs nowadays?
Amber is a carrier of science and a concretion of art. After being polished and merged, a number of amber pieces were transformed into science-based artworks, which mark the terminal of the tour of the exhibition. This section entitled “Momento” turns science museum into an art museum, leading you to a tour of the cultural, historical, and social tole of amber.
The 1st Exhibition Gallery
Apr. 29, 2022 - Feb. 19, 2023
Guided Tours: 11:00, 14:00