Beringia Centre Launches New Exhibit

Thursday, 4 July 2019 14:55

New exhibit is called the Museums Choice Fossil Favorites from across Canada Exhibit, a collaborative project with the Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada.

Jeanie Dendys, Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture launched a new exhibit this afternoon at the Beringia Centre.

The Museums Choice Fossil Favorites from across Canada exhibit is a collaborative project with the Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada. Minister Dendys said it’s an excellent opportunity to Showcase Yukon history.

"This travelling exhibit was developed as part of Canada 150 celebrations. It has been travelling all across Canada since September 2017. I’m told that it may be going to BC next. So, it represents a collection with 11 other museums including the Beringia Centre and showcases notable specimens from each of the respective institutions. Yukon’s contribution is the toe bone from an ancient camel found at Hunker Creek.” Jeanie Dendys, Minister of tourism and Culture

Dr Grant Zuzula is Yukon’s Paleontologist. He says Yukon has fossil evidence of some of the earliest life forms on the planet.

“But with this exhibition it really gives us the opportunity to look at the history of life in environments across Canada, but through the whole geological time scale. So we have fossil evidence here on display of some of the earliest life forms on earth that have been found in Canada. Over two and a half billion years of earth history and life history, which I think is hard for me to comprehend and like I said, I spend all my day thinking about the ancient past. But for the public to be able to see something that’s two and half billion years old and sort of ponder their relation to it, I think is pretty powerful.” Dr. Grant Zuzula, Yukon Palaeontologist.

Dr. Zuzula said the fossilized evidence is critical for helping us understand how life developed over time and eventually evolved into human beings.

“We see evidence of things like eyes and grasping appendages. These are all things that were required for eventual development of mammals and humans and one of the cool things that happened in the Cambrian explosion during this time 500 million years ago is that we see the differentiation between predators and prey.” Dr. Grant Zuzula, Yukon Palaeontologist.

The Beringia Centre is open daily from 9:00am to 6:00pm

More from CHON-FM Northern News

Whitehorse Emergency Shelter Sees Another Tragic Death, Family Demands Answers

Bailey's biological father also died at the shelter in 2021, and she claims that the shelter's staff provided conflicting accounts of the circumstances surrounding the death of her Step father.
Yukon Risks Blackouts This Winter as Hydro Power Plant Undergoes Repairs

The Aishihik turbine was critically damaged in October, and repair work is not expected to be completed until spring.
Yukon government accused of budgeting interference

Letters from three independent officers of the assembly question Management Board for changing budgets after approval.
Liard First Nation chief has lost confidence, been suspended by his community

LFN citizens who attended a public meeting Tuesday in Watson Lake overwhelmingly sided with the Deputy Chief and Council members who drafted a resolution to have Chief Stephen Charlie suspended from his duties
Liard First Nation Employees Fired After Advocating for Change

Emeral Poppe and Diana Lee Jimmy have been vocal advocates for change within Liard First Nation, raising concerns over transparency.
YFNED kicks off fifth-annual winter hamper program

"We try to support local as much as we can." - YFNED Acting Director of First Nation Initiatives Kim Rumley
Broken generator at Aishihik Generating Station puts pressure on the Yukon's electricity grid

The 12-megawatt generator failed due to a part malfunction, according to the Yukon Energy Corporation
Intergovernmental Forum takes place in Ottawa - not Yukon - for second year running

Forum discussed collaborative approaches to funding the implementation of Final and Self-Government Agreements.
Suspected contamination at the abandoned Wolverine Mine: Yukon government

The Yukon government has been addressing water treatment issues at the site since the mine's abandonment in 2015
Food For Fines Campaign Returns to Whitehors

Eligible tickets include: Expired parking meter fines, and Two-hour zone fines.
Yukon First Nations leadership and Yukon government leadership meet for 30th Yukon Forum

This was the third Yukon Forum of 2024. The last will be the Intergovernmental Forum in Ottawa in December.
Shot in the Dark Productions premiered two films at the Yukon Arts Centre

Shot in the Dark Productions believes puppets can captivate both children and adults, conveying important environmental science themes through entertainment.
Former Connective staff acquitted of sexual assault and exploitation charges

Judge Gurmail Gill found Omale not guilty due to inconsistencies in the complainant's testimony and lack of forensic evidence.
Whitehorse RCMP officers to start using body-worn cameras

The Yukon RCMP adopts body-worn cameras to bolster trust, accountability, and transparency in its community services
Whitehorse Community Thrift Store volunteers stop work following store manager's termination by its board of directors.

Thrift store society founder Karen Weinberg says the manager was fired for raising safety concerns.
Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin, Yukon NDP blast Yukon government for delays in Dawson Regional Land Use Plan

“Every day this plan doesn’t get done is another day of status quo for the mining industry. It’s starting to feel like this is by design.” - Yukon NDP Leader Kate White
Newly elected Whitehorse Mayor and Council sworn into office

Mayor Kirk Cameron and Councillors Anne Middler, Dan Boyd, Lenore Morris, Eileen Melynchuk, Jenny Hamilton, and Paolo Gallina have taken their oaths of office.
2024 Yukon River fall chum salmon run records dismal numbers

The Porcupine River revealed alarmingly low numbers, with 16,275 and 8,368 fish recorded
Trial of Former Connective residential support worker accused of sexually assaulting a vulnerable client commenced in Whitehorse territorial court on Monday.

Omale, 38 has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a person with a disability stemming from September 2023.
Whitehorse residents join Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition's Actions for Accountability Rally

Dozens of people marked Poverty and Homelessness Accountability week with a walk to the Jim Smith building, where the mother of a homeless man spent the night camping in the parking lot.