Paleontological Research Institution

The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) announced the opening of the “Warren D. Allmon Changing Climate: Our Future, Our Choice exhibit,” which will include a permanent exhibit at the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, as well as an online version that can be accessed anywhere in the world. The physical exhibit opened to the public last Saturday, Dec. 26. 

“In naming the exhibit after PRI’s longtime Director,” the exhibit’s major donor, Susan Fleming, explained, “I want to honor Warren’s decades of tireless and passionate work in not only creating the Museum and running PRI, but more specifically, in using paleontology to educate people around the world about the dire effects of human activity on our climate. Without Warren, the Museum of the Earth and this important new exhibit simply would not exist.” 

The exhibit highlights that although the Earth’s climate has changed many times in the past, it is now changing at an unprecedentedly rapid rate because of the actions of humans. When we burn fossil fuels for energy, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere where it accumulates and warms up the surface of the Earth, with potentially disastrous consequences for ourselves and other life on the planet. 

Fortunately, there are actions that everyone can take to address climate change. The “Changing Climate”exhibit is intended to empower visitors to recognize the things they can do to reduce climate change and its harmful effects, including discussing it with friends, family, and government officials. Additionally, the exhibit encourages visitors to think about their energy choices and the choices we make as a society. 

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