Dinosaur Babies

Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies, a new hands-on exhibit at the Springfield Science Museum, brings the prehistoric creatures closer to life. Visitors get to see a variety of fossilized dinosaur eggs and nests collected from across the globe. (That includes a sauropod’s 75-million-year-old bowling-ball-sized egg from Argentina, a cluster of ornithopod eggs laid from China, and, also from China, 18-inch eggs—the longest ever found—from a giant species of oviraptor. These objects offer new perspectives on how dinosaurs reproduced, evolved, and behaved. Lifelike embryos and hatchlings on display highlight nesting and birthing processes, while giant colorful posters contextualize dinosaur habitats. The exhibit also explains how in 1993 American fossil-preparer Charlie Magovern was working on a block of eggs unearthed in China’s Henan Province, when he discovered a nearly complete, fully articulated skeleton of an embryo encased in the stone surrounding the egg—the first of its kind. The embryo was officially identified in 2017 as a new oviraptor species and named Beibeilong sinensis (“baby dragon from China”). This family-friendly exhibit also offers chances to touch replicas of bones and nests, dig for fossils, and learn more about current research into the lives and habits of these ever-fascinating extinct animals. (May 25-September 1)