Beaty Biodiversity Museum – Opening Day

Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 :: 10:21 pm

This morning I got the news that the Beaty Biodiversity Museum is opening for the first time today in the first of its 5 summer previews so I headed on to UBC to check it out. The museum has been planned for many many years, and just started construction a few years ago. It incorporates the 6 major collections that the Department of Zoology maintains, including the Cowan Vertebrate Museum, which is dear and near my heart. The collections will be on display to the public later on in the fall – so the only major thing you can see is the large blue whale skeleton.

The Blue Whale, if you didn’t know already, is the world’s largest animal both on land and in water. So how do you just find a suitable dead blue whale just like that? It turns out that the whale was actually found over 20 years ago in PEI in 1987, and then they buried it, hoping that the flesh would just rot and they could collect the skeleton. Turns out that it preserved most of the flesh, and they had to go through a long process to find, excavate, transport, clean, and display it. It was called The Blue Whale Project. It was fascinating to learn about the blue whale and the project itself from professor, Dr. Andrew Trites, felt like I gained a wealth of knowledge today!

There are still 4 other chances to see it before the entire museum opens, go check it out if you’re on campus, the skeleton is amazing in person!

Father and son awed at the size of the skeleton

Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Beaty Museum Event

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Beaty Biodiversity Centre

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Beaty Biodiversity Centre

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Kids drew the blue whale on Main Mall!

Blue Whale sidewalk drawing

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Peering through the glass

Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Beaty Museum

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Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Vertebrae

Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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The blue whale is capable of opening its jaws twice as big to get food!

Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Usually they have 30 or 32 ribs, this one has 31

Blue Whale Skeleton Ribs

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Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Lots of interested children

Beaty Museum Children

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Massive

Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Its flipper skeletons are so cute

Blue Whale Flipper Skeleton

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Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Its powerful tail can generate 500 HP

Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Lower floor

Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Swimming above

Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Small number of museum items on display

Beaty Museum

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Another cute drawing

Blue Whale sidewalk drawing

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Beaty Biodiversity Centre

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Stepping in for the “Story of the Blue Whale”

Story of the Blue Whale

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Taking a good second look after the talk

Blue Whale Tail Skeleton

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Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Beaty Museum Blue Whale Skeleton

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Torch Bearer

Thursday, February 11th, 2010 :: 9:16 pm

The Torch arrived in Vancouver today after spending 104 days in Canada already. Today marks the 105th day of the Olympic Torch Relay and tomorrow, the 106th, is also the last day of the relay where the cauldron will be lit at BC Place Stadium.

Just a few hours ago, after I got off my volunteer shift in downtown, I came back home and rushed off to UBC – having just missed two opportunities close to where I live, including Trevor Linden, darn!

All the way to UBC there were road closures so we had to keep taking detours on the bus. Once I got there, the rain was coming down in full force, and I wondered to myself whether this was a good decision or not. Nonetheless I was already there, and just had to see the torch at least once (well.. I already saw and held one today… maybe more on that later)!

By the time I got to University Blvd. the place was packed. Many people didn’t know the direction which it was coming from or going to, but fortunately I did, so I was able to scout out a spot along the route (where it was still empty!). Many people had Canadian flags, dressed in red and white, cowbells, etc. We waited more than half an hour in the rain before the first parade of policemen on motorbikes came by. Once the torch was in sight, I dropped my umbrella and just shot away! He went by a lot quicker than I thought, but seeing the flame was all worth it – it was an amazing experience to see the torch lit!

What a proud Canadian moment!

Flame reaches the UBC community, where thousands of students are waiting

Vancouver 2010 UBC Torch Bearer

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Everyone waiting patiently under the rain

UBC Torch Relay

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Candles lit

UBC Torch Relay

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Fire truck coming through!

UBC Torch Relay

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“With Glowing Hearts” on the back of the torch bearers’ bus

UBC Torch Relay

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Finally signs of the torch coming!

UBC Torch Relay

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Series of photos as the torch bearer gets closer

UBC Torch Relay

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Seeing the torch continuing and chasing it briefly

UBC Torch Relay

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Knots

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 :: 10:28 pm

Bamboo Fence

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We did it!

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 :: 1:06 am

On the way to Convocation 2009

Chan Centre Convocation 2009

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Alumni gift and diploma

UBC alumni gift

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I wish…

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009 :: 12:04 am

…wish upon a wishing stone lantern full of coins that… hopefully I pass all my finals this term!

Coins inside Stone Lantern

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