Perot offers virtual tour from ‘underground astronauts’

By Taylor Mayad

Did you miss meeting “Karabo,” your nearly 2 million-year-old ancient human relative or “Neo,” your much younger ~250,000-year-old relative, at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science?

Even though the world-first Origins: Fossils from the Cradle of Humankind exhibition has closed, here’s your chance to virtually explore REAL fossils that belonged to two very ancient relatives – Homo naledi (a.k.a. Neo) and Australopithecus sediba (a.k.a. Karabo). Plus, follow the extraordinary journey of the scientists actively working on and researching these two new fascinating species. The 360-degree tour is now available at origins.perotmuseum.org.

These two newly discovered ancestors were named by National Geographic and Smithsonian Magazine as top discoveries of the last decade! While safely situated at home, you’ll get an inside look at this 5,000-square-foot exhibition, which includes the story of a young boy’s stumbling upon the first specimen of Au. sediba, to the breathtaking adventure of six women scientists – dubbed the “underground astronauts” – who excavated the bones of H. naledi from a deep and dangerously narrow cave complex in the Rising Star Cave System near Johannesburg, South Africa.

Virtual guests can encounter the first-ever, hyper-realistic, life-size sculpture of H. naledi and view captivating National Geographic photos of the South African caves located in the heart of the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site. Guests are encouraged to share their experiences via #digdeeper and #perotmuseum.

The Origins: Fossils from the Cradle of Humankind 360-degree tour is just one of the many ways the Perot Museum is bringing social distance-style learning and inspiration to homes as the world hunkers down.

Be sure to tune in for this week’s physics- and chemistry-themed “Amaze Your Brain At Home” fun, along with a rotating wealth of resources, at-home activities and “Amaze Your Brain” facts at perotmuseum.org.

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