This year, the Field Museum‘s Homecoming event, Eras After Dark, welcomed visitors into “themed lounges where prehistoric eras meet modern decades”. Laura and Maddie were joined by Makoto from the Tsegai Ape-Move Lab to present Timeline Trivia on animal (human) origins, asking attendees to think about some common misconceptions about our early history.

Guests wandered through the Precambrian (stylized in the 1970’s), the Paleozoic (1980s), Mesozoic (1990s), and Cenozoic (2000s). Our students’ table, representing a much more recent part of Earth’s history, was not tied to a themed decade – but that didn’t stop them from choosing the 90’s for themselves. Other tables showcased in the same area were Speed Test: Fast or Fiction, Dino or Di-NOT, Lore from the Library, Rewriting Rodent History, and Deadly Depths: Venomous Fish.

The table featured these prompts: Which skull better represents our ancestor? Why is Homo floresiensis so small? Did Homo naledi make art, use stone tools, and bury their dead? If we evolved from apes, why are there still apes? Did Neanderthals have culture and/or language? Who has a bigger brain: you or a neanderthal? If we have neanderthal DNA, does that mean we’re the same species? Is bigfoot real?

Upwards of one hundred people were in attendance at the table and our group sometimes fell into great conversations with guests that lasted longer than a simple Q&A. In the spirit of the program flyer’s Report Card, this event aced the test!