350-million-year-old fossil discovered by Drexel researcher on display in new exhibit at Academy of Natural Sciences

The latest exhibit at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University takes visitors on a journey to millions of years before dinosaurs walked on Earth.

"Life Onto Land: The Devonian" looks at the history of the Devonian Period, which ended over 350 million years ago and was pivotal in shaping the world we know today. The exhibit, which features artwork, models, maps and fossils — including one discovered by a local researcher — opens Saturday and will be on display through next September.

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The period saw rapid evolution in animals and plants. The first forests emerged during this time, which is sometimes called the "Age of Fishes" due to the vast diversification of fish species. The first terrestrial vertebrates, amphibians, also evolved, paving the way for all vertebrates that live on land today.

A highlight of the exhibit is a fossil of the Tiktaalik roseae, a finned vertebrate that was crucial in helping scientists understand vertebrates' evolution from fins to limbs. Ted Daeschler — an Academy researcher who also teaches at Drexel — co-led the team that discovered the Tiktaalik in Devonian-age rock on Canada's Ellesmere Island in 2004.

A newly commissioned model of the Tiktaalik will also be on display. The piece was created by artist Tyler Keillor, who specializes in sculpting flesh reconstructions of prehistoric life.

"Life Onto Land" will feature other plant and animal fossils collected in Devonian rock, including some found in Pennsylvania. Scientific illustrations by Arcadia University professor W. Scott Rawlins and Spanish artist Aina Bestard will also shed light on the vibrant ecosystems of the Devonian Period.

Admission to "Life Onto Land" is included with a museum ticket, which can be purchased in person or online for a discounted price. The Academy is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

"Life Onto Land" follows the June opening of the Academy's "Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity" exhibit, which remains on display through January.

Life Onto Land