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Ancient Oceans |
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| The Ancient Ocean |
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| The Ancient Ocean is composed of demonstrations on the birth of the Mother Earth, the formation of ancient oceans and the evolution of marine organisms. Illustrations of the evolution of living organisms from the Precambrian to present are performed using virtual visual and sound effects accompanying scenic environments. |
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| Creation of the Ocean |
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| Spatial images and illustrations show the formation sequences of the blue ocean including the dramatic changes of the environment from a barren earth to a planet full of life. Volcanic activities decreased gradually after heavy rains and storms, left behind the solidifying lava and magma which create the crusts. Strong ultraviolet rays penetrated straight into the ocean which initiated the growth of cyanobacteria, giving the ocean a layer of bluish green colour. Subsequently, the ocean became blue and multicellular organisms gradually existed. |
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| Aidikala Ocean Park |
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| 540 million years ago, a group of multicellular creatures, neither animals nor plants, appeared in the sandy shallow sea bed. Soft in body and various in shapes, such as disk-, leaf- and segment-shaped, they didn’t attack each other but lived in harmony. |
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| Clear-River Organisms |
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| In the beginning of Paleozoic, 530 million years ago, many creatures of various types and different lifestyles appeared abruptly in the warm shallow seas. Ancestors of many animal species alive today, began to attack each other, forming a complicated sea world. |
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| The Age of Trilobites and Fishes |
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| Many creatures survived and continued multiplying after the drastic environmental change. Giant species belonging to mollusks appeared and became the dominant species in the Cambrian Period. Arthropods that included trilobites evolved into various species. Mullokunmingia became the pioneer in fish evolution. Fishes began appearing in the early Ordovician Period. Evolving from jawless to jawed fishes, they could attack their preys. With the evolution of swim bladders and fins, their swimming ability and sense of direction were strengthened. Therefore, with increased competitiveness, they became the dominant species in the Devonian Period. |
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| Ocean Reptile Theatre |
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| Still some marine lives survived. Terrestrial reptiles survived the fate of extinction and evolved into various species that could adapt to different environments. Some of them adapted to life in water again. They came back to the ocean and became the dominant species. The marine reptiles evolved such features as giant streamlined body shapes, huge mouths, sharp teeth, etc.They also developed various swimming styles and became strong in predators. They, as ovoviviparous, became the marine tyrants in the Mesozoic Era. |
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| Marine Mammals |
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| Marine mammals first appeared in the Cenozoic Era. Their front limbs evolved into flippers, and their tails into flukes. Their body shapes became streamlined and their nostrils migrated to the top of the head. As a result, they became better swimmers. They also developed echolocation. Therefore, they could live completely in the sea. |
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| Living Fossils
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| Living fossils are species that appeared in the ancient seas, survived a series of extinction and are still alive today. Their features and ecological habits are very close to those of the ancient species. |
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