Ultimate Dinosaurs Exhibit In Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

by Sean McLachlan on


We all know about the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops, but what about the Gigantosaurus, pictured above, or the Amargasaurus? These are just a couple of the little-known dinosaurs highlighted at a new exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada.

“Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana” looks at recently discovered dinosaur species from South America, Africa and Madagascar, some of which have never before been displayed in Canada. Not content with simply assembling the skeletons and putting them on a pedestal, the curators have painted the walls with richly detailed murals and have also created Augmented Reality experiences where visitors can interact with the displays to learn more. You can even flesh out a dinosaur skeleton to see how paleontologists recreate these fearsome beasts from the bones they find.

The exhibit looks at how continental drift affected the dinosaur evolution during the Mesozoic Era 250–65 million years ago. At the start of this period there was one giant land mass called Pangaea. This later divided into Laurasia in the north and Gondwana in the south, which in turn separated into the continents we’re familiar with. This increasing isolation led to dinosaur species evolving separately.

Some of these unusual dinosaurs will surprise you. The long-necked Futalognkosaurus was one of the biggest animals to have ever walked the earth, measuring 110 feet long and weighing as much as 10 elephants. Suchomimus had a face like a crocodile and the Majungasaurus appears to have been a cannibal. Majungasaurus bite marks have been found on the bones of other Majungasaurs.

“Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana” runs until March 17, 2013.

Burgess Shale online exhibition brings 500 million year-old sea back to life

by Sean McLachlan on


The Burgess Shale in British Columbia, Canada, preserves an amazing collection of fossils of sea creatures from the Cambrian period. This was a time dating from 488 to 542 million years ago, when complex creatures were beginning to evolve but before the dinosaurs existed.

Some of the creatures were pretty strange, like the Anomalocaris canadensis pictured above in this image courtesy Nobu Tamura. The name means “strange shrimp of Canada”. Another is the Marella splendens, shown below in this image courtesy Wikimedia Commons. These little guys are the most common animal found in the Burgess Shale.

Fossils from the Burgess Shale can be seen in museums around the world, and now the Royal Ontario Museum and Parks Canada have created the Burgess Shale online exhibition. The exhibition has a fossil library of almost every species ever found in the shale, along with information about how they lived. Most interesting are the animated reconstructions, including a virtual submarine ride to visit sea life half a billion years ago.

More than 70 digital reconstructions of the animals allow you to examine them closely. You’ll see how many modern animals such as snails, sea stars, and crabs had their origins in this remote era. These real-life monsters are a great educational tool for kids. My son was fascinated.

If you want to see the Burgess Shale for yourself, go to Yoho National Park in British Columbia. Guided hikes to the otherwise restricted fossil beds, which have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are available from July to September

Wine, food, and partying at Cornucopia in Whistler, Canada

by Jessica Festa on

From November 10-13, 2011, Cornucopia, a four day and night food and wine festival, will take place in Whistler, Canada. The event caters to both amateur enthusiasts as well as experts with seminars, tastings, and culinary programs that allow attendees to gain insight and knowledge.

In addition to educating the palate, Cornucopia will also be hosting an array of parties including:

  • Araxi’s Bubbles and Oceans– Enjoy seafood, champagne, and sparkling wine from 20 of the world’s top producers.
  • Bearfoot Bistro’s Masquerave– Proceeds for this event, which showcases the creations of top chefs from British Columbia, go to help ONE DROP, a foundation that helps give people from foreign countries access to clean water and sanitation where it is needed. International DJs, burlesque dancers, circus art performances, and models covered in winery-inspired body paintings will also be featured at the event.
  • House Party– This BBQ features local breweries, wineries, and cuisine, as well as live music.
  • CRUSH– A 2-night tasting event featuring more than 60 wineries from around the world. Book signings and tips will also be given by wine writer Natalie MacLean, author of “Unquenchable: A Tispy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Bottles”.
  • Casino Royale– This Vegas-style party will feature showgirls, circus performers, DJs, drinks, and a casino.
  • Top Gun…a Tribute– Burlesque dancers will perform a tribute to the 25th anniversary of the movie release “Top Gun” and the 30th anniversary of Sumac Ridge Estate Winery. Tickets include a complimentary coat check and a glass of Tribute champagne.

For more information on the event and tickets, click here.

Ten Reasons to Travel to Canada

by Andrew Evans on

Happy Canada Day! Bonne Fête du Canada! Today’s the day that we celebrate that time when the Canadians defeated the British, uh, declared their independence, uh, were made the subject of a British parliamentary act (?). Whatever the celebration is for, dedicated travelers all love Canada simply because it’s an awesome place to travel. If you haven’t ever been, why not? As they say in Canadian, vous have absolument no excuse. Here’s why:

1. It’s close. So close you can drive there. Getting to Canada is simpler than driving to Disneyworld and a heckuva lot more interesting. Also, did you know that 75% of all Canadians (that’s around 400 people, haha, JUST KIDDING!) live within 200 miles of the US border? Well they do. So you don’t actually have to go THAT far if you don’t want to (although a lot of the most interesting and beautiful spots are far, far away).

2. Food. Canadian cuisine is quite different and most delectable. The fact is, Canadians were all local, organic foodies long before the trend took off on Bravo TV. If you like to eat, go eat in Canada. Try the lobster in Nova Scotia, wild blueberries or poutine in northern Québec, buffalo tenderloin in Alberta, the Chinese food in Vancouver, real maple syrup in Ontario, and Tim Horton’s just about everywhere else.

3. It’s clean. You’ve heard the cliché and it’s so true. Canada is super squeaky clean. The air even tastes cleaner. It’s about time you were reminded the real color of water and the smell of a pine forest. Canada’s so clean it will make you feel dirty.4. We Lost. Remember how they creamed us in hockey? What’s worse, it’s not even Canada’s national sport. Oh no, hockey is not the national sport of Canada. Any guesses? (Clue, it’s not baseball either). Anyhoo, Americans need to travel to Canada to understand this strange sport and learn how to beat ’em at their own game. We shall overcome.

5. They’re multi-cultural. Remember how in America we’re this big old melting pot and we’re all middle class? In Canada, they don’t put up with such illusions. Everyone gets to be hyphenated (e.g. French-Canadian, Croatian-Canadian, etc.) or capitalized (e.g. First Nations) and everyone gets to have multiple identities. In fact, Canada is probably the most post-modern destination on the planet, although that’s relative.

6. History. Canada and the USA have a huge and fascinating shared history. Head across the front lines to find out all about the other side in those touching 18th century wars. Visit some of the of forts in the Great Lakes and find out how much of Canada used to be America and vice versa. It’s mind-boggling.

7. Nature. It’s hard to give the nod to another country’s natural wonders when our own country is filled with such rapacious national parks that make us feel so patriotic. Just know that Canada has some fairly amazing sites as well, starting with the Canadian Rockies (Oh My!), the coast of Newfoundland, the Arctic, about (ABOOT) five million lakes, and a few national parks that are bigger than the state you live in. If you like being the only one with nature and the only person for several hundred miles, Canada does that.

8. I forgot what 8 was for. Oh, yeah. MUSIC! All of our greatest singers are Canadian. It’s true. The independent music scene (and the film scene and art scene and theatre scene) are all so vibrant and healthy, just like a rosy-cheeked Canadian child. You’ll be surprised by some of the bands and music festivals you find among Canada’s big cities (Winnipeg, anyone?)

9. It’s foreign. So many of us dream of visiting a different country, going beyond our border to new exotic climes. Canada is one of the places. You might not think it because their dialect is so similar to that of Minnesota and so on, but Canada actually is another country with lots of exotic, different, foreign things to enjoy. Parts of Canada feel like old-time Europe, and other parts of Canada feel like Jurassic Park, so before you wait your whole life saving up to go on safari to Africa, go on safari in Canada. Grizzly bear and beluga whales may not be what you had in mind, but it’s a lot different than what you have living in your backyard.

10. Eh. Yes, “EH” is totally a reason to go to Canada. What are you waiting for, a personalized invitation with your name in calligraphy? It’s Canada Day, so, like, Go to Canada, eh?