Baby ostriches part of new Academy of Sciences “Earthquake” exhibit

Woah, these guys are pretty cute! ABC7 News got a sneak peek of the new Earthquake exhibit that opens this Saturday. The story takes a decidedly adorable turn as they introduce us to the baby ostriches that are being hatched and put out on the exhibit floor.

What do ostriches have to do with earthquakes? Well, yes, adult males at 9 feet are probably tall enough to hide under during a quake, but it’s more scientific than that…

The ostrich’s closest relatives are other flightless birds such as rheas, emus, and kiwis that evolved on separate continents – a direct results of the supercontinent “Pangea” splitting apart thanks to continental drift. So these cute little birds are there to illustrate how earthquake and evolution affect each other.

Science AND cuteness, sounds like a fun exhibit.

Sarah B.