Week 7

The second to last week of interning was certainly a memorable one. We were rewarded this week with a tour of the Cryogenics Lab, a look through the collections of the Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, a rooftop gathering overlooking Central Park, and finally a night out with NINJAS.

 During the tour of the Cryogenics Lab on Wednesday we were able to see how tissues and DNA are preserved and how important liquid nitrogen is to the overall process. The samples are stored in large metal tanks which are heavily insulated.  They're so insulated, in fact, that even if New York lost power for two weeks, the tank samples would still be safe.

Thursday's highlights of the Earth and Planetary Sciences Dept. included holding a part of the Earth's mantle collected during a volcanic eruption, seeing "Mars in a cup," and feasting our eyes on a beautiful thin section of a meteorite. After work ended on Thursday, we spent the evening wining and dining on the rooftop of Neil Landman's (curator in charge of invertebrate paleontology) building. The experience gave us an exceptional view of Central Park bordered by the "Concrete Jungle."

 Finally, Friday provided an exciting night of sushi, sake, magic, and being served by ninjas at the restaurant appropriately called Ninja. Our time here at AMNH is just about up...but the memories and experiences we have had will long be remembered.