Cracking the Code: Human DNA Opens At Lynx Exhibits

EL PASO, TX – Have you ever wondered what you have in common with a mouse? Do you think about what affects growth and aging?  Get answers and experience the amazing world of human DNA by visiting Cracking the Code: Human DNA, at Lynx Exhibits, 300 W. San Antonio Downtown, Sept. 18, 2010-Jan. 2, 2011.

The interactive exhibition explores the mysteries of the human gene and why the genome – the DNA in an organism or cell – is being mapped. Visitors learn the potential of gene research, such as preventing and curing diseases, living longer, solving crimes, and producing better food and drugs. Cracking the Code recounts the 200-year history of genome science and the individuals who shaped it – from Gregor Mendel, who uncovered the rules of inheritance by cultivating peas in a monastery garden, to Jim Watson and Francis Crick, who discovered the form and process of genetic replication – the now-famous DNA double helix.

“There is no more exciting frontier than that presented by our increased understanding of genome science,” said Deborah Chaney, Lynx Education Director. “We are thrilled to bring this extraordinary exhibition to El Paso where visitors can take full advantage of its cutting edge information and hands-on opportunities for personal learning.”

Cracking the Code uses hands-on displays, visually rich environments and family-friendly activities designed to help visitors understand the genome’s function and its role in daily life.  Among the many displays visitors will see are:

•    Giant helix – An eight-foot-tall, 25-foot-long model of DNA’s double helix structure with video and light show.
•    Discovery Theater – Scientists explain, in everyday terms, genetic research discoveries, their impact, and the people and stories behind them.

•    Hereditary Slot Machine – A working slot machine that demonstrates the odds that children will inherit genes for certain characteristics.
•    Cell Explorer – A moveable flat video screen allows visitors to navigate a large map of a cell and discover the workings of its parts and processes.

•    The Cookie Factory – An animated cookie machine shows how a cookie company cranking out cookies is a lot like a cell making proteins.

Cracking the Code opened at the Smithsonian as “GENOME: The Secret of How Life Works,” and was made possible by Pfizer Inc. It was produced by Evergreen Exhibitions in collaboration with the National Human Research Institute (NHGRI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Whitehead Institute/MIT Center for Genome Research.

Lynx, Downtown across from the convention center parking garage, is dedicated to bringing first-class, family friendly exhibits to the El Paso region. Open Tuesdays through Sundays. For more information, call 533-4330 or visit the website at  HYPERLINK “http://www.LynxExhibits.com” www.LynxExhibits.com