Here, Oregon-based researchers explain how they investigate our amazing marine world. An octopus began greeting the public at the Visitor Center shortly after the building opened as the Public Wing in 1965. It hasn't been the same octopus, of course. There have been many greeters, each with its own personality and level of enthusiasm for the job. Our exhibits focus on patterns in nature and how scientists use them to create models to explain, understand, and predict our complex, changing environment.
Scientists use patterns to create models that simulate the environment.
Scientific models help solve complicated mysteries like whale migrations or the cause of El Nino. When Mt. St. Helens erupted, scientific models helped provide evacuation routes. The patterns we notice and the models researchers develop help us make decisions about conservation and the wise use of resources. Very complicated models even imitate nature's sporadic disorder. You can find similarities of sound, texture, color and behavior in The Pattern Garden.