ANALYZE THIS Ever wonder how a rat can see in the dark? Well, this month you can attend some eye-popping exhibits around the state that will satisfy even the most inquisitive minds, and you don’t have to have a Ph.D. in biology to appreciate them. “Animal SuperSenses” at Galveston’s Moody Gardens features 25 interactive displays that allow you not only to encounter infrared vision and ultrasonic hearing but also to see the world through the eyes of a hawk and experience a dog’s incredible sense of smell. You’ll learn how bats, dolphins, and yes, rats use echolocation vibrations to navigate in total darkness. If you’re interested in Homo sapiens, head to Houston’s McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science, where “Inside Out: The Visible Human” provides an intimate look at the body that is sure to make an impression. Images for the exhibit were taken from the cadaver of convict Joseph Paul Jernigan, of Waco, who was executed in 1993 (he donated his body to science). Jernigan’s corpse was frozen and quartered, and one-millimeter segments were sliced off, photographed, and digitized to form a virtual man. You’ll see images from MRIs, tissue samples, and a cross section of a skull. Heck, you might even find out what makes your skin crawl. (See Galveston: Points of Interest; and Houston: Museums/Galleries.)
