The Natural History Museum in London has opened a major new exhibition showcasing some of the massive marine predators that ruled Earth’s oceans nearly 200 million years ago.
The exhibition, titled Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep, features fossils and life-sized displays of prehistoric sea reptiles, including giant ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs often described as the “T-Rex of the sea.” Visitors can also explore interactive displays and scientific recreations that bring the ancient underwater world to life.
Museum experts explained that the exhibition highlights a time when enormous reptiles dominated the oceans while dinosaurs roamed the land and flying reptiles filled the skies. One of the major attractions is a long-necked plesiosaur that scientists say used its flippers to move through the water with remarkable speed and precision.
Beyond the prehistoric displays, researchers say the exhibition also draws attention to modern environmental concerns. Scientists involved in the project noted similarities between ancient climate changes that contributed to mass extinctions and the environmental pressures currently affecting today’s oceans due to rising temperatures and carbon emissions.
The exhibition officially opened this week and is expected to attract large numbers of visitors, especially families and science enthusiasts interested in Earth’s prehistoric past.