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The Georgia Aquarium…An Engineering Marvel

The Georgia Aquarium opened on November 23, 2005. Touted as being the nation's largest aquarium, it is home to 100,000 animals representing 500 species from around the globe and over 505,000 sq. ft. of total space. With more than 8 million gallons of fresh and marine water, you're sure to see things you've never seen before! The aquarium promises wonder and excitement around every corner.

Now, imagine that you are responsible for building a new exhibit for an endangered or rare penguin in this aquarium. The animal has to be happy in its new home and since you are the principle engineer for the project, you want to make sure that the animal cannot escape from its habitat and that the guests have a nice viewing area without encroaching on the penguin's personal space. What will you do? How will you start?

Aquarium design is a tricky business. Not only do you have to research the perfect type of environment for each species, you also have to keep the guests happy by creating something that is aesthetically pleasing on the smallest budget possible. Aquariums spend money to obtain new fish and marine mammals and build exhibits in order to attract more guests. If no one comes to the aquarium, it will likely go out of business.

The Aquarium Schoolhouse.
Learn about aquatic engineering by taking a field trip to the aquarium! This program focuses on the aquarium's life support system. Students will examine various components of the aquarium's infrastructure and investigate the technology used to maintain healthy aquatic environments. The program and lessons are designed to immerse students in the aquatic realm and allows students to apply math and science concepts to examine real world scenarios. Each program includes animal encounters, interactive activities, and more!

For more information, click here.

If you can't do a field trip but find aquarium design fascinating, check out this show on Channel 400 — The Georgia Public Broadcast System.

The Georgia Aquarium: Keepers of the Deep
Dec 28, 2005, 8:00 pm and Dec 28, 2005, 9:30 pm

Go behind the scenes to see how scientists, engineers, and veterinarians are creating and managing the world's newest and largest aquarium—the Georgia Aquarium. Management and care of the vast array of fishes and mammals requires new techniques and technologies, and many species can now be studied in-depth for the first time. Medicine, biology, zoology, nutrition, environmental sciences and engineering all come to play in creating this new aquarium adventure.

For more information, click here.