A traveling exhibit with the Natural History Museum of Utah is making a stop in Vernal through the month of August. ‘Soil Stories’ is the 2023 exhibit for the Museum’s Traveling Treasures and it will be set up in Zions Bank in Vernal from August 2nd through August 31st. Visitors will learn that soils vary in color, texture and smell, and that the organisms that inhabit soil – like cicadas – are just as interesting. “In my work studying insects, I have always been fascinated by soil,” shares entomology collections manager Christy Bills. “Invertebrates such as beetles, ants, and snails enrich soil and play a large role in sustaining all kinds of ecosystems in surprising ways.” Soil Stories highlights the uniqueness of soil, which is often taken for granted. To launch the display, the public is invited to a free Community Science Night on Thursday, August 3rd, from 4:30 to 7pm where there will be hands-on activities and touchable specimens. The professionals from Dinosaur National Monument, the Utah Field House, and Uintah County Library will also be part of the event.
