X2 Technologies helped get Fragile Planet produced on time.
California Academy of Sciences is the greenest museum on Planet Earth. From head to toe, tip to top, roof to basement the museum shows its commitment to preserving nature, minimizing its carbon footprint and and being as energy efficient as technology will allow.
For example:
* 90% of all demolition materials created during construction were recycled
* 32,000 tons of sand that was excavated from the foundation was applied to dune restoration projects in San Francisco
* 95% of all steel came from recycled sources
* 15% fly ash (a recycled coal by-product), 35% slag in concrete
* 50% of lumber was harvested from sustainable-yield forests
* 68% of insulation comes from recycled blue jeans
* 90% of office space will have natural light and ventilation
* 60,000 photovoltaic cells; 213,000 kilowatt-hours
* 30% less energy consumption than federal code requirement
When the Morrison Planetarium opened on September 27, 2008 as part of the new California Academy of Sciences, the premier attraction in the new dome was the immersive digital video production designed by the Academy’s visualization studio.
The inaugural production, Fragile Planet, is a 30-minute virtual journey from Earth to the outer reaches of the Universe and back—a journey that reveals how special Earth really is.
Narrated by Sigourney Weaver and augmented with talks by a live presenter, Fragile Planet begins inside the Morrison Planetarium, lifts off through the roof of the Academy, zips outside the atmosphere, and gives audiences an astronaut’s view of Earth.
The journey proceeds to the Moon, Mars, and beyond the Milky Way to search for habitats that might host extraterrestrial life. The show’s theme—that Earth is the only known haven for life, and thus is important to protect—echoes the themes of biodiversity and sustainability that run throughout the rest of the Academy’s exhibits.
X2 is proud of our contribution to the success of this inaugural production.
“Steve and X2 were instrumental in helping us set up the production to get Fragile Planet produced on time.”
Tom Kennedy, Producer, Fragile Planet – First Full Dome Digital production of the Visualization Studio for the Morrison Planetarium, California Academy of Sciences
