Jennifer Bine, project director for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, oversees a new exhibit of a replica of the world’s largest snake. This prehistoric snake, called Titanoboa, was 48 feet long and weighed one-and-a-half tons. The exhibit, which shows the snake swallowing a crocodile, is at the National Museum of Natural History until January 6, 2013.
Why a giant snake?
We wanted to highlight a discovery made in 2004 at a Smithsonian-organized dig at a coal mine in Colombia, South America. It’s definitely an extraordinary find, the biggest snake ever known to have existed.
Titanoboa lived about 60 million years ago, so people don’t need to fear going into a rainforest and encountering a snake of this size today.
When I see pictures of snakes, I end up getting nightmares. Have you had any nightmares?
The fear of snakes is hard-wired in humans. There have been studies where they show pictures of snakes to an infant, and the child will have a fear response.
I did have a snake-related dream while working on the exhibit, but it was of a fossilized snake and I recall feeling curious rather than frightened.
What’s the replica made of?
It’s carved out of a foam material. The structure that you see is fiberglass covered with an epoxy resin that the scales are carved into.
Where the snake’s body curves, it ripples like in real life. It’s definitely not just a tube.
What has been the reaction of the public?
It’s been a real draw for the museum. The day we unveiled the Titanoboa model in New York, it was No. 1 on Yahoo charts.
Who would win in a fight between a Tyrannosaurus rex and Titanoboa?
It depends on whose turf it was. If T-rex wandered into deep enough waters, I would not count out Titanoboa.
– Scott McCabe
