In the inimitable words of Jeff Goldblum’s Ian Malcom: “Life finds a way”. You can experience exactly what way the millions of species, plantlife and humanity itself evolved with a trip to Life Chronicles at Westfield Stratford. The epic virtual reality experience is like a digital time machine, whisking you back over 3.5 billion years so you can walk among the dinosaurs, roam through the tropical tangle of forests and even set eyes on remarkable species in the murky depths of the ocean.
What can you expect at Life Chronicles?
Prepare for one unforgettable journey because you’re in for a treat. For one thing, where else can you say you’ve travelled through the centuries, millennia even, in the space of 45 minutes? Slip on the headset and this immersive experience will take you back to the very beginning. In just a few steps you’ll find yourself in the Archean period, where the silver moon loomed even closer and the first glimmers of life flickered into existence. Then, you’ll be plunged into the watery deep of the Cambrian period; the time when animals first appeared, grazing among the oceanic fauna.
In the next blink of an eye you’ll be navigating the dense jungles of the Cretaceous period – gazing down at swooping Pterodactyls from rocky outcrops and coming face to lethal-horned face with a Triceratops. You won’t be able to resist channelling your inner Alan Grant as you explore the wondrous world and watch the incredible array of different species that have inhabited this planet over the years.
Don’t worry, you won’t be wandering chaotically through the evolving wilderness. A virtual guide – researcher Charlie and her trusty little robot Darwin (you see what they did there?) are at hand to lead the way. She’ll be filling your brain with fascinating facts – detailing the specific characteristics of the paleo-landscape and shedding some light on the creatures you encounter. Not only that, but an immersive soundscape will help bring the world to life around you but don’t get too lost in the magic of it all, you never know when you might hear something sneaking up on you…
Life Chronicles is equal parts mesmerising and educational. Every piece of information and cutting-edge visual you lay eyes on is a result of extensive research and input from palaeontologists, palaeobotanists, evolutionary biologists and bioacousticians from the Natural History Museum. Basically, you know you’re in good hands here. You’ll emerge back into reality with a head full of facts and a lingering sense of awe from your incredible expedition through time.