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Eau, agua, maji, su ... these international words for water are projected onto a misty wall of cascading vapor and greet visitors at the cool-blue entrance to the Natural History Museum's "Water: H2O=Life." The exhibit traces the precious resource's story: how water cycles through the atmosphere and shapes the earth, how animals and plants process it, and how humans have learned to control it (sometimes at environmental costs). Also highlighted are water-savvy species and water technologies -- see what happens when you raise and lower a dam, or pump water with an aquifer.

Downstairs, the smaller exhibit "Water: A California Story" shows how fast-paced development has nearly destroyed our region's ecosystems. Captions in both Spanish and English convey the need for conservation efforts, and free pocket-sized cards tell how much water you save by taking shorter showers and turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth.

Among other history exhibits, these two exhibits are unique because they also examine the future and make a modern case today about how humans can either hurt or help nature.

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