re-coloured picture of Darwin

Nate Hallinan - "real life" smurf

from Nate Hallinan.com



from Nate Hallinan.com:

"The Smurf is actually the result of a symbiotic relationship between two organisms. We believe that Smurfs put their 'embryos' in the button of a developing mushroom. From a
distance, Smurfs seem like they are wearing a hat and pants but as you can see this is a fallacy. The fungus provides camouflage and protective epidermal layers for the creature, while the creature provides nutrients and mobility for the spreading of spores.

Smurfs are believed to be a hunter gatherer society. As you can see, this little guy is returning from a successful venture. It is generally difficult to spot a Smurf; they
are very apprehensive and cunning. Sadly though, it is rumored that they are hunted for their medicinal properties. It's hard to determine but it is thought that there are
not many colonies of Smurf left."

Riusuke Fukahori Paints Three-Dimensional Goldfish Embedded in Layers of Resin

First: watch the video. Japanese artist Riusuke Fukahori paints three-dimensional goldfish using a complex process of poured resin. The fish are painted meticulously, layer by layer, the sandwiched slices revealing slightly more about each creature, similar to the function of a 3D printer. I really enjoy the rich depth of the pieces and the optical illusion aspect, it’s such an odd process that results in something that’s both a painting and sculptural. Wonderful.

for more images go to this is colossal.com

Science needs a universal symbol

Thanks to Caro D for the link!

From the New Scientist
by Paul Root Wolpe

In the face of irrational opposition, it's time for the scientific community to have its own bumper sticker

SCIENCE is under assault. In the US and throughout the world, rhetoric about evolution, stem cells, global warming and other controversial and cutting-edge technologies often transcends legitimate disagreement to challenge the work of scientists.

Less visible is the community of those who believe deeply in the integrity of the endeavour, who defend the need for rigorous objectivity in politics and education, and who - even if they are sympathetic to religion or religious themselves - believe in the need for clear jurisdictional boundaries between religion, ideology and science.

They are passionate about science and see themselves as sharing a mission to defend the enterprise. Yet they lack a sign of their position, something that could unite their effort - in short, a symbol that stands for science, in much the same way as the Christian fish symbol declares adherence to that faith on car bumpers worldwide.

A single, unified symbol would have many uses. It could be displayed to represent a position: opposition to the politicising of science in government, support for increased research spending, or concern about global warming and species loss. It could be displayed by an astronomer or geologist or sociologist or teacher as a symbol of their allegiance to science. It could be used on car bumpers and web pages, and in public venues.

It should be simple and versatile, instantly recognisable and encompass all of science - a double helix alone, say, won't do as it does not take in astronomy or particle physics.

And it should be easy to modify, perhaps to identify a subject area - able to accommodate within it a double helix, or an atom, or the word NASA, or any other refinement locating the bearer in the scientific firmament. Perhaps it could even accommodate a cross or star of David or some other symbol to state: "I am a Christian (or Jew or Muslim) and support science as an enterprise."

This symbolic unifier is what I propose. And I hope that, by proposing it, ideas will be offered and debated, and that a symbol, acceptable to all, will take shape and be adopted by all who defend science as a means of understanding our world.

Paul Root Wolpe is director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. Send ideas for a symbol to sciencesymbol@emory.edu or to a Facebook page he will set up

Staring into the Beautiful Cold-Blooded Eyes of Reptiles

Go to environmental graffiti to see all the images

Doodling in Math: Spirals, Fibonacci, and Being a Plant

Thanks to Matina D and Naim M for the link!

Revenge of the Meerkat

The Bicycle Animation

from youtube

This is a piece created to question whether it was possible to film animation in realtime. Part of my CSM 3rd year disseration project I was looking at proto animation (really early basic animation) in contemporary design. I've taken a lot of influence from other contemporary designers who are using these techniques to explore the way we look at animation and how its made. As stated on my channel I have interviewed animators such as Jim le Fevre and in my research referenced other people using this technique such as David Wilson and Tim Wheatley who did this before me. I developed this project based on what is being done in animation right now as well as a lot of primary research into the history of animation techniques.

Big Thanks to my friend Stefan Neidermeyer who did the sound. The soundtrack is made up of various bike noies recorded during the filming process which Stef then remixed to make the amazing soundtrack.

Scientists Develop the Most Relaxing Tune

From Neatorama
Scientists Develop the Most Relaxing Tune
By John Farrier

Sound therapists and stress specialists worked with the band Marconi Union to develop “Weightless”, the most relaxing song ever:

Weightless works by using specific rhythms, tones, frequencies and intervals to relax the listener. A continuous rhythm of 60 BPM causes the brainwaves and heart rate to synchronise with the rhythm: a process known as ‘entrainment’. Low underlying bass tones relax the listener and a low whooshing sound with a trance-like quality takes the listener into an even deeper state of calm.

Dr David Lewis, one of the UK’s leading stress specialists said: “‘Weightless’ induced the greatest relaxation – higher than any of the other music tested. Brain imaging studies have shown that music works at a very deep level within the brain, stimulating not only those regions responsible for processing sound but also ones associated with emotions.” [...]

The top 10 most relaxing tunes were: 1. Marconi Union – Weightless 2. Airstream – Electra 3. DJ Shah – Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix) 4. Enya – Watermark 5. Coldplay – Strawberry Swing 6. Barcelona – Please Don’t Go 7. All Saints – Pure Shores 8. AdelevSomeone Like You 9. Mozart – Canzonetta Sull’aria 10. Cafe Del Mar – We Can Fly

Go here to hear the song
(http://www.shortlist.com/resource/binary//f930079828e80dc02164c02d88e78283/Weightless.mp3)

Ted Talk - Jae Rhim Lee: My mushroom burial suit

New Form of "Life" - BBC One Theo Jansen's Strandbeests

thanks to Cleve H and Judy S for the link!

The Feynman Series - Beauty

Thanks to Erin W for the link!

from youtube:
The Feynman Series is a companion project of The Sagan Series working in the hopes of promoting scientific education and scientific literacy in the general population.

CURIOSITY - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmTmGLzPVyM
HONOURS - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkv0KCR3Yiw

listen to all of Björk's Biophilia

NPR is streaming all of Björk's new album Biophilia for the next week.

from NPR:

...So it's fitting that Biophilia, Björk's latest and most ambitious project yet, began as a collection of songs written around themes of nature, science and humanity's relationships to both. For most artists, that'd be a lofty enough concept on its own. But Björk heavily researched astrophysics, string theory, neurology, biology and other areas where science and music meet. Her big ideas didn't stop there....

From wikipedia:

For the music, Björk related the phenomenon the song describes to a musical structure or resource. For example; the song "Moon" has different musical cycles that repeat throughout the song;the song "Thunderbolt" contains arpeggios, inspired by the time between when lightning is seen and thunder is heard; and in "Solstice", the counterpoint makes reference to the movement of planets and the Earth rotation, and the pendulums used on the song make tribute to the Foucault pendulum.

The lyrics also present metaphores to those phenomena. "Dark Matter" features heavy gibberish since the dark matter phenomena are directly "unexplainable". "Virus" describes "fatal relationships" such as the relationship between a virus and a cell as Björk explained "It’s like I have this new neighbour that I have to sort of learn to live with"; "Solstice" presents the relation between the gravity effect on celestial bodies and on human beings and in "Hollow", Björk took inspiration in her "ancestors and DNA, that the grounds open below you and you can feel your mother and her mother, and her mother, and her mother, and her mother 30,000 years back. So suddenly you’re this kinda tunnel, or trunk of DNA… All these ghosts come up so it ended up begin a halloween song and quite gothic in a way… It’s like being part of this everlasting necklace when you’re just a bead on a chain and you sort of want to belong and be a part of it and it’s just like a miracle."

TED talk: Sunni Brown: Doodlers, unite!

Studies show that sketching and doodling improve our comprehension -- and our creative thinking. So why do we still feel embarrassed when we're caught doodling in a meeting? Sunni Brown says: Doodlers, unite! She makes the case for unlocking your brain via pad and pen.

Macro Photographs of Bugs’ Eyes Taken by Thomas Shahan

GO HERE to see a gallery of macro photographs of bugs’ eyes taken by Thomas Shahan - thanks to naim for the link!

Roa's work - large scale animal-themed street art

Go here and make sure to check out all the pages of photos - thanks to Caro D for the link!

In the lab at night...

Thanks to Mark W for the link (original here: http://i.imgur.com/lEZEV.jpg)

Planet of the Apes: Trophies painting

a little something disturbing for hump day (warning: some may find this offensive) via neatorama from http://www.etsy.com/listing/79751820/planet-of-the-apes-trophies-13-x-19

Skateboard wheel art - the Darwin series

My friend Jim F (of Don Ernesto fame : http://dernesto.tumblr.com/) sent me these super cool skateboard wheels he had comissioned before he moved to the field

You can find out more about them here (and scroll down, there are also T shirts!)

Science Ink - Awesome Nerd Tattoos

I love body art! Last year I blogged about the amazing wildlife tattoo gallery from the bushwarriors blog, and now I found the Science Tattoo Emporium which has a companion book out at the end of the is year. CLICK HERE to go to the gallery.

A few more of my faves: