Monthly Archives: January 2007

Poem (Poe-m) of the Week: To Science

Posted on January 19, 2007 by cicada

It’s Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday today, so the poem of the week must be his. Sadly, Poe did not seem to have a cuddly relationship with science. He’s downright accusatory: To Science Edgar Allan Poe Science! true daughter of Old … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Science | 1 Comment

Are those tentacles on your ceiling?

Posted on January 19, 2007 by cicada

Bisbiglio d’Amaranto Adam Wallacavage, 2006 Mixed media, epoxy resin coated cast plaster with lamp parts Welcome to Captain Nemo’s dining room! I’ve capitulated, and created a new post category: cephalopodmania. Where else can I file the unique work of Adam … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Books, Cephalopodmania | 5 Comments

Colette Calascione

Posted on January 18, 2007 by cicada

Two Birds Sold for a Kiss Colette Calascione Oil on Wood, 1995 A few days ago, a friend complained to me that mythological and literary references have slipped out of mainstream culture. I think it’s often true of current art … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art | 2 Comments

Spiders on Crack!

Posted on January 17, 2007 by cicada

When I was a graduate student, I fed crack cocaine to mutant fruit flies. I don’t think they really enjoyed it – they convulsed and died. But even so, I was moved by nostalgia when a friend sent me this … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Film, Video & Music, Frivolity, Science | 2 Comments

Got a few hours?

Posted on January 17, 2007 by cicada

The venerable Beloit Poetry Journal now has its back issues (1950-2005) archived online. That’s a heck of a lot of poetry.

Posted in Poetry | Comments Off

The Open Laboratory

Posted on January 16, 2007 by cicada

The Science Blogging Anthology – the Great Unveiling! Coturnix over at A Blog Around the Clock has just finished editing the new anthology of science blogging. Through the mercurial quickness of on-demand publishing, the book is available as a physical … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Books, Science | 4 Comments

morpho ishihara

Posted on January 15, 2007 by cicada

morpho ishihara watercolor on Winsor & Newton paper, 2007 The Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plate series is still the most common clinical test for colorblindness. Most Ishihara test plates are pointillist circles containing an Arabic numeral, which should be visible (if a … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, My Artwork | 7 Comments

Too much of anything (including water) is bad for you

Posted on January 14, 2007 by cicada

Woman dies after taking part in radio station contest A very sad story: a 28-year-old woman participating in a radio station contest died of apparent water intoxication. Basically, she consumed so much water so quickly that her body fluids were … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Science | Comments Off

That this too solid flesh should melt?

Posted on January 13, 2007 by cicada

This is the poster for the 2008 Australian and New Zealand Shakespeare Association (ANZSA) conference: Possible topics might include, but are not limited to: Shakespeare and histories and theories of the body, representations of the body, the actor’s body, cultural … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Littademia, Science in culture & policy, Words | Comments Off

Poem of the Week: Two Poems For a Warm Winter

Posted on January 10, 2007 by cicada

It’s all over the news now that the weather is abnormal and shockingly warm. Well, duh. Although it’s been unusually warm for months now, and 2006 was predicted to be the third-warmest year on record in the US, many news … Continue reading →

Posted in Littademia, Poetry | Comments Off