Author Archives: cicada

Coin-operated morticians are not easy to find

Posted on May 16, 2012 by cicada

Just in case you’ve always wanted a vintage coin-operated morgue diorama with clockwork morticians and mourners, you are totally in luck! Thanks, Morbid Anatomy!

Posted in Medical Illustration and History, Retrotechnology, Yikes! | Comments Off

Histology-Inspired Artist of the Day: Andrea Offerman

Posted on May 16, 2012 by cicada

Andrea Offerman‘s intricate pen and ink drawings are some hybrid of children’s book illustrations and Hieronymous Bosch-ian anatomical panoramas. Andrea says, I was always interested in art but hesitant to make it my profession. I studied medicine for a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Biology, Medical Illustration and History | Comments Off

Is Starry Night the discovery, or the experiment?

Posted on May 16, 2012 by cicada

Maria Popova quotes Neil DeGrasse Tyson on the difference between originality in science and in art: If I discover a scientific idea, surely someone else would’ve discovered the same idea had I not done so. Whereas, look at Van Gogh’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Film, Video & Music | Comments Off

Of satellites, maps, and worldbuilding

Posted on May 15, 2012 by cicada

It’s kind of mind-boggling how much technology has changed our relationship with maps over the past decade. I remember when my mental approximation of geography was based either on (depending on the appropriate scale) globes with pastel continents on them, … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Data Visualization, Littademia, Maps, Retrotechnology | Comments Off

Elizabeth Turk’s marble sculpture

Posted on May 15, 2012 by cicada

Inspired by gravity, space, decay, and natural forms (from schools of fish to murmurations) sculptor Elizabeth Turk’s marble sculptures resemble skeletons or corals. They’re particularly lovely when she takes them to the shore and lets the waves crash on them. … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Film, Video & Music | Comments Off

Miscellaneous Links

Posted on March 26, 2012 by cicada

A beautiful visualization of ocean currents Pictures of math: a tumblr of science/math visualizations And for those of you following such things, Myriad (the gene patent case) is remanded for reconsideration in light of the Supreme Court’s decision in Prometheus: … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Free book: Gina Kolata’s Rethinking Thin

Posted on March 25, 2012 by cicada

If you’d like a good used hardback copy of Gina Kolata’s Rethinking Thin, which I think is quite a good book about the science of weight loss, I will mail it to you for free.* Email me with your address. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Sciencedebate 2012: Should this be the top question for the next President?

Posted on March 24, 2012 by cicada

You can vote for the science questions you’d most like the presidential candidates to answer, and add your own questions, here: We’re not interested in quizzing candidates on the 4th digit of pi or the particulars of cell mitosis. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Science, Science in culture & policy | Comments Off

Lunch Break: The Constructal Law

Posted on March 22, 2012 by cicada

I’ve been reading a book called Design in Nature, by Adrian Bejan and J. Peder Zane. It’s an extremely thought-provoking book and I haven’t fully decided what I want to say about it, so my review is still coming, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Book reviews, Books, Design, Education, Film, Video & Music, Science, Web 2.0, New Media, and Gadgets | Comments Off

What neuroscience tells us about creativity

Posted on March 19, 2012 by cicada

A preview of Jonah Lehrer’s new book on creativity, Imagine: What do you think? I haven’t yet read it, but Lehrer is always an engaging writer; I’m sure it’s both entertaining and literate. My only concern is a general one: … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Books, Neuroscience, Science, Science in culture & policy | Comments Off