Author Archives: cicada

Science in the dark

An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768) Joseph Wright of Derby An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump – detail (view zoomed image at the National Gallery of London) Wouldn’t it be excellent if science … Continue reading

Posted in Artists & Art, Museum Lust, Science | 2 Comments

DWM overload

portrait of James Ferguson, astronomer Oh, look! Legions of Dead White Males with (natural laws, anatomical parts, minerals, equations, geological features, organisms, diseases, scientific societies) named after them! And some little prankster drew spectacles on Ferguson. Scientific Identity: Portraits from … Continue reading

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“Deeply superficial?” – art/book links for July

The Babylonian Marriage Market Edwin Longsden Long Damien Hirst is, as usual, hot hot hot. Even hotter than July in the era of global warming. But in Prospect Magazine‘s article Doubting Damien, Ben Lewis compares Damien Hirst with the Victorian … Continue reading

Posted in Artists & Art | 3 Comments

When Vampires get tenure

Self-described “exhibition of weirds” Farrago’s Wainscot has a suspiciously convincing webpage for Associate Professor of Sanguinary History Anna S. Oppenhagen-Petrescu, from class syllabi to CV – including the preface of her new book, snarky footnotes, and slightly ambiguous encomiums from … Continue reading

Posted in Frivolity, Littademia, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Absolutely hilarious

From the Guardian: scientists and non-scientists attempt to answer basic science questions. Example: Q: Roughly how old is the earth? A: Oh blimey. Well, I know that human beings have been going for about a million and a half years, … Continue reading

Posted in Frivolity, Science, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

How much do I need this?

Yeah, that’s right – it’s serotonin! Raven Hanna remixed her biophysics PhD with design and got neurotransmitter-based jewelry. Never mind diamonds–these have got to pack a pretty powerful placebo effect, don’t you think? I want the serotonin necklace and the … Continue reading

Posted in Artists & Art, Biology, Frivolity | 1 Comment

News of the Blogosphere

Happy and sad news on two of my favorite blogs: 1. Congratulations to the excellent Neurophilosophy on joining the ScienceBorg, ahem, Scienceblogs collective! I had fun last week making a few little banners to celebrate the upgrade. Yay! 2. Table … Continue reading

Posted in Blogs and Blogging | 1 Comment

Dude, this book ys for real?

Hey. . . where’s that essay I wrote twelve years ago on narrative unreliability in Monty Python and the Holy Grail? I think its time has come! (They also need a chapter on the reification of puns.) Cultural Studies of … Continue reading

Posted in Frivolity, Littademia | 2 Comments

I meant to punningly reify that. . . sure I did!

Fly Away Home Watercolor Three of my watercolors appear in the new Fantasy Illustrator’s Technique Book , by Gary Lippincott. I was supposed to get a copy from the publisher, but no copy materialized, so I finally popped over to … Continue reading

Posted in Artists & Art, Books, My Artwork | 16 Comments

I like this result

The Classic Dames Test Your Score: Katharine Hepburn You scored 14% grit, 52% wit, 38% flair, and 2% class! You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your … Continue reading

Posted in Frivolity | 6 Comments