Author Archives: cicada

One month left: enter the Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge

Posted on May 5, 2007 by cicada

May 31 is the deadline for submitting artworks to the NSF/AAAS Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge. 2006 winners

Posted in Artists & Art, Photography, Science | Comments Off on One month left: enter the Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge

Kalamazeitgeist

Posted on May 5, 2007 by cicada

If the word “Kalamazoo” prompts you to imagine a child’s musical toy, skip this post. But if it makes you hyperventilate and run to double-check obscure citations, the cruel wit of Herr Professor Doktor Boethius P. von Korncrake may divert … Continue reading →

Posted in Frivolity, Littademia | Comments Off on Kalamazeitgeist

Lovely, Dark and Deep

Posted on May 4, 2007 by cicada

wild mushroom mixed media shadowbox “Lovely Dark and Deep” at doe Lisa Congdon and Stephanie Barnes, 2007 Mixed media artists/sisters Stephanie Barnes and Lisa Congdon collaborate for “Lovely, Dark and Deep,” a show opening tonight, May 4, at doe in … Continue reading →

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Antikamnia: memento mori in advertising

Posted on May 3, 2007 by cicada

Illustrations for Antikamnia Chemical Company Calendars, 1900 & 1897 Louis Crucius, ~1890 BibliOdyssey turned up this wicked advertising campaign by turn-of-the-century pharmaglomerate Antikamnia Chemical Company. The calenders were targeted at medical professionals, not the average consumer, for whom I presume … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Biology, Frivolity, Museum Lust, Science, Wonder Cabinets | 5 Comments

The gig’s up!

Posted on May 3, 2007 by cicada

Skulls found in man’s apartment | Chicago Tribune Uh-oh. I seriously hope the authorities aren’t going to start confiscating skulls, because I have one too. And yes, I boiled mine on my stove. That’s what you do to get a … Continue reading →

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

It’s the Dumbo of the deep!

Posted on May 2, 2007 by cicada

Dumbo Octopus From The Deep, by Claire Nouvian www.thedeepbook.org Collision Detection posted this link to a French film of deep-sea organisms. I don’t know if it’s the hypnotic French narration, or the freaky organisms, or that fact that I went … Continue reading →

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

On Creativity: “Lost in Portland”‘s Complaint

Posted on May 2, 2007 by cicada

Is it too late to start a band at 45? (Salon) You might need to click through the Salon Site Pass rigamarole to get to it, but this letter and response are surprisingly earnest. “Lost in Portland” does lapse into … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art | 1 Comment

A word’s worth at least one picture

Posted on May 2, 2007 by cicada

eternal Berkeley, CA, 2003 The Visual Dictionary is a photographic compendium of found words (from signage, advertising, etc). The goal is to eventually represent every English word as at least one image; users can search the database for a word, … Continue reading →

Posted in Frivolity, Photography, Words | Comments Off on A word’s worth at least one picture

Duck decoys for science

Posted on May 2, 2007 by cicada

Proof that biology is so much weirder than anything I could ever make up: To test her hypothesis, Dr. Brennan plans to team up with a biomechanics expert to build a transparent model of a female duck. She wants to … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Frivolity | 1 Comment

Whose fault is fat?

Posted on May 1, 2007 by cicada

A few months back, Slate ran a tongue-in-cheek story on caloric restriction, a controversial diet plan which sharply reduces total caloric intake. It was entitled “My Starvation Diet: I’ve cut back to 1,500 calories a day. Will it help me … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Books, Science | 3 Comments