Category Archives: Film, Video & Music

SF/F as a lens for looking at the law

Posted on November 1, 2011 by cicada

As Arthur C. Clarke once put it, technology is — at some sufficiently advanced tipping point — “indistinguishable from magic”.  An interesting question that follows from that realization is this: how big a difference is there, really, between the law … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Film, Video & Music, Gender Issues, Littademia, Neuroscience, Science in culture & policy | Comments Off

The Golden Age of Scientific Computing?

Posted on February 17, 2008 by cicada

In a Friday session at the AAAS conference here in Boston, Dr. Chris Johnson of Utah’s Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute showed this short video encapsulating some of his team’s striking 3D imaging innovations. He also made what I think … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Film, Video & Music, Science | Comments Off

The Mona Lisa, Genes, and Money

Posted on February 13, 2008 by cicada

One of the questions an artist hates most is what is your artwork worth? Price is a subjective, unsatisfactory proxy for emotional angst, frustration, eyestrain, and time. Sometimes I find that NO (reasonable) value can compensate for the emotional investment … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Ephemera, Film, Video & Music, Littademia, Photography, Science in culture & policy | Comments Off

Who’s your daddy? Ask PCR

Posted on January 17, 2008 by cicada

Ah, I have the warm fuzzies now for my eppendorfs and thermal cycler. . . but I’m sure it will pass.

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

The Woods: a beautiful anti-lullaby

Posted on November 10, 2007 by cicada

The Woods: a stop-motion music video for Polly Paulusma, by artist Rima Staines. You can read Rima’s account of her creative process here, at her blog. Paulusma’s song is a sort of bittersweet version of the Hansel and Gretel myth. … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Film, Video & Music | 3 Comments

Wired Science on PBS

Posted on October 3, 2007 by cicada

AC Gilbert chemistry set, 1922 From Wired Science on PBS Tonight is the premiere of a new PBS science series, Wired Science. My fear is that, as with so many other science programs, it will be the kind of staccato, … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Film, Video & Music | Comments Off

Like a rainbow hole in your head

Posted on September 29, 2007 by cicada

What lies behind our nose? photography (CT scan rendering) Kai-hung Fung, 2007 The 2007 Science Visualization Challenge winners have been announced. I love the two (tied) first place winners; although they are both photography, they look like watercolor. Above is … Continue reading →

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

Human nature, 4×6

Posted on September 6, 2007 by cicada

Even if you already know all about PostSecret, this promo video is a little work of art worth watching. The postcard that made me cry: I like to remember my Dad as a boy so I won’t remember him suffering … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Blogs and Blogging, Books, Ephemera, Film, Video & Music, Photography | Comments Off

Party in your tummy?

Posted on September 4, 2007 by cicada

The most anatomically inaccurate depiction of digestion, EVER. At least it promotes eating your veggies. But if I ever experience that going on in my tummy, I’m taking calcium carbonate.

Posted in Biology, Film, Video & Music, Frivolity | 5 Comments

Guilty as charged

Posted on August 23, 2007 by cicada

Stephen King’s column in the 8/10/07 Entertainment Weekly charmed me. Struck by a silly YouTube video, he launches into a paean to entertainment that, without regard for artistic integrity or prestige, purely entertains: I sat there amazed and full of … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Film, Video & Music, Science in culture & policy | 6 Comments