David Attenborough–Orchid Wasp Mimic Video

Update: It seems like there are problems with some of the video links. When you click the play button, a message tells you the video is no longer available. I was still able to watch it on YouTube though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h8I3cqpgnA.

This is just cool…

My Mom’s Blog

For those of you who read Chinese, my mom is a natural science writer in Taiwan. For about ten years since the early 90s, she published short articles in Taiwanese newspapers and eventually the collections of these articles in books. She finds her inspirations in nature through family trips we take to state and national parks, or even local botanical gardens.

She is reposting some of her previously published articles in the blog http://yangliterature.blogspot.com/. (I am still helping her get into the world of blogging, so we’re not sure how often she’ll be updating it.)

Her signature style combines a literary style with facts and photos, so the readers feel like they’re reading an article rather than a passage from an encyclopedia. If you don’t read Chinese, you can still visit the blog to see photos from nature.

Eureka Photography Award

Winning images from the New Scientist Eureka Prize for Science Photography is now touring Australia, starting with the Australian Museum at Sydney. This year, the top three winners are Phred Petersen, Steven Morton, and Katrina Putker. For details, see the links below.

About the winners and the competition:
http://austmus.gov.au/eureka/go/eureka-prize/science-photography

About the exhibit at the Australian Museum:
http://austmus.gov.au/eureka/go/news/eureka-photography-exhibition-tours-australia

An article featuring this year’s first place winner, Phred Petersen:
http://www.rmit.com.au/browse;ID=1y91ikeo5sic

Last year’s article featuring last year’s first place and this year’s second place winner, Steven Morton:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/science/drop-of-blood-doesnt-drop/2007/08/21/1187462266232.html

Photos by other winners (scroll to the bottom):

http://www.austmus.gov.au/eureka/index.cfm?objectid=6976E866-D790-8EB4-FC6526FAE270E859

That Legendary Notebook

Yes. That one. Moleskine.

Honestly I don’t understand the hype around this notebook. After all it’s bound paper. Functionally it’s the same as any paper you write on. I personally prefer loose paper so I can rearrange the pages anyway.

I suppose Moleskine is so highly regarded among artists because what other brand of notebook devotes its pages to artists? It’s hard enough finding a normal blank page notebook, not to mention acid free pages that are ruled for musicians or have frames already drawn for storyboard.

This is probably why a blog is completely devoted to all things Moleskine. From accessories to storage to people’s stories and their sketch pages. http://www.moleskinerie.com/

Medical Videos

Check out this site with medical videos–like YouTube with a focus on medical subjects. http://www.medicalvideos.us/categories

Student Works–Megan Thomas

Here is a piece by Megan Thomas illustrating glomerular filtration in the nephron of the kidney.

This illustration was made using 3D Studio Max and Photoshop. For more information, contact Megan at megan.spindel@gmail.com.

Sea Orchestra Commercial

If you have trouble viewing this video, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzvamSr3lec.

This “Sea Orchestra” commercial for United Airlines, debuted during the 2008 Olympics, features sea creatures playing George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Good stuff.

Annie Modica Decoupage Designs

Annie Modica, a former art instructor, started decoupage as a hobby. A series of coincidences led her to make her first tray. She sold that tray, and thus began her new business. Modica now designs home furnishings for high end retailers and makes gross annual revenue close to seven figures.

Many of her designs are themed around natural science illustrations, and many designs are available for each type of home furnishing.

Her most popular items are still the trays:

Other items include lazy susans like this one below:

A stool:

Waste basket and tissue holder:

Finally, a planter:

http://www.anniemodica.com/index.html