In 2009 we posted about Simon Page’s beautiful poster series for the International Year of Astronomy. Well, he’s followed them up with a new series, this time for the International Year of Chemistry. I for one am a big fan of chemistry and a big fan of Simon Page. Check out the rest of the series on his site.
Here’s a bit more about the International Year of Chemistry:
The goals of IYC2011 are to increase the public appreciation of chemistry in meeting world needs, to encourage interest in chemistry among young people, and to generate enthusiasm for the creative future of chemistry. The year 2011 will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize awarded to Madame Marie Curie—an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of women to science. The year will also be the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Association of Chemical Societies, providing a chance to highlight the benefits of international scientific collaboration.
This small square of paper is probably the coolest thing I’ve seen in a long time. What looks like a modern cut-paper tree is really a tiny medical diagnostic tool. Invented by Harvard Faculty member George Whitesides and made of paper and water-repellent comic-book ink, these incredible little labs can detect diseases like malaria, HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis with just a drop of blood.
While paper medical tests are not new (pregnancy tests are probably the best known example), this little chip can test for multiple diseases simultaneously and the colors can indicate the severity of the illness.
Check out the video below of Whitesides’ talk from TED to learn more about the making these chips and their practical uses in remote areas with limited access to medical facilities and doctors.
Apparently this year is the International Year of Astronomy. Simon Page created this beautiful series of posters for the IYA09 as a self-promotional project. Apparently the IYA09 learned about Simon’s project, agreed that the posters are lovely and will be using them in their promotional work.
Etsy’s blog, The Storque, posted a really lovely feature on the Nature Lab at RISD. In all honesty, parts of the Nature Lab freaked me out a little, and I didn’t end up spending a ton of time there. But, it is a remarkable, totally unique space and an amazing resource for the RISD community — watching the video definitely made me miss school. After you watch the tour of the lab and interview with the curator (above), click here to view the flickr set of images taken during the shoot.
Artist Michael Bartalos has teamed up with the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco for a special project that brings together two of my favorite things: science and art. His current project is an ongoing piece called The Long View, wherein he will create sculptures using recyclable goods found in Antarctica. He’ll document his progress on the Academy of Sciences blog, as well as on his own website. I, as a lover of found-object art with a purpose, am excited to see something that promotes sustainability awareness with flair.
Since I feel like there is never enough fuss made over the crazy discoveries that happen in the world each day, I’d like to share a pretty one. Here is a shot of a newly discovered, luminous, non-stinging rainbow jellyfish found near Tasmania. While it may not seem particularly significant or exciting at first, it proves that science can be beautiful.
