Meet the Narwhal

This super-bad unicorn of the sea is most closely related to the beluga whale. The unicorn-horn is not a horn at all but a tooth that grows through the top lip. Male narwhals have one overgrown tooth (1 in 500 have 2) that usually comes from the left and in mega rare cases the female can have a tusk as well. The body length can be up to 3 meters and the tusk can be half that size. So, why do they have a tusk? Well, not for hunting because they eat benthic foods. Fighting? Breaking through the ice? These behaviors have rarely been observed. Continue reading “Meet the Narwhal”

Good times for those of us trying to make a career out of science

This week’s funding roundup from the AAAS:

U.S. R&D Funding Showing Little Recovery. In a recent data release, the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics has found that estimated U.S. R&D funding across all sectors did not keep pace with economic growth or inflation in 2011. While national R&D expenditures did grow somewhat, especially in comparison to recent years, this growth was not enough to prevent a decline in national research intensity, measured by R&D expenditures as a share of GDP. According to NSF’s estimates, minor inflation-adjusted increases in federal and university funding were more than offset by declines in industry R&D. Among performers, only university-based R&D managed to gain in 2011 relative to inflation, while federal intramural research – including at the national labs – showed a marked decrease.

What a great time to build a career.

The Art of Science: Consider the Cuttlefish

newmanpendant

Joining land and sea, mollusk and mineral, cuttlefish bone casting is a method of metalworking that produces one-of-a-kind pieces. Cuttlefish are cephalopods with a unique internal structure called a cuttlebone, which is light, porous and easy to carve. Smiths have been using them as molds for casting small objects, usually in silver, for hundreds of years. (Here’s a brief overview of the technique)

One of the coolest things about cuttlefish bone casting is that the molten metal takes on organically-shaped ridges from the structure of the cuttlebone. Many artists use these as a design element, evoking their origins in the sea. Each mold can only be used once, so each cast object is unique. Australian artist Katrina Newman uses the technique to create pieces that fuse ancient and modern, craggy and sleek, as in this striking pendant called Post by the Sea.

You can see more of Newman’s work at her etsy shop and her website.

Linkonomicon 14

1. Fixing the “saddest graph” makes it more & less depressing.
2. One equation to rule them all.
3. I like this free equation editor (via @labroides).
4. How to fold a fitted sheet (The Finch & Pea tested & approved).
5. Making a better mousetrap was Newton’s Sin #5.

People of ScienceOnline, Tell Me What You Want

I mentioned a few months ago that I would be attending the wonderful ScienceOnline conference that kicks off on January 30th in North Carolina. It’s only two weeks away, woo-hoo!

So now would be a great time for my fellow attendees to take a look at my work and tell me if there’s anything you would like me to bring along so you can see it “IRL”. I will have all the various designs of silk scarves with me, plus a few one-offs. If there’s a particular painting or collage in my shop that you would like to buy, please let me know in advance – I can knock off the shipping cost and hand-deliver (don’t forget to use code TWEEPS for 10% off). Otherwise, if you have a few you would just like to look at, send me a message via etsy, email or twitter, and I will make sure to bring them. Continue reading “People of ScienceOnline, Tell Me What You Want”