While I was looking for more information on bubble science and how to color bubbles, I just found this cool video.
Do you know how the bubble artist, Keith Johnson, got the “colored†bubbles? According to his website, he uses a “fog†machine that fills the bubbles with fog.
Edit: Keith Johnson’s website was on MobileMe, which has been discontinued. Hopefully he will put up a new one soon.
It was raining yesterday, which made me think of our family’s favorite insect-themed video, Microcosmos. Why think of a video? I thought of it because this film has the most incredible footage insects in a rain storm. In one scene a ladybug shoots up into the air like it is on a trampoline when a raindrop hits the leaf it is standing on. In another, a cricket struggles against a torrent that would be a trickle to a human. These are scenes that really show how rough the world can be for something that is small. Even a raindrop can be a huge obstacle.
Microcosmos was made by some incredibly gifted French filmmakers. I was able to find the French version of the movie trailer on You Tube. We have a readily available version that has been translated into English. Unlike many other nature shows and documentaries, the dialogue in this one is very minimal. I found the music to be well, different, but the visuals are so astonishing that you should not let the music put you off if it isn’t your usual fare. This is only a brief snippet of some of the scenes:
The good news is that Microcosmos is still available in video or DVD, even though it was made in 1996.
Microcosmos (1996)
Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas, Jacques Perrin Director: Claude Nuridsany, Marie Pérennou Rating: G Format: DVD
Winged Migration (2001) was made by some of the same people and is also great for people who enjoy nature.
Starring: Philippe Labro, Jacques Perrin Director: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud Rating: G Format: DVD
Life in the Undergrowth, starring David Attenborough also has awesome footage of creatures, but with a lot more information about what you are seeing.
A question just came in about what ant mandibles look like. Now this might not be something you think about every day, but it really is an interesting topic. I remembered a wonderful website that discusses all the things that ants do with their mandibles and shows some fantastic close up photographs of different species. I do have to warn you, however, it is written for adult scientists. The site is called Diversity of Ant Mandibles.
For a more child-friendly general discussionof insect mouthparts, check my recent post on the topic.
For more information, see Roberta Gibson Writes.
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