Transforming the Architecture of Compound Eyes

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Biologists have discovered that the presence of a key protein in the compound eyes of the fruit fly (which glow at their center due to a fluorescent protein) allows the formation of distinct light gathering units in each of its 800 unit eyes, an evolutionary change to an “open system” that enabled insects to make significant improvements in visual acuity and angular sensitivity. In contrast, beetles, bees and many mosquito species have the light-gathering units fused together into a “closed system.”

In a paper published in this week's early online edition of the journal Nature, the scientists report that one of three proteins needed to form these light gathering units is present in the visual system of fruit flies, house flies and other insects with open eye systems, but conspicuously absent in beetles, bees and other species with closed systems. The researchers showed that the loss of this protein, called “spacemaker,” can convert the eyes of fruitflies—which normally have open eye systems—into a closed one. In contrast, the introduction of spacemaker into eyes with a closed system transformed them into an open one.

New Mongolian Art

Here in Mongolia (your Atomic Surgeon goes get around) they are proud of the their new generation of Mongolian artists. However, to my eye, a small number seem to have been strongly influenced by the early work of Vaughn Bode and Jeff Jones.

Stay tuned fro more updates.

Kipling West's August Calander

Go to 7 Deadly Sinners to download a larger version.

The Vision of Snakes On A Plane

Even in the dark, snakes on a plane (at least those of the pit viper and boa varieties) could keep a close watch on terrorized passengers and crew thanks to small cavities near their snouts known as pit organs. The organs are sensitive to the infrared radiation emitted by warm prey such as rats, rabbits, and Samuel L. Jackson.

An optical analysis of pit organs suggests that snakes shouldn't be able to use the organ to track prey very well because the pit aperture is large and the organ is not very deep. However, studies have shown that snakes can localize heat sources to a surprisingly accurate resolution of five degrees (roughly the angular width of "Snakes on a Plane" costar Rachel Blanchard at three meters).

Physicists at the Technische Universität München believe the solution to the paradox could be a network of neurons in the snakes' brains –a kind of snake brain firmware - that provides image enhancement as though the snakes were wearing virtual corrective lenses. They discovered that even a crude network dramatically improves infrared imaging - which you might want to keep in mind if you ever book a flight on a snake-infested airline.

Link: Virtual Lens May Improve Heat Vision in Snakes. 2006. A. B. Sichert et al. Physical Review Letters.

Pink Floyd 1977: Where's Syd Barrett?

Back in 1977 the French music mag “Rock&Folk” published a long article on Pink Floyd. These were the heady days when the French comic artists were cracking the NA market through the import of “Métal Hurlant” and its English spin-off, “Heavy Metal”. Accompanying the piece was this comic strip. You don’t have to speak French to figure out what’s going on.

“Nightmare” © Paringaux & Macedo

Click to enlarge all images.

Fallen Domino

Syd Barrett 1946 - 2006

Syd’s obituary in The Gaurdian.

Syd with Pink Floyd live in 1967 performing Astronomy Domine:

While I was in the field last month Syd Barrett quietly passed away at his home in Cambridge, England. When I started up this blog a few months back it was with the specific purpose to post some of these old PF videos featuring Syd. Before I could get around to it the blog shifted directions on me (somethings can't be changed even when you have a Time Bubble) & a number of other blogs did some detailed Syd and PF postings, so I let the original idea slide. But now that The Madcap has laughed his last laugh I'm posting a clip of arguably my favourite song.

According to several sources Syd was regularly painting while in 'retirement' but always destroyed each piece once it was finished. A few years back one of the British music monthlies reproduced one of Syd's paintings that apparently survived the torch. Hopefully a lot more did and we'll see a show of his work sometime in the future.

“Stairways scare Dan Dare, who’s there….?”

Ape I.Q.

Exactly how smart is that ape holding the gun? Well, smart enough to get the girl! But, the real answer is HERE.