Among human pathogens, influenza virus is remarkable. Its proteins evolve about one million times faster than typical human proteins, a rate that makes the influenza virus a model for evolutionary studies.”
Luke Jerram is a british plastic artist that started his professional career in 1997. Many of Jerram’s sculptures are made in collaboration with scientists, as is the case of his collection called Glass Microbiology, which is a collection of spectacular glass sculptures based on viruses and bacteria.
“Gunther von Hagens, a German anatomist, uses real cadavers, preserved by plastination, to display the anatomy of human and animal bodies.”
I know some people do not consider him to be an artist. But I feel this is unquestionably art, and some of the most thought-provoking kind out there.
Rafflesia Arnoldii
“Rafflesia arnoldii is the world’s largest flower having a diameter of about one meter and weighing up to ten kilograms. It is a rare flower and not easily located. It grows only once a year and blooms for around five days. According to researches in discovery news, this flower that looks and smells like rotting flesh is related to flimsy flowers like violets, poinsettias and passionflowers. Hence it also called as “meat flower” or “corpse flower”. The flower is pollinated by flies and carrion beetles attracted by its vile smell. It contains about 27 species and found in Indonesian rain forests of southeastern Asia and Philippines. Rafflesia is an official state flower of Indonesia, Surat Thani Province in Thailand and Sabah state in Malaysia.”
Spirit Bear
Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia
Photo: Paul Nicklen
In a moss-draped rain forest in British Columbia, towering red cedars live a thousand years, and black bears are born with white fur.
“Paul Nicklen is a master at getting closer. He gets close enough to take this beautiful forest with this beautiful bear, eating a salmon, and make it all come together in a photograph that captures your imagination. I feel like I’m there. I can almost smell that forest, the bear. This is Paul’s home. This looks like a photo he took in his backyard of a dear friend.”
—Chris Johns, Editor in Chief (via National Geographic Daily)
anyone know what kinda bird this is?
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I think that bird is a Bateleur Eagle
Bateleur Eagle (Terathopius ecaudatus)
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/bateleur-eagle-deon-west.html
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Thanks, harvestheart!
