Thaumatography Blog

Pewter Stool by Max Lamb

jonathan — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:28:10 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnpcnAm4L3o

Mike Nelson: The Coral Reef, Tate Britain

jonathan — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:32:27 +0000

Hidden behind an unassuming door in a corner of Tate Britain, Mike Nelson’s Coral Reef installation invites visitors to explore a parallel world.

http://channel.tate.org.uk/media/207494480001

The Life Aquatic

Joel — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:18:39 +0000

SEIZURE

Joel — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:47:29 +0000

Roger Hiorns SEIZURE – An unexpected growth within a Flat 159 in South London.

Michael Paul Smith

Joel — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:43:41 +0000

http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/SmithMP.htm

Fischli and Weiss: sausage photographs

jane cheadle — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:46:02 +0000

Slow pan, repeated cuts and audio: Scorcese 1967

jane cheadle — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:15:12 +0000

look who’s knocking at my door; martin scorcese (1967)

sound for video: Gillian Wearing

jane cheadle — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:03:00 +0000

http://www.ubu.com/film/wearing_2.html

http://www.ubu.com/film/tw.html

Sea Organ

jonathan — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:30:10 +0000

“Good heavens what insect can suck it?”

jonathan — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:18:50 +0000

The Comet Orchid

When Darwin first saw the Angraecum sesquipedale (the comet orchid, above) in Madagascar, he was so surprised by the “astonishing length” of the whip-like green spur forming the nectary of each flower that he remarked to Joseph Hooker “Good Heavens what insect can suck it?” The spur of the flower is 20–35 cm from its tip to the tip of the flower’s lip. The name “sesquipedale” is Latin for “one and a half feet,” referring to the spur length.

He speculated that there would be an insect with a proboscis that would be able to reach the nectar that collected at the base of the spur.

In 1882, 40 years after Darwin’s death, the Xanthopan morganii praedicta moth – named in honor of his prediction – was discovered by scientists in Madagascar.

The moth is the only creature capable of pollinating the orchid.