The photos below are pictures of coral reefs. Well, not actual coral reefs, of course, but reefs replicated through crocheted yarn. Coral forms created by many hands. This was on display in the Hall of Ocean Science at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History this winter. I could have spent quite a while studying the colors and shapes and there were several displays throughout the room of this incongruous craft at a natural science museum.
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| Appear to be some soft corals here. |
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| Blue Jellyfish |
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| Coral colored corals. |
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| One of my favorites |
All of these structures have been completed with great accuracy in terms of relational size and shape...perhaps not in terms of color. This project reaches across five continents and there are many exhibits in other parts of the globe. What does this have to do with hyperbolic geometry? What does it have to do with how gender changes science? What on earth does it have to do with coral reef science? Well, go
here for a few minutes of blowing your mind and be sure to watch the TED talk linked on the page. I just love this stuff! (You should be able to get a closer look if you click on the photos.)
This is a truly amazing project. It makes me want to dig up my old crochet hooks; how hard could it be? OK, really hard.
ReplyDeleteThe TED video was great, but I didn't get to finish it because it crashed after 2 minutes. I'll come back later and try again; it's probably my browser.
Fascinating stuff.
ReplyDeleteInvolving people all over the world, giving talks, doing something as outlandish as crocheting a coral reef is probably one of the best ways of publicising the decline of coral reefs and their eventual death.
A very interesting post Tabor.
I am also glad that I actually got to see it, I still can't get the previous one, between this one and the doggy one the one that came up in my blogroll but not on your blog.
What an incredible display, Tabor. Made from yarn, huh???? WOW--that is unbelievable... Someone (or more than one) certainly did a great job with this. SO glad you made that visit ---and thanks for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
Super interesting. I've seen some amazing things done with yarn. Things my poor brain would never think of.
ReplyDeleteCoral colored corals is my favorite
ReplyDeleteWOW! I am impressed. I'll have to listen to the talk later, but I know I'll enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteDifferent, but I do like the way it looks.
ReplyDeleteWow! Amazing! So unique and colorful!
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
beautiful...
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful display... That talk is phenomenal! I agree, humans learn quite a bit through play!
ReplyDeleteI watched the talk and she is amazing. I wish I understood more of it. Math and I parted company in the 8th grade....lol
ReplyDeleteYou got my attention, making me peer into the computer screen. I love the title!
ReplyDeleteThese are really marvelous. I saw them first in the Smithsonian magazine. I'm sitting here grinning.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely mix of art and science.
ReplyDeleteThose pictures remind me of some color photos of the inside of the brain that were in the Science Section of the New York times recently.
ReplyDeleteFacinating.