Monday Links from the Lockdown vol. DLXXXVI

[OwlHoot]

Root System Drawings - An interesting collection at Wageningen University. This is Alyssum Montanum, a flowering plant related to mustards and brassicas.

Crikey, I can see now where that ancient saying comes from: "Parsley seed goeth seven times unto the Devil", because it takes so long to germinate people once believed the roots grew to Hell and back seven times before the shoots made an appearance

[OwlHoot]

[*]Out of Disorder: Topographical Maps Carved from Electrical Tape and Intricate Thread Sculptures by Takahiro Iwasaki - ”When first approaching the artwork of Japanese artist Takahiro Iwasaki it’s entirely possible you might miss it altogether. Not only are his small buildings and electrical towers excruciatingly small and delicate, but they also rest on absurdly mundane objects: rolls of tape, a haphazardly wrinkled towel, or from the bristles of a discarded toothbrush.”

Happy invoicing!

Hopy carp! At first glance, I assumed that duct tape had just been left on a hot plate for a few seconds to melt and warp.

But looking closer, one sees a whole seaside town carefully carved into it somehow!

[NickFitz]

Hectic first day on the new gig, though thanks to the pestilence I didn't have to go to London for it. Anyway, urgent requirement or not, they can wait while I post this lot

• The Crow Whisperer - ”Each time Adam or Dani walked onto their back deck, a crow would call out and the murder would reappear as if summoned, squawking so loudly that it was impossible to carry on a conversation. Sometimes the crows would dive-bomb them… A few neighbors chimed in with their own recommendation: he needed to talk to Yvette Buigues, the local crow whisperer.” Lauren Markham on the people who can talk to the animals
• Our first interstellar visitor 'Oumuamua may be an ice chunk blasted off an alien Pluto - A new theory on the weird rock from outer space: ” The scientists looked at possible compositions that could explain this effect, things common to icy objects in our outer solar system, including frozen hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide and dioxide, water, and nitrogen. Most of these for one reason or another don't do a good job explaining the observations… with the exception of nitrogen.”
• The Maryhill Motorway - ”The Maryhill Motorway was first proposed in the report “A Highway Plan for Glasgow”, published in 1965. A key part of the city’s proposed network of motorways and expressways, its purpose was to link the Inner Ring Road with the north west of the city and to reduce traffic flows on Great Western Road, Maryhill Road and Balmore Road. It was shelved in 1975 following considerable public opposition.” There are also a number of other interesting articles in the Glasgow Motorway Archive, assuming you're interested in the motorways of Glasgow, or motorways generally
• Army Unit Gets 14,500-Pound Anchor By Mistake - ”An Army clerk thought he was ordering a $6.04 incandescent lamp. But instead he sent for a 14,500-pound anchor, and now it’s sitting in a shipping yard at Fort Carson.” For reference, Fort Carson is in Colorado, 5,814ft above sea level. (I missed this story in 1985, but better late than never.)
• Root System Drawings - An interesting collection at Wageningen University. This is Alyssum Montanum, a flowering plant related to mustards and brassicas.
  
  
• BBC Motion Graphics Archive - ”The BBC Motion Graphics Archive is a showcase of the history and development of motion graphics across the BBC and includes examples of opening titles, promotion trailers, stings, idents and programme content sequences.” Loads of TV nostalgia, with commentary on the design and implementation of the sequences.
• Tracing the Sprawling Roots of Flash Preservation - ”Once the platform for kooky animations and experimental games, Flash is no longer a staple for weird digital art, having just completed its stagger towards its end-of-life… Yet efforts to preserve its projects have flourished, sprouting roots from as early as seven or eight years ago.” Khee Hoon Chan on the people and projects aiming to rescue Flash content from oblivion
• Meet the miraculous animals that the world once thought were extinct - ”Here are some remarkable conservation triumphs and unexpected resurrections of species people once thought were extinct.” From Coelacanths to Lord Howe Stick Insects, a bunch of creatures that aren't dead yet.
• The Top 100 Corporate Crime Movies - ”We took nominations from corporate crime experts around the country… If you want to get started and get a bird’s eye view of how movie makers have treated corporate crime, corporate violence and corporate power over the years, this list is a good place to start.” The ones of these I've seen have been good, so I expect I'll hunt out at least some of the rest
• Out of Disorder: Topographical Maps Carved from Electrical Tape and Intricate Thread Sculptures by Takahiro Iwasaki - ”When first approaching the artwork of Japanese artist Takahiro Iwasaki it’s entirely possible you might miss it altogether. Not only are his small buildings and electrical towers excruciatingly small and delicate, but they also rest on absurdly mundane objects: rolls of tape, a haphazardly wrinkled towel, or from the bristles of a discarded toothbrush.”
  
  

Happy invoicing!