grrlscientist | June 6, 2008tags: West 86th street subway art, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
West 86th Street Subway tile mosaic art #26
as seen at NYC's West 86th Street stop at Broadway for the downtown 1 train.
(This piece was completed in 1989 and mounted on 19 January 2005).
Artist: Nitza Tufino.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
I have photographed tile artworks from several NYC subway stations now, so far, all are westside Manhattan subway lines, including Chambers Street (A & C trains), Houston Street (1 train), Pennsylvania "Penn" station (1, 2 & 3 trains) [subway art…
grrlscientist | June 6, 2008tags: northern cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis, birds, Central Park, Image of the Day
Mama and Papa Bank Rock: Behind the Green Mesh.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
The photographer, Bob Levy, writes;
Finding the Bank Rock nest had been fully constructed was a satisfying discovery but I felt I still did not have the information I wanted. Without seeing either cardinal at the site I did not know if it was still active or if it had abandoned. I decided to continue my walk but come back later for another look. I returned forty minutes later. I stopped twenty feet away and…
grrlscientist | June 6, 2008tags: physics, second law of thermodynamics, unmixing a solution, streaming video
The second law of thermodynamics: the overall entropy, or disorder, of an isolated system which is not in equilibrium will increase over time, approaching a maximum value at equilibrium, or at maximum disorder.
Okay, we all know that, according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, you cannot unmix liquids after they've been mixed, right? Okay, all you smart people, here's a streaming video for you to watch and to explain, where a mixed solution is unmixed by reversing the stirring process. [2:19].
In the…
grrlscientist | June 5, 2008tags: New Guinea, Papua, deforestation, satellite analysis, biodiversity, field research, endangered species
Before and After: Forest area near Milne Bay in 1990 (top) and 2005 (bottom).
Image University of Papua New Guinea.
I have been fascinated by New Guinea ever since I first read about this unique island in Wallace's marvelous book, The Malay Archipelago, when I was just a kid. My fascination with New Guinea led to my passion for the birdlife there, especially my love for the Birds of Paradise, and the lories and other parrot species. I had always secretly dreamt of visiting this…
grrlscientist | June 5, 2008tags: West 86th street subway art, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
West 86th Street Subway Art #25
as seen at NYC's West 86th Street stop at Broadway for the downtown 1 train.
(This piece was completed in 1989).
Artist: Nitza Tufino.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
I have photographed tile artworks from several NYC subway stations now, so far, all are westside Manhattan subway lines, including Chambers Street (A & C trains), Houston Street (1 train), Pennsylvania "Penn" station (1, 2 & 3 trains) [subway art archives] and, my favorite subway station of…
grrlscientist | June 5, 2008tags: northern cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis, birds, Central Park, Image of the Day
Mama and Papa Bank Rock: Behind the Green Mesh.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
The photographer, Bob Levy, writes;
I returned to the park two days later. It was raining lightly but steadily so my camera was tucked inside its case. The light was poor for both photography and bird-watching but from about fifteen feet away I saw evidence that Mama Bank Rock had indeed returned to her nest. A gleaming white object was tucked behind the fence where the Northern Cardinal and I had last met.…
grrlscientist | June 5, 2008tags: arctic ice pack, global warming, climate change, environment, physics, streaming video
A stunning animation from WWF International Polar Programme, showing the progressive melting of Artice sea ice since 1979. The white is older ice -- five years or more old -- and the blues are progressively younger ice, with the shade closest to the ocean being fresh, or one year old, ice. The red dots are tracking buoys, showing how the ice is shifting further and faster as it melts. [0:34].
grrlscientist | June 4, 2008tags: researchblogging.org, psychology, trauma, emotions, 9-11, psychological health
To talk or not to talk, apparently that is the question, especially after a collective catastrophe, such as 9-11 or the Virginia Tech University shootings. A paper that will be published in the June issue of Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology reveals that -- contrary to current opinion -- verbally expressing one's emotions is not necessary to cope successfully with a community tragedy, and in fact, doing so might actually be harmful.
Expressing one's emotions in the aftermath of a community…
grrlscientist | June 4, 2008tags: West 86th street subway art, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
West 86th Street Subway Art #24
as seen at NYC's West 86th Street stop at Broadway for the downtown 1 train.
(This piece was completed in 1989).
Artist: Nitza Tufino.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
I have photographed tile artworks from several NYC subway stations now, so far, all are westside Manhattan subway lines, including Chambers Street (A & C trains), Houston Street (1 train), Pennsylvania "Penn" station (1, 2 & 3 trains) [subway art archives] and, my favorite subway station of…
grrlscientist | June 4, 2008tags: presidential primaries, racism, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Democratic primaries
Image: NYTimes.
It isn't news any longer that Barack Obama has apparently won enough electoral votes to be nominated as this nation's democratic candidate for the presidency. However, what is news is the fact that a fair percentage of Hillary's supporters are, by their own assertions, a bunch of whiney, bigoted pigs because they claim they will either vote for Rethuglican John McCain instead of fellow Democrat, Barack Obama, or they will refuse to vote at all. So, while a lot of people are overjoyed…
grrlscientist | June 4, 2008tags: Anna's hummingbird, Calypte anna, birds, Image of the Day
Female Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna, sitting on her nest.
Notice her long tongue sticking out of her mouth and the uncommonly bright colors on her gorget.
This bird is nesting on Bainbridge Island in Washington state.
Image: Eva Gerdts, May 2008. [larger view].
grrlscientist | June 4, 2008tags: Magnetic Movie, magnetic fields, human technology, NASA, physics, streaming video
Magnetic fields are invisible, at least usually. But scientists from NASA's Space Sciences Laboratory have made them visible as "animated photographs," using sound-controlled CGI and 3D compositing. It makes the fields, as explained by the scientists, dance in an absolutely gorgeous movie called Magnetic Movie [1:17].
A reader, Ale, has provides commentary below that will provide more information.
grrlscientist | June 3, 2008tags: West 86th street subway art, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
West 86th Street Subway tile mosaic art #23
as seen at NYC's West 86th Street stop at Broadway for the downtown 1 train.
(This piece was completed in 1989 and was mounted on 2 July 2006).
Artist: Nitza Tufino.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
I have photographed tile artworks from several NYC subway stations now, so far, all are westside Manhattan subway lines, including Chambers Street (A & C trains), Houston Street (1 train), Pennsylvania "Penn" station (1, 2 & 3 trains) [subway art…
grrlscientist | June 3, 2008tags: raccoons, mammals, Procyon lotor,, Central Park, Image of the Day
Answer: it's the noses on two sleeping raccoons, of course.
Raccoon noses in a tree in Central Park, NYC.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
The photographer, Bob Levy, writes;
You might recall that Grrl Scientist posted a photo of a single raccoon schnoz poking out of this same hole last year. Notice, if you will, that of the two schnozs in this new image the one in the background appears to be larger than the one in the foreground. I suspect that the larger nose is attached to Mama Raccoon. After I took…
grrlscientist | June 3, 2008tags: Beauty and the prosthetic beak, bald eagle, human technology, birds, raptors, streaming video
The Bald Eagle Beauty's beak was shot off in Alaska leaving her unable to feed herself. In this streaming video, you see Birds of Prey NW fitting her with a prosthetic beak. She cannot be released into the wild but will serve as an educational bird showing that human compassion can undue human cruelty. [3:51].
grrlscientist | June 2, 2008I am sitting in my beloved coffee shop as usual for me at this time of the night, using their free wifi. There is a group of men, mostly, in here with me, all of whom are here to watch the Yankees baseball game on the TVs. These men are standing extremely close to each other, and one or two touch each other at times, and all of them have located their mouths approximately 12 -24 inches (between 30.5 and 61 cm, or roughly 4 and 8.35 baseball diameters) away from at least one of their friend's ears.
So my random question is Why are they shouting at each other?
Does anyone know why most men (but…
grrlscientist | June 2, 2008tags: West 86th street subway art, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
West 86th Street Subway Art #22
as seen at NYC's West 86th Street stop at Broadway for the downtown 1 train.
(This piece was completed in 1989; it was mounted on 2 July 2006).
Artist: Nitza Tufino.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
I have photographed tile artworks from several NYC subway stations now, so far, all are westside Manhattan subway lines, including Chambers Street (A & C trains), Houston Street (1 train), Pennsylvania "Penn" station (1, 2 & 3 trains) [subway art archives] and,…
grrlscientist | June 2, 2008If you've been conscious while reading my blog, you'll notice that I have started the summer by adding a few reader questions to my left sidebar for you to answer. Because I am a scientist, I love to collect data. But I am collecting this data for another reason: I am working on a book and would like to know more about who my readers are, so you can help me by answering these questions. Your answers are anonymous, but you also can add a comment to each poll that you answer by clicking on the "view" button for each question and using the comment section there, or you can comment here, or you…
grrlscientist | June 2, 2008tags: Blue-throated hummingbird, Lampornis clemenciae, bats, Image of the Day
My good friend, Dave Rintoul, is on a much-deserved vacation camping in the
Chiricahuas and Gila Wilderness area at the moment, but he took a little time out from the fun and games to send me a couple images to share with you. This is the last of the two images he sent, but more are on the way, as soon as he reaches a computer or wifi site, so stay tuned!
Blue-throated hummingbird, Lampornis clemenciae,
feeds from flowers in Cave Creek Canyon in
the Chirichahua Mountains of Arizona and New Mexico.
Image: Dave…
grrlscientist | June 2, 2008tags: Birds in the News, BirdNews, ornithology, birds, avian, newsletter
"Not skulking"
Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii.
Image: Dave Rintoul, KSU [larger view].
People Hurting Birds
The number of lesser scaup is dwindling, and it could be an invasive species that does them in. Invasive snails and parasites are attacking these and other ducks on the Upper Mississippi. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials say with no natural predators, the snails and the parasites are thriving, and killing off a duck population that is already in trouble. The snail has helped kill nearly 50,000…