This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
Neil Losin and Nathan Dappen are pretty amazing people. Both PhD scientists, both accomplished film-makers and photographers, both 'outside of the box' thinkers. I've previously showcased their successful Kickstarter campaign for their book The Symbol, on wall lizards of the Pityusic Archipelago in Spain. Their most recent project 'Snows of the Nile' came about from a nationwide competition put on by Dos Equis. The 'Stay Thirsty Grant' allowed Losin and Dappen to travel to the glaciers of the Rwenzori Mountains in Africa.
According to Losin:
These 'Mountains of the Moon', as they are sometimes called, are taller than the Alps or the Rockies, but they remain virtually unknown outside of Africa. When they were first climbed in 1906, their mere existence caused a sensation in Europe. Luigi di Savoia, the Duke of Abruzzi, reached the peaks and returned home with dramatic photos captured by the expedition's photographer, Vittorio Sella - revealing a surreal landscape of snow and ice, looming over the rainforest below.But the Earth's climate is changing. Glaciers all over the world are shrinking as the world gets warmer. If you followed in the Duke of Abruzzi's footsteps, more than a hundred years later, what would you see? Losin and Dappen retraced the journey, and their amazing short film is now available for the world to see!
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The film itself shows the stunning cinematography that I've come to expect from Losin and Dappen (Day's Edge Productions), but most jarring were the direct comparative images between the 1906 and 2013 expeditions. They shot the comparative photos from precisely the same locations and angles - and the results are astonishing. Take a minute and watch the trailer, and you can decide for yourself whether to 'Rent' or 'Buy' the film on VIMEO. Since I've mentioned the 'out of the box' thinking that characterizes Day's Edge Productions, I want to stress that supporting such incredible talent is the right thing to do. We are going to see these guys winning Oscars some day!
Snows of the Nile - Trailer from Day's Edge Productions on Vimeo.
Losin and Dappen have extended a special offer to PsiVid readers: the first 10 to click 'Rent' or 'Buy' on the video can watch it for free! Enter the code SCIAM10 at checkout. If you aren't one of the lucky 10 - you can purchase directly on VIMEO or HERE on iTunes.
