This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
A rare alignment of calendars brought an even rarer convergence of events at many Thanksgiving tables this week: Channukah gifts before Thanksgiving pie. And as such, this skittered across my table:
This delightful critter is the brainchild of Theo Jansen, an artist in Holland who has been working for 60+ years on creating what he calls an alternative life form. His critters, made of nothing more spectacular than pvc pipe and plastic bottles, are larger than life and inhabit the wind-swept beaches near his home:
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The miniature version that graced my Thanksgiving table is a 3D-printed kit of Animaris Geneticus. Here's a gorgeous video of its hypnotic movement from his site:
Links:
Theo Jansen's larger-than-life Strandbeest
Miniature Standebeest 3D-printed kits
Jansen's 2007 TED talk
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