The Grand Texture of Planets
In an idle moment, while staring at a set of solar system data, it occurred to me that it might be interesting to display a set of planetary surfaces on an equal footing, where the overall texture of these worlds was visible (although topography is probably a more [...]
How Quickly Can (and Should) You Judge a Face?
The internet is filled with claims about how we form initial assessments of other people within the first ten minutes - or even the first ten seconds - of meeting them.
The Secret to Chameleons' Ability to Change Color
The lizards' cells undergo structural changes that affect how light reflects off their skin
Moths Inspire Antireflective Coating that Could Help Devices Capture Light
A plastic film that mimics the microsized lenses in the compound eye of a moth could help boost solar cell efficiency and sharpen image sensors' views
An Optical Illusion As Seen By a Fish
Visual illusions are fun: we know with our rational mind that, for example, these lines are parallel to each other, yet they don't appear that way.
Why Julianne Moore and Taylor Swift See That Dress Differently
I don't think that the reason people see the dress differently from each other is an interesting brain process. Rather, it is a mundane differences in how people have viewed the image on their electronic display screens (phones, tablets, laptops, etc).
Modern Day Alchemists Turn Toxic Runoff Into Valuable Pigments
Artists have long used odd things in their work – Marcel Duchamp’s urinal on a pedestal comes to mind – but even when unusual ingredients are less obvious, they can be present.
Build a World-Class Insect Imaging System for under $6,000
Compound Eye has been quiet of late. My silence is for a good cause, though! The past few months have been hectic as I transitioned from freelance photography in Illinois to a new job: Curator of Entomology at the University of Texas in Austin.
Jupiter's Moons Ascending [Images]
Some natural phenomena need few words to explain why they’re fascinating. Eclipses, transits, and phases in astronomy tend to fall into that category.
A Recipe for Photographing Angry Fire Ants
This 2007 photograph of a fire ant brandishing her stinger is among the most heavily circulated images from my collection. Since several people have asked how I managed to coax the animal into such a dramatic pose, I bring you the following recipe.
Has An Exomoon Been Found?
Intriguing data from an event in 2007 hints at an exomoon forming around a giant planet in a youthful star system 420 light years from Earth.
Planet Hunters Bet Big on a Small Telescope to See Alien Earths
In 1990, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft briefly looked back from its journey out of the solar system, capturing a view of the faraway Earth. Carl Sagan called it the "pale blue dot." From more than 6 billion kilometers away, beyond the orbit of Pluto, it seemed remarkable that our planet was even visible.