La Danse Des Géants (by Luc Neuville)

Demon-stration.

Gene That Helps Regulate Sleep Identified

Caltech biologists have performed the first large-scale screening in a vertebrate animal for genes that regulate sleep, and have identified a gene that when overactivated causes severe insomnia. Expression of the gene, neuromedin U (Nmu), also seems to serve as nature’s stimulant–fish lacking the gene take longer to wake up in the morning and are less active during the day.

The research is in Neuron. (full access paywall)

Sunken

A sharp crash of violent gusts lay siege to the tall, contempt-filled tree outside this great guarding glass, endlessly beating against the long-lived giant that towers above its small, watchful children below. Cold torrents of liquid grief, unendingly toiling the ravaged soil, make for the crudest fertilizers. It hangs low, its upper portion, the base sunken into the watery loam that permeates the grassy quagmire surrounding some thirsty roots, swelling with gratitude for the great generosity of these gray-blotched granters of the means to live in a world where poisoned water is ignored and consumed.

It makes the grass sing in bountiful notes of splendor, rejoicing that the gray clouds, donating their color to somewhere else, opened within the jeweled sky as a gleaming white herald that gave a glittering pile of sunlight, dripping, to the opened, breathing leaves of the tree that bows.

foggy springs by Brian

There are so many clouds in the sky today.

If you could just stop being afraid of not being afraid, your life would be so different.

Samantha S Betancourt (via samanthasbetancourt)

A day outside with my beloved mom in Winter 2014.

Artificial Anatomy 2

Project by Paul Hollingworth explores shape and contour using a lightstrip - these are not 3D renders but a series of photographic captures:

Artificial Anatomy is an ongoing personal project intended to explore our understanding and perception of surface, texture and volume. Part 2 uses flashing electroluminescent wire to illuminate sections of a human head and skull. The resulting imagery depicts partially defined forms composed of linear shapes of varying complexity. 

More Here

Artist: Zdzisław Beksiński