Aren't Those Birds Extinct?

I read an article today in American Scientist about Peter Trusler, an artist who has been creating realistic images of extinct creatures for decades. His work is detailed in a The Artist and the Scientists, which looks just absolutely amazing.

NASA and Art

Did anyone else know that NASA had an art program? I sure didn't. And today, I learned that art from NASA's collection is being exhibited at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The artists featured in the show include Andy Warhol, Annie Leibovitz, and Norman Rockwell. Fascinating. You can learn more about the relationship between NASA and art here.

Image

Title: "Mission to Mars"
Oil on masonite painting by Ren Wicks. Wicks’ painting depicts Martian explorers conducting scientific observations, recording wind speed with an anemometer and planetary features with a hand-held camera. A dust storm is approaching the crater area near the landing site, but views of the moons Phobus and Deimos are available in the twilight sky. A Mars excursion vehicle in the background serves as crew quarters for the mission.

Using Games to Teach Science

I recently came across Spongelab, a company that creates games, animations, and graphics that help teachers teach science. I really like the idea of using interactive tools to communicate complicated ideas. Bravo to Spongelab!