As somebody who’s spent extensive time getting blown and watching Planet Earth, I can say that this definitely looks like the movement. Coming to Discovery March 23rd, BBC’s original 11-part series, Life will give viewers a chance to see nature at it’s most extraordinary. The video above highlights the numerous “firsts”, or never-before captured natural phenomena that the makers of Life were able to get on film. I’m juiced already.
Every time I’m at the beach I marvel at how little we know about the ocean. Just trying to post up in the ocean is an enjoyable ordeal. Scientists say that there may be up to 9 million undiscovered species in the ocean. And even if they were half right, that’s incredible. I would really like to go scuba diving. Rob went a while back and it got me juiced. Hopefully we’d encounter some of the animals presented here. A peculiar experience indeed.
I’m falling in love with flowers. Untouched by the human hand, flowers are merely nature in its finest form. The colors, the shapes, the intricacies. All wonderful things. Where are the girls that wear flowers in their hair? I think I’d like to meet them. As for Crocuses, they can be found in a range of areas, from meadows to woodlands and are known to vary in color from lilac to yellow to white. I don’t know. Flowers just seem so perfect to me. Flowers are like our lives. We start out small and blossom into something beautiful. Yes. That is it. And now it’s time for bed.
Projects like this one never cease to amaze me. Good thing I have folks like Samra to put me up on game. Tucked off on the northeastern shore of Utah’s Great Salt Lake is sculptor Robert Smithson’s best-known work, The Spiral Jetty. Made completely from earth, salt crystals, and basalt rocks, the 15-foot wide Jetty stretches just over 1500 feet (more than a quarter-mile). Taking a grand total of six days, Smithson built the piece in 1970, during a drought that brought water levels to a particularly low level. Because of the special conditions under which it was built, the Spiral Jetty was submerged for more than thirty years after construction, only to re-emerge in 2004. At the moment, Smithson’s work is visible, though still partially submerged. I need to get out there and see for myself someday.
Think of us as facilitators. Facilitators with the sole purpose of sharing all that is wonderful. Assist men perhaps. The Chris Pauls and John Stocktons of the internet. Laugh out loud. The Chris Paul of the internet. Damn. But in all seriousness. This is actually going on. And this shit actually happened. And this is just what’s been caught on tape. So I can only imagine what hasn’t. That is all.
I’ll keep it 100 with you. Climate change is not my area of expertise. For those of you for whom it is, please let me know what’s really good, and what I can do to help. From everything I’ve been told, and what little research I’ve done, I can at least say that I understand how big of a challenge we’re really facing in the coming decades. Analysis from the top experts in the field suggests that the way we’ve been living and consuming just isn’t gonna fly from here on out. The real challenge then, is formulating concrete solutions. Enter TED, whose annual conference hosts talks from the best and the brightest in almost any field you can imagine. Being that Bill Gates has been responsible for some of the most crucial advances in both technology and philanthropy in the last half century, I’d say his thoughts on the subject are worth listening to. Take it away Bill.
I think nature is perfection. Untouched by the hands of humans the colors, shapes and sounds that nature creates are nothing short of magical. Thank you April for the wonderful pics.
Coming in right around 9 pounds is the bald uakari. As far as attraction goes, the redder the better as the uakari’s bright red facial skin is a sign of good health and an indication of a viable mate. Inhabiting the Amazon River Basin, within areas of Brazil and Peru the uakari have evolved to become an arboreal species, living amongst the treetops to avoid the rising height of water during the rainy season. On the brink of extinction, the uakari is one of the Amazon’s many treasures, as conservationists strive to protect its habitat. I don’t know about you, but the uakari makes me wonder what else is out there. It’s not just us humans chillin on earth. There’s a lot more going on than that. Hit the MORE for a video detailing the lifestyle of this Peruvian primate.
While ideas are marvelous and all, executing on an idea is what’s really impressive. How can you take a concept birthed from your imagination, and turn it into a reality? New York-based artist Naoka Ito has recently done just that. By sawing tree branches and placing them in jars and then stacking the jars into the branches original shape, Ito has managed to create an optical illusion of sorts. As part of her “Urban Nature” series, Naoka set out to fuse nature and art through her unique lens. Nice. Very nice.
Hyphen just showed me his greatest youtube ever. Ever? Ever? Debatable. But it’s up there. I know, I know you’ve seen this too. But she hasn’t, so let her enjoy it. This is getting fun. Not to say that it wasn’t before. But thank you for rockin with the bowties. Feel free to hit us with any thoughts, ideas, opinions, or questions. The Contact Us is just a click away.
C+ on comfort, A on innovation. Japanese architect, Sou Fujimoto has recently created this wooden bungalow, in efforts to create a primitive living space while simultaneously creating contemporary architecture. With no separation of floor, wall, and ceiling the space is fluid yet functional. Well kind of. Depends on what you’re using it for. Don’t plan on spending the night here. More like a spot for an afternoon nap. Or better yet, a spot to cruise to and read a book. Maybe eve hit the trees. Who knew? Jenga’s never been so settled.
Blooming between late spring and early summer, the spring gentian is one of the more unique flowers of the Gentiana family. Nurturing to butterflies and honeybees for pollination, the seeds of gentian are spread across land by ants, collecting and carrying seeds across sunny meadows from Ireland to Russia. Also able to thrive in high mountainous ranges, the flowers have also been spotted in the mountains of Turkey, Iraq and Iran. European folklore states that picking a gentian may result in death, while bringing one into someone’s home will get you struck by lightning.
The best photography can be almost like painting. The subjects, the setting, the lighting and the color can be chosen carefully by the artist to create a beautiful image. New York photographer Ryan McGinley could accurately be called a master in that capacity. Moonmilk is a collection of nudes, taken in caves across the country. As cool as naked spelunking already sounds, the results of Ryan’s project might be even cooler. This January marks the opening of Crooked Aisles, McGinley’s first solo exhibition in Greece. Expect to see him here again, but for now, peep Moonmilk in its entirety here.
It’s funny. Kind of feel like we’re starting all over again. Almost as if this was the 4th day of the bowties. For the evening we’re highlighting the other half of our primary effort. Relating our thoughts on the extra ordinary. (This one’s more extraordinary to me, but you never know…) The Pistol Shrimp. It’s amazing to consider the plethora of abilities that we’ve developed as living beings. Forget humans, shrimp in the ocean can stun their prey with sound! Who would’ve knew? D.S perhaps. Ladies and gentleman we’re living in a crazy crazy world. I don’t think we can really explain it, so we might as well enjoy ourselves while we’re here. As always, thanks for visiting Wine & Bowties. Your feedback’s always appreciated.
No publication holds the global photography game down like National Geographic. For decades, the magazine has been responsible for literally millions of stunning photos, documenting the planet’s most captivating scenes. Every year, Nat Geo holds an international photo competition, allowing photographers around the world to submit their best work. Here are some of the winners and honorable mentions in the categories of people, places and nature for ‘09.
