In order to explore the ideas of Jurassic Park Rebirth, this post contains spoilers for the film. Jurassic World Rebirth, the latest film to spin out of Michael Crichton's novel Jurassic Park, opens with a flashback revealing experiments to create mutant species of dinosaurs which never existed. We are clearly meant to be unsettled, if not outright horrified, by this revelation even before it is underlined by the death of a scientist or technician at the claws of one such creature. (In what I hope is a nod to the … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Recombination is Creativity
creativity
Science Corner: Of Barks & Bytes
Move over, Nintendo Switch 2--there's a new video game sheriff in town. Sure, the graphics are pretty rudimentary, and the controls are idiosyncratic. But how can you not be charmed by seals playing a video game--for science! Check out the link for a brief video clip. The "game" models features of a swim at various depths, and the seals interact in a way that indicates they understand what direction of travel is implied by the simulation. The results provide scientists insights into what cues seals use to navigate. … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Of Barks & Bytes
Science Corner: On Creativity and Thanksgiving
I don't know about you, but like many people in the United States, a significant amount of my time and attention this week has been dedicated to getting ready for Thanksgiving. I planned the menu for our family's traditional meal -- roasted Meleagris gallopavo (turkey), mashed Solanum tuberosum (potatoes) with gravy, some type of Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberries), and Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) and/or Theobroma cacao (chocolate) pie. I also been considered how I will spend the time when I'm not cooking --” watching the … [Read more...] about Science Corner: On Creativity and Thanksgiving
Author Interview: David Russell Mosley
We caught up with ESN blog author David Russell Mosley to learn about the two books he has released in the past year or so. We hope you enjoy hearing about David's recent publications. You can also browse his ESN posts here. 1. ESN: Would you give a brief description of your novel and your nonfiction book? David: Absolutely! I'll start with the novel: My novel, On the Edges of Elfland, is about a young man named Alfred Perkins. He grew up in a small English village called Carlisle where his godfather, Mr. … [Read more...] about Author Interview: David Russell Mosley
Science Corner: Siri, Compose a Sonata
Electronics and computers have a long history in music making, from theremins (patented in the 1920s and most famously appearing in the Star Trek theme song) and synthesizers to the now-ubiquitous electric guitar. Pretty much from the moment we figured out how to produce electrical currents and do work with them in the 18th century, we've been harnessing it for play as well. Mostly we humans are actually choosing which notes to play when, although looping, noise, and random composition techniques give away some control … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Siri, Compose a Sonata