Gerrit Dou (1613-1675) “Scholar Sharpening A Quill Pen” (1633) Oil On Panel Dutch Golden Age Part

Jet Power and Black Hole Assortment Revealed in New Chandra Image by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Peter Haimerl’s Refurbishment of an Old Farmer’s House in the Bavarian Forest.

Reactivating ailing structures and reinventing their user concepts with a clear idea about the significance of their cultural heritage: For Peter Haimerl who recently won the Bayerischer Staatspreis für Architektur 2018, those guidelines are part of every day live.

“The traditional blockhouses in the Bavarian Forest exhibit a high degree of craftsmanship. That is immediately evident in the detailing of the quoins. After I had studied this building tradition for a long time, I came to recognize that in many cases the houses were not far removed from nature. You can see how thin the layer between nature and culture is.“

Additional images via afasia

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Good luck with your exams -Pingu

PENGUINS ARE EATING MICROPLASTIC IN THE ANTARCTICA

Microplastics are widespread in the marine environment but are still poorly understood in Polar regions, particularly in the Antarctica. Now, an international study reveals the presence of microplastics in three penguin species from Antarctica and warns about the state of our southern ecosystems.

Now, an international study reveals the presence of microplastics across Antarctica, in three penguin species, chinstrap, gentoo and adélie penguins, and warns about the state of our southern ecosystems.

Researchers analyzed scat samples from chinstrap, gentoo and adélie penguins at breeding colonies across the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Sea, over seven seasons. They found microplastics are widespread across years and colonies in Antarctic Peninsula. These particles are mostly polyethylene and polyester, but also, in cellulose fibres. Results shows a similar frequency of occurrence of particles across all colonies, suggesting there is no particular point source for microplastic pollution in the Scotia Sea,

Researchers highlight the need for further assessment of microplastics in this sensitive region of the planet, the potential effects on penguins and other organisms in the Antarctic marine food web.

Photo: Gentoo penguin at Byers Peninsula, one of the locations included in the study. Photo by Andrés Barbosa (MNCN-CSIC)

Reference: Fragão et al., 2021. Microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in Antarctica: Using penguins as biological samplers. Science of The Total Environment.

Photo description: Gentoo penguin colony, with nearly 40 penguins, some of them are nesting in a free-ice area near the water.

A "Hobo Nickel" is the name given to American nickel coins that were hand-engraved by homeless people (hobos) during the Great Depression. Hobos used these engravings to increase the value of an ordinary nickel, creating small works of art that they could exchange for food, rides, or other services.

These engravings were often very detailed and creative, and the motifs varied. A common motif, as can be seen in the picture, was a skull. Today, Hobo Nickels are valuable collector's items, and some examples have sold at auction for thousands of dollars.

The picture here shows such a nickel redesigned with a skeleton motif. This is a part of the story that reflects creativity and survival during the difficult time of the Great Depression in the United States.