Cephalopodcast

I came across the coastal wildlife illustrations of Patrick Lynch over on Flickr. These are taken from his current book, A Field Guide to North Atlantic Wildlife, and its companion on Southeastern and Gulf Coast marine wildlife coming out in 2008.

Lynch is a man of many talents. But it took me a moment to remember where I had seen his name before. Then I remembered he was the illustrator of my ornithology textbook.

In his 35 years with Yale University Lynch has been a medical illustrator, biomedical photographer, audiovisual producer, and for the past 20 years a designer of interactive multimedia teaching, training, and informational software and Web sites.

• Flickr: Coastal wildlife illustrations
• Flickr: Patrick J. Lynch’s photos
• A Field Guide to North Atlantic Wildlife: Marine Mammals, Seabirds, Fish, and Other Sea Life
• Creative Commons medical illustrations
• Wikipedia: Patrick J. Lynch

During Skype, podcast and webcast sessions, I needed a way to let other folks know that the microphone was hot. I wanted a minitature on-air light flashing so they’d know they could be overheard. But where could I find such a device?

I considered all kinds of crazy schemes, from wiring up LEDs to sacrificing my moribund Palm Tungsten T3. But then it hit me. I already had an auxillary 320×240 LCD screen sitting right next to me in the form of my 5G iPod with video. Why not use the photo slideshow feature in that? So here are the steps to making your own miniature on-air light for podcasting, etc.

1. Download the following graphics (available under Creative Commons license). You can customize them or make something similar on your own.
   
2. Open up iPhoto and create File>New Album. Call it ONAIR or something similar. Alternatively, you could skip iPhoto and create a folder for the images. ITunes accepts either solution.
3. Upload the graphics and move them into the new album/folder.
4. Connect your iPod and under the Photos tab in iTunes, select the new album/folder for synchronization.
5. Then under the iPod itself, select Photos>Slideshow Settings.
6. I changed the following settings:
   Timer Per Slide: 2 sec
   Repeat: On
   Shuffle Photos: Off
   Transistions: Dissolve
7. Back out one click to the Photos submenu, highlight the ONAIR album and press play. You should now have your own miniature on-air sign to warn your mates that the microphone is hot.
8. Adjust the backlight timer to keep the images bright.

Other Uses

This might also be useful in public areas or when recording at conferences. You could create additional graphics with an advert for the show or details about the current recording session.

You could also sychronize it with an audio file, set it up remotely and send out a warning message. The TV out option also allows you to display it large.

This technique has an additional psychological effect for me. When the on-air light is lit, I know it is time to record. Now I just need an elegant way to display my iPod so people can see it.

• iPod: Viewing a slideshow
• Brenthaven Flip Case for 30GB iPod

The 2007 Annual National Marine Educators Association Conference is under way in Portland, Maine. Sadly, I will not be able to attend NMEA this year. However, I did get a chance to present last year. My wife and I also took that opportunity to tour through New York City. Our last day was rather rainy, and somewhere in SoHo we serendipitously ducked into the Scholastic Retail Store to avoid the downpour. It was a pretty amazing space, with lots of primary colors and opportunities for young readers. I picked up a book on sharks to share with my co-workers.

Back at work, summer camp was still underway. During the first sessions the kids were asked to draw a picture of a scientist, which is pretty standard stuff*. Their efforts were posted up in the classroom and I had a chance to check in a couple of times to see the progress. Many of them initially drew the archetypal illustration of a white male in a lab coat doing something with test tubes. And it was also interesting to note how many of the younger Aquakids (students entering grades 1-4) had a hard time distinguishing between science and magic. Many of them conflated chemistry with potion making and mixed up the regalia of wizardry with that of the laboratory.

Which brings me back to Scholastic. They are the the American distributor for the Harry Potter series. Many people intuitively argue that Harry Potter is good because it gets young people reading. Others are not so sure. So one might also blame Scholastic for contributing to the confusion in the kids’ illustrations. But the picture isn’t that clear. Scholastic also has a remarkable partnership with the American Museum of Natural History called Science Explorations.

The program promises to, “engage students and teachers with authentic, hands-on science investigations with real scientists, primary documents, genuine artifacts, and standards-based science inquiries based on the Museum’s resources.” In additon to print publications, engagement currently seems to consist of a half-dozen interactive, Flash-based websites. These include exhibits on bats, bugs, space, reptiles and Charles Darwin. But naturally enough, my favorite one is Investigating The Giant Squid: Mysterious Cephalopods of the Sea. The exploration includes a virtual dissections and an interview/slideshow with Dr. Neil Landman from the AMNH. I am planning on posting this bit to TONMO (if it is not there already) because they recently started a new K-12 forum devoted to using cephalopods in education.

Science Explorations also has a section called Writing with Scientists. It offers teachers and students, “step-by-step support to transform a collection of notes, observations, research, and experiments into a well-organized, thorough, and thoughtful science report.” You can read examples of how students use the resource over here.

• *DAST: Draw A Scientist Test
• Science Explorations Teacher Guide to Investigate the Giant Squid
• TONMO K-12 Education: Cephalopod resources and information for teachers and students.
• My NMEA 2006 Flickr album
• Previously: Squidology

In my college biology club I met a woman who taught her budgie how to speak. But the only thing it could say was, “Kiss the Virus.” This made slightly more sense when you realized that she named the parakeet Virus. Needless to say, they were both odd birds. However, I think they would both be delighted to know that there are now budgie-sized toy viruses available for purchase.

The TEDCO toy company makes miniature biological and anatomical models. These include the virus, but also bacteria, animal cell and plant cell models too. They range in size from 3.5 to 5.5 inches (9-14 cm) and cost $10 each. In addition to macro-sized microbes, TEDCO makes miniature-sized human anatomy models like the Brain and Skull, the Eye and the iconic Human Torso. They all have removable parts, as if you were dissecting them, and would make great novelty gifts for bio/med students or a favorite science teacher. Why isn’t Think Geek selling these things?

Even more interesting is that TEDCO is a family-owned, American company. And as best as I can tell, they actually manufacture their toys in the United States. From their about page:

TEDCO was first established as a research & development company by the late Ralph Teetor. Mr. Teetor was a well-known and highly respected inventor who started TEDCO (Teetor Engineering Development Company) as a vehicle to foster his inventions. His most renowned accomplishment is the “cruise control” on your automobile. Mr. Teetor was blinded at an early age, yet he did not allow his lack of sight to hinder his creative genius. He was president of the former Perfect Circle Corporation and was inducted posthumously into the Automotive Hall of Fame.

Now, if you are interested in more traditional, life-sized (and larger) biology models (and have a couple hundred dollars), you might want to check out the Somso models available from Holt Anatomical. These are museum-quality, German made models for the classroom. Products include the human torsos with head (and interchangeable genitalia), block models of the skin, fern prothallium, brains of the honey bee (with transparent head capsules) and much more.

For those who are more budget conscious, there are some free microbial activities available from the Rodale Institute. Check out the papercraft Bacteria from their Paper Garden Project.

• See also, plush Giant Microbes
• And Miniature anatomical toys from Japan

Just found this video podcast from the Save Our Seas Foundation.

The Save Our Seas Foundation is a non-profit Swiss foundation which is head-quartered in Geneva. It’s purpose is to implement and support diverse programmes aimed at education, protection and conservation of the global marine environment. For four years the foundation has been supporting over 30 projects in as many countries. From tagging White Sharks in South Africa to sponsoring pioneering research on the Manta Rays of Mexico and Mozambique, as well as producing a variety of educational training programmes and documentaries; the foundation is committed ensuring the preservation of our ocean realm for future generations.

This podcast series aims to showcase the work of the foundation and it’s project leaders. The footage used has been gathered by the pioneering Save Our Seas film crew, who over the years, have produced one of the largest libraries of underwater High Definition stock footage in the world.

They offer a RSS feed, but it is kind of hidden. I had to look at the source code before realizing it was linked in the upper corner of the site. Why they can create 210×105 px badges for their other products but not for their feed simply baffles me.

Know of any other aquatic podcasts? I am keeping a list together. Let me know.

• Save Our Seas podcast

There is a new inky link for cephalopod enthusiasts: The Cephalopod Centerfold. It is a blog by Jessica from Massachusetts.

I live in Massachusetts. I like squids, octopus, nautiluses, cuttlefish-anything with at least eight underwater arms. Uh, drowning spiders don’t count.

Guess the last bit means that ear spiders are out of the consideration. But highlights so far include: baconopod, sink cephalopods and octopus papercraft.

Siesta Key Sunset uploaded by Jason

Some nice advice on taking good photos at the beach.

• Digital Photography School: 10 Beach Photography Tips [via digg]

Need a secchi disk or zooplankton net? How about a rubber squid or manual on building your own ROV? We’ve mentioned the catalog company from MarineLab before. They supply a variety of materials of interest to marine science educators.

Well, from a posting on NMEA’s Scuttlebutt listserv, it appears the business is up for sale. No word on why the change. But if you are interested, check out the website, www.leaveonlybubbles.com, and contact Art Mitchell (art [dot] mitchell [at] mrdf [dot] org) for details.

I am scheduled to interview Dr. Clyde Roper later today. Anyone have questions they would like to ask of a scientist that studies Giant Squid? Email me PDQ at pulpodcast [at] gmail [dot] com.

[via TONMO]

Attention marine biologists of the world! Gather up your plankton nets and Nansen bottles! You are urgently needed to star in the “most rockin” music video ever.

Toren Atkinson, lead singer for the Lovecraftian rock band, The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets will soon release a new track from their forthcoming album “The Shadow Out of Tim.” The track is called “A Marine Biologist” and is all about “bathyscaphes, benthic trawlers, architeuthis, etc.” They want to create a video for this song that features marine biologists from around the world. All they need is any video, even previously produced footage, of you doing anything marine biological.

If you want to help out, contact Toren Atkinson at thickets [at] uniserve [dot] com. I believe cephalopod costumes are optional. Or if you are not a marine biologist (or only play one on TV), please spread the word to any marine biologists you know.

• More details from Toren’s initial request over of the TONMO forums
• Darkest of the Hillside Thickets

UPDATE: DotHT have released the mp3 of their song. Check it.

I will be attending the FMSEA 2007 Annual Conference this week in Naples. My presentation notes and updates will be posted here. Not sure about connectivity, but I will update as much as possible.

[via TONMO]

The companion website to Claire Nouvian’s book has a gallery of deep sea critters that you can glance through. Note especially the Dumbo octopus (Grimpoteuthis sp.), Glowing sucker octopus (Stauroteuthis syrtensis), Telescope octopus (Amphitretus pelagicus) and an egg-bearing Black-eyed squid (Gonatus onyx). All very well photographed and tentacley. Splash page includes ethereal, mysterious music too so you know you are underwater.

The Deep
The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss
By Claire Nouvian

Featuring 220 color photographs of deep ocean species, some photographed for the first time.

• The website: The Deep
• The book: The Deep
• Tree of Life profile: Amphitretidae, the Telescope octopus
• Bridge Lesson Plans: Deep Sea

The World Wildlife Fund has launched its third annual Smart Gear Competition. They are offering cash prizes for innovative ideas for reducing bycatch. Many non-target species are caught up in the gear, nets and hooks of modern commercial fishing fleets. This effort tries to bring together industry, environmentalist, scientists and educators to find practical solutions.

WWF and our partners created the International Smart Gear Competition to inspire innovative, practical, cost-effective ideas that allow fishermen to “fish smarter” - to better target their intended catch while reducing bycatch. The Competition awards a cash prizes for the best entry to reduce fisheries bycatch, which is the leading threat to many endangered marine mammals, cetaceans, sea turtles, seabirds and certain fish species.

The 2007 International Smart Gear Competition will award a $30,000 Grand Prize and two 10,000 Runner-Up Prizes.

Entry Deadline: July 31, 2007

The competition is open to all - fishermen, professional gear manufacturers, teachers, students, engineers, scientists and backyard inventors.

Please visit www.smartgear.org for entry materials and to learn about the winning ideas from the first two competitions.

• WWF’s International Smart Gear Competition
• TEACH Engineering Lesson Plan: Caught in the Net (4-6)
• Cousteau Ocean Adventures Lesson Plan: How to Catch a Fish lesson, PDF (5-8)
• UA Marine Discovery Lesson Plan: Eat ‘em and weep: Problems involving commercial fishing (5-6)

[via Make]

Well, here is some ocean-going plastic that I can appreciate.

Taking art from found objects to new depths, Miwa Koizumi uses heat guns and soldering irons to sculpt startlingly realistic sea creatures from discarded liquid containers. Her PET project cleverly takes its name from PET (polyethylene terephthalate) - the highly recyclable, plant-based oil the containers are made from.

• Sculptor Miwa Koizumi has a PET project
• Koizumi PET Project
• Previously: Bad plastic

What would happen if Apple decides to make a service like Tivo’s recently announced remote video and picture sharing service available to .Mac subscribers via AppleTV? There is already photocasting via .Mac accounts. So maybe videosharing is already available somehow? Seems like there could be a pay-per-view scheme in there somewhere for video podcasters.

TiVo has just announced a new service that will allow users to route video content directly to other people’s Now Playing lists. [T]he unnamed feature lets anyone with a PC and broadband connection upload vids or photos to a special site, where they are then sent to a specified list of subscribers…Unlike YouTube or Google Video, the uploaded content is strictly controlled and not open to the public….

So wouldn’t it be neat if, in a future iteration, AppleTV not only received video but also sent it? Your television room could become a broadcast studio as well as theater.

via Plankton Forums (Izzy Dolphin)

Looking for more marine podcasts? Scripps Institution of Oceanography has started offering access to their digital audio and video content via iTunes.

They are also now producing a free monthly electronic magazine about Scripps research, called Explorations@Scripps.

• Scripps Institution of Oceanography
• Scripps Multimedia and Podcasts
• Sign up for their new e-newsletter, Explorations@Scripps