The Daily Croissant

Biomorphic Bikes - Hadar Metal Design
- 2 May 2011
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- 02May11 Cycles Sculpture Transportation art
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"Everything we do at Hadar Metal Design is driven by our passion for creative discovery. From radical, custom bikes to biomorphic sculptures and environmental installations, we continually push the boundaries of artistic interpretation and technological innovation to find new ways of channeling our love of visionary art and design, our deep respect for superlative old-school craftsmanship, and our lasting commitment to the environment. Using the oldest artisanal techniques together with the latest environmental technologies we produce one-of-a-kind sculptural creations that are equal parts high concept, high tech and high art. Josh and the team at Hadar Metal Design welcome you to explore the site and invite you to join our community and give us your feedback. We also encourage you to check out our blog, twitter and facebook page and humbly request that you become a fan."

via hadarmetaldesign.com
Constructive interference : Gold and silver beetles shine with structural color.
- 2 May 2011
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- 02May11 Beetles Constructive Interference
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"All that glitters is not gold. That metallic glint might be sunlight bouncing off a beetle's shell. The Chrysina aurigans [left] and Chrysina limbata [right] specimens shown here bear such an uncanny resemblance to polished nuggets of gold and silver it may be hard to believe that their exoskeletons are made of the same stuff—chitin—that covers drab cockroaches and crayfish."
Find out more via scientificamerican.com
Resplendent Quetzal
- 2 May 2011
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- 02May11 Endangered Quetzals birds
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The Resplendent Quetzal, Pharomachrus mocinno, is a bird in the trogon family. It is found from southern Mexico to western Panama (unlike the other quetzals of the genus Pharomachrus, which are found in South America and eastern Panama). It is well known for its colorful plumage. There are two subspecies, P. m. mocinno and P. m. costaricensis.

This quetzal plays an important role in Mesoamerican mythologies. The Resplendent Quetzal is Guatemala's national bird, and an image of it is on the flag and coat of arms of Guatemala. It is also the name of the local currency (abbreviation GTQ).

via en.wikipedia.org
The Yosemite, California (1905)
- 2 May 2011
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- 02May11 Historical National Parks Yosemite
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The Awesomeness of Yosemite

Read this online or download via archive.org
1790-1930 U.S. Census Records Available Free at Internet Archive
- 2 May 2011
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- 02May11 Archives Census Government
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"With the U.S. Census Bureau beginning to release statistics from the 2010 census. It seems a good time to mention that Internet Archive has a complete set of the available U.S. Census back to the first one in 1790."

via blog.archive.org
Illicium mexicanum
- 2 May 2011
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- 02May11 Flora
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By Van in LA

via flickr.com
Developing mouse kidney
- 2 May 2011
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- 02May11 3D Macrophotography
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Bob Kao and Kieran Short, Monash University

"Three-dimensional image showing a fetal mouse kidney at embryonic day 16 (E16). The sample was dissected whole and stained for two different proteins. The protein in green is expressed in the unspecialised embryonic connective tissue that will ultimately differentiate and form the body of the kidney. The protein in red marks the developing collecting duct system, including the renal pelvis, which is clearly observed in the centre and will funnel excreted urine into the ureter."

via wellcomeimageawards.org
Intricate Metalwork Taxidermy by Jessica Joslin
- 2 May 2011
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- 02May11 art
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Artist Jessica Joslin combines skeletons and metalwork to create intricate and fantastic animal sculptures.

via laughingsquid.com
How do you ID a dead Osama in less than a day ?
- 2 May 2011
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- 02May11 DNA
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By Christie Wilcox

"Osama Bin Laden is dead. At least, that's what we've been told.
But how do they know it's him? Well, they have the visual evidence and the body, for one. But to be certain it's not a look-a-like, the government has taken steps above and beyond to make sure they've got who they think they have: DNA analysis.

Now, I'm not entirely sure what DNA analysis has been done, but I can say this for certain—whatever method they used could be completed in a matter of hours given a lab ready to go and focused solely on this. Using commonplace PCR methods—which, for the record, is what I use in my lab every day—Bin Laden could easily be ID'd faster than you'd think. Heck, I can get DNA from a fish and turn it into sequences or genotypes in 24 hours, so I think the US government can work faster than me when time is of the essence. Allow me to explain how they could do it so quickly."

Read more about this fascinating technology via scientificamerican.com

US Government Archived Bin Laden's Sister's Brain For DNA Comparison
By Julie Beck

Who Else's Brain Does The Government Have ?

It’s predictable that the U.S. government, not leaving anything to chance, used DNA to identify Osama Bin Laden’s body. What is more than a little creepy, is that they matched his DNA to that of his sister, who died several years ago of brain cancer, and whose brain the FBI has kept in its hall of brains since then.
The FBI had immediately subpoenaed her body upon her death, in the hopes that it could be used for this exact purpose. They preserved her brain as well as blood and tissue samples to create a DNA profile. This profile, among other things like facial recognition, was used to confirm that the man shot in the raid on the compound in Pakistan, was in fact Bin Laden. The DNA test was conducted in Afghanistan, after which Bin Laden was buried at sea.

via popsci.com
Kazakhstan: Strange Agricultural Landscapes Seen From Space
- 2 May 2011
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- 02May11 Countries Earth from Space Kazakhstan
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"The floodplain of the Syr Darya river in Kazakhstan is an important cotton-growing region for central Asia. In this image, taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station on Sep. 30, 2010, the active floodplain surrounding the green-colored river is covered with recent meanders that are lined with dark vegetation. In the upper left, an older stretch of floodplain is checkered with darker cotton fields. The crops are watered from canals leading directly from the river and from a reservoir upstream"

via wired.com

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