Miscellaneous

Smartdust is a concept from Prof. Kris Pister of an amorphous cloud of tiny sensory devices, or nano computers, working together to produce a single larger working entity. Here smartdust motes constantly record global temperatures giving precise readings unlike that achieved by our flawed methodology today.

Utility fog. In 1993, Dr. John Storrs Hall thought of a hypothetical collection of nanorobots (foglets) that could replicate structures. They would be able to link together and share energy and information. Each foglet would have substantial computing power and communicate as a group.

Isaac Newton’s telescope. This was his third instrument which he presented to the Royal Society in 1671. The mirror was fashioned from a metal alloy known as speculum which enabled stars to be observed achromatically for the first time, showing the true colours of stars.

Robert Hooke is one of two founding fathers of microscopy and should be respected for not only being such but as probably one of the most erudite and accomplished scientists of his time. During January 1665 Hooke published, through the Royal Society of which he became Curator by Office, his book entitled Micrographia.

Garden slug (Arion ater) making its way through short grass.

Common frogs (Rana temporania) mating and spawning in a small pond during early Spring (2012).