MetaFilter posts tagged with color and science

"...we see on the ground a number of spots of light, scattered irregularly, some large, some small..."

jquinby — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:26:37 -0800

The Nature of Light and Color in the Open Air "Moreover, this book is written for all those who love Nature; for the young people going out into the wide world and gathering together round the camp-fire; for the painter who admires but does not understand the light and colour of the landscape; for those living in the country; for all who delight in travelling; and also for town-dwellers, for whom, even in the noise and clamour of our dark streets, the manifestations of Nature remain." - Marcel Minnaert Marcel Minnaert (1893 - 1970) was a Belgian astronomer whose other interests included (among other things) bubbles and their pulsations, the solar spectrum, and poetry. During World War II, he taught astronomy to his fellow prisoners. In 1951, he was awarded the Bruce Medal. A asteroid and crater on the moon have been named for him, as has a building at Utrecht University. One of his most accessible and abiding legacies is a little book - The Nature of Light & Colour in the Open Air, which is no less than a complete guide to the visual phenomena that surround us. Minnaert explains, in layman's terms, why stars twinkle, illusions of motion, how to build a nigrometer to explore the effects of distance on light and color, what causes the fata morgana, and why, exactly, the sun makes circles when viewed through hair or the twigs of a tree. These and a hundred other visual curiosities are explored and explained at length with helpful diagrams and occasional geometry. The latest edition (linked in the title) has been re-typeset and includes color photography. Edward Tufte calls it a change-your-life classic.

twilight zone, the edge of light

nickyskye — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:28:55 -0800

The "terminator" is the dividing line between day and night as seen from on high. This shadow line is diffuse and shows the gradual transition to darkness we experience as twilight. Color is a microconsciousness. The "twilight zone" The current terminator The terminator on the Earth and on the Moon

Da gebt der Natur die Ehre/ Froh, an Aug' und Herz gesund/ Und erkennt der Farbenlehre/ Allgemeinen ewigen Grund!

No-sword — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 06:27:27 -0800

Goethe's Theory of Colors: example of a "research style" that has "played a crucial role in the history of physics", or "tedious heap of mythical, uninformed or impressionistic color anecdotes"? Learn more about "Goethian science", then miss the point entirely by viewing a PDF recreating his experiments photographically, or playing with his triangle online. Recently inspired by Goethe's Zur Farbenlehre: a drawing machine, an experimental film, and an acupuncture lecture.

handprint: watercolors & watercolor painting

ijoshua — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 09:14:40 -0800

i began cataloging the colors, and put the color list on the web. over time, the paint catalog turned into a web site.

green, black, brown, blue?

longsleeves — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 18:46:41 -0800

Not settled after all partial genetic explaination of eye color. it's not one classic dominant/recessive allele a la the monk Mendel. three known + unknown genes involved, everybody's still beautiful.