kqedscience:

These 100-Year-Old Aerial Photos Were Taken by Pigeons

“In 1903, a German pharmacist named Julius Neubronner started employing carrier pigeons to receive and fulfill emergency prescriptions from a hospital in the region. One day, after a bird of his mysteriously returned after being lost a month late, Julius began to devise a way to track their flights.

Shortly after, the avid tinkerer and amateur photographer developed a lightweight, timer camera rig that his pigeons could wear in flight to snap rare aerial photos, the likes of which, at the time, could only be captured via balloons or kites.”

(via my-ear-trumpet)

genesisgiselle: Y O L O ! Have you ever, for one moment in your life, had the kind of balls this took?

genesisgiselle:

Y O L O !

Have you ever, for one moment in your life, had the kind of balls this took?

(Source: jeetchronicity, via towritelesbiansonherarms)

Have we really though?

In Star Trek: The Original Series, when a simulation of Abraham Lincoln is projected onto the Enterprise, he immediately notices Uhura is black:

Abraham Lincoln: What a charming Negress. [Uhura looks at him strangely] Oh, forgive me, my dear. I know in my time some used that term as a description of property. 
Uhura: But why should I object to that term, sir? In our century, we’ve learned not to fear words.
humansindesign: Modern militaries use camouflage to blend-in with the background. The patterns are intended to make even moving people or vehicles almost invisible, but it wasn’t always that way. Early naval camouflage looked much more fabulous, and they were called dazzle lines.  These patterns simply made it hard for the eye to focus on a ship, and occasionally used tromp l’oeil-like methods to give ships false dimensionality. The method was originally designed to confuse the eyes of German gunners, who had to aim optically. Commanders debated the effectiveness of dazzle lines, but it was universally accepted as a way to boost troop morale. I can’t blame them, either — ships with dazzle lines look pretty cool. By the end of WWII, radar targeting had rendered optical aiming (and dazzle lines by exception) obsolete. Military minds changed their camouflage strategies and the psychedelic-looking patterns of WWI and WWII became a historical footnote. I had never even heard of the method until my friend Mike told me about it last week.  Militaries may have abandoned dazzle lines, but the concept lives on elsewhere. One example is the carpeting in casinos. The dizzying patterns provide no calm space for eyes to rest except for on a slot machine or poker table.  Have you noticed a dazzle effect anywhere else, even unintentionally? We’d love to hear about it in the comments. -Tom EXTRA EXTRA We have recieved two great extra ideas about dazzle lines. A project called CV Dazzle by a Brooklyn based artist.  The idea was to use makeup/hair to: “to break apart the gestalt of a face, or object, and make it undetectable to computer vision algorithms, in particular face detection” The second appearance of dazzle lines is so obvious, and perhaps the inspiration for military dazzle lines; zebras.  The second theorised reason for zebra having stripes listed on wikipedia is: Since zebras are herd animals, the stripes may help to confuse predators—a number of zebras standing or moving close together may appear as one large animal, making it more difficult for the lion to pick out any single zebra to attack Looking at the below picture, it sure seems likely: Please hit us up with any more examples. -Tristan Physical painted lines are obsolete, but in a sense, the same concept applies to radar jamming and electronic countermeasures.  The best way to keep from being targeted is to add more information than the targeting device can handle.  

humansindesign:

Modern militaries use camouflage to blend-in with the background. The patterns are intended to make even moving people or vehicles almost invisible, but it wasn’t always that way. Early naval camouflage looked much more fabulous, and they were called dazzle lines. 

These patterns simply made it hard for the eye to focus on a ship, and occasionally used tromp l’oeil-like methods to give ships false dimensionality. The method was originally designed to confuse the eyes of German gunners, who had to aim optically. Commanders debated the effectiveness of dazzle lines, but it was universally accepted as a way to boost troop morale. I can’t blame them, either — ships with dazzle lines look pretty cool.

By the end of WWII, radar targeting had rendered optical aiming (and dazzle lines by exception) obsolete. Military minds changed their camouflage strategies and the psychedelic-looking patterns of WWI and WWII became a historical footnote. I had never even heard of the method until my friend Mike told me about it last week. 

Militaries may have abandoned dazzle lines, but the concept lives on elsewhere. One example is the carpeting in casinos. The dizzying patterns provide no calm space for eyes to rest except for on a slot machine or poker table. 

Have you noticed a dazzle effect anywhere else, even unintentionally? We’d love to hear about it in the comments.

-Tom

EXTRA EXTRA

We have recieved two great extra ideas about dazzle lines.

A project called CV Dazzle by a Brooklyn based artist.  The idea was to use makeup/hair to:

“to break apart the gestalt of a face, or object, and make it undetectable to computer vision algorithms, in particular face detection”

The second appearance of dazzle lines is so obvious, and perhaps the inspiration for military dazzle lines; zebras.  The second theorised reason for zebra having stripes listed on wikipedia is:

Since zebras are herd animals, the stripes may help to confuse predators—a number of zebras standing or moving close together may appear as one large animal, making it more difficult for the lion to pick out any single zebra to attack

Looking at the below picture, it sure seems likely:

Please hit us up with any more examples.

-Tristan

Physical painted lines are obsolete, but in a sense, the same concept applies to radar jamming and electronic countermeasures.  The best way to keep from being targeted is to add more information than the targeting device can handle.  

mudwerks: mudwerks: Flatiron: 1902 | Shorpy Historic Photo Archive “Flatiron Building, New York.” The Manhattan landmark under construction circa 1902. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

mudwerks:

mudwerks:

Flatiron: 1902 | Shorpy Historic Photo Archive

“Flatiron Building, New York.” The Manhattan landmark under construction circa 1902. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

jazzjodi: mudwerks: (via Faces From the Past #18) Max Schulze pours cocktails like the LZ-129 Frosted Cocktail (gin and orange juice) and the Maybach 12 (gin, kirsch and Benedictine) in the bar between the smoking room and the airlock on the German airship Hindenburg. Because of the highly flammable hydrogen on board, no one could leave the smoking room with a burning cigarette, cigar or pipe, and Schulze’s duties included monitoring the airlock door. Down on B-Deck, there were two cooks (Albert Stoeffler and head chef Xaver Maier), cabin boy Werner Franz, and radio officer Franz Eichelmann in the kitchen and crew’s mess area on the port side, and on the starboard side you had bartender Max Schulze in the smoking room/bar and stewardess Emilie Imhof in the new passenger cabins. Stoeffler, Maier, and Franz all jumped out and ran before the hull trapped them. They all heard Eichelmann call out that the ship was on fire and to get out, but never saw him again after he ran into the keel corridor. It’s possible that he went into the starboard rooms to warn Schulze and Frau Imhof and was trapped there. Neither Schulze or Imhof made it out alive.Read more: How many people on the Hindenburg survived? How did they manage to do so? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/538695#ixzz1uftQtQ2b

jazzjodi:

mudwerks:

(via Faces From the Past #18)

Max Schulze pours cocktails like the LZ-129 Frosted Cocktail (gin and orange juice) and the Maybach 12 (gin, kirsch and Benedictine) in the bar between the smoking room and the airlock on the German airship Hindenburg. Because of the highly flammable hydrogen on board, no one could leave the smoking room with a burning cigarette, cigar or pipe, and Schulze’s duties included monitoring the airlock door.

Down on B-Deck, there were two cooks (Albert Stoeffler and head chef Xaver Maier), cabin boy Werner Franz, and radio officer Franz Eichelmann in the kitchen and crew’s mess area on the port side, and on the starboard side you had bartender Max Schulze in the smoking room/bar and stewardess Emilie Imhof in the new passenger cabins. Stoeffler, Maier, and Franz all jumped out and ran before the hull trapped them. They all heard Eichelmann call out that the ship was on fire and to get out, but never saw him again after he ran into the keel corridor. It’s possible that he went into the starboard rooms to warn Schulze and Frau Imhof and was trapped there. Neither Schulze or Imhof made it out alive.

Read more: How many people on the Hindenburg survived? How did they manage to do so? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/538695#ixzz1uftQtQ2b

(via my-ear-trumpet)

This Memorial Day, we took a look back at how the U.S. soldier has evolved over the years. Did you know camouflage wasn’t introduced until the end of World War II? 

(via interwar)

collective-history: Isis is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the patron of nature and magic. She was the friend of slaves, sinners, artisans, and the downtrodden, and she listened to the prayers of the wealthy, maidens, aristocrats, and rulers. Isis is often depicted as the mother of Horus, the hawk-headed god of war and protection, and she is depicted suckling him in an attitude similar to that of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus. Isis is also known as protector of the dead and goddess of children. The name Isis means “Throne”. Her headdress is a throne. As the personification of the throne, she was an important representation of the pharaoh’s power. The pharaoh was depicted as her child, who sat on the throne she provided. In the typical form of her myth, Isis was the first daughter of Geb, god of the Earth, and Nut, goddess of the Sky, and she was born on the fourth intercalary day. She married her brother, Osiris, and she conceived Horus by him. Isis was instrumental in the resurrection of Osiris when he was murdered by Seth. Using her magical skills, she restored his body to life after having gathered the body parts that had been strewn about the earth by Seth.

collective-history:

Isis is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the patron of nature and magic. She was the friend of slaves, sinners, artisans, and the downtrodden, and she listened to the prayers of the wealthy, maidens, aristocrats, and rulers. Isis is often depicted as the mother of Horus, the hawk-headed god of war and protection, and she is depicted suckling him in an attitude similar to that of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus. Isis is also known as protector of the dead and goddess of children.

The name Isis means “Throne”. Her headdress is a throne. As the personification of the throne, she was an important representation of the pharaoh’s power. The pharaoh was depicted as her child, who sat on the throne she provided.

In the typical form of her myth, Isis was the first daughter of Geb, god of the Earth, and Nut, goddess of the Sky, and she was born on the fourth intercalary day. She married her brother, Osiris, and she conceived Horus by him. Isis was instrumental in the resurrection of Osiris when he was murdered by Seth. Using her magical skills, she restored his body to life after having gathered the body parts that had been strewn about the earth by Seth.

(via all-i-preach-is-extinction)

Those who do not learn from history…

Those who do not learn from history…

(Source: theamericankid)

art-of-swords:

Chillanum - Indian dagger

A fine and very rare all wootz steel Indian dagger, a Chillanum, from the 17th century. This example of an early Chillinam measures just under 38cms long. The blade length, measured from the tip to the apex within the guard is 29cms long. The entire dagger is constructed from a wootz which is seen in the blade and guard.

Source & Copyright: Swords & Antique Weapons 

Wootz steel is still a mystery, right?  I’ve never found an explanation of why it was so much better than most other metal work at the time.

(via abrahammx)