Science Makes Man Feel Like An Achromatic Quarter-Wave Retarder
Articles at Nature magazine's website are often great fun to read. This one, though, a "letter abstract" about (I think) how shrimp's eyes work better than camera lenses, is clearly intended for an audience with more than a layman's understanding of the subject matter: "Here, we report a biophysical mechanism that creates a natural full-visible-range achromatic quarter-wave retarder in the eye of a stomatopod crustacean. Analogous, man-made retardation devices are important optical components, used in both scientific research and commercial applications for controlling polarized light. Typical synthetic retarders are not achromatic…." Boy. Actually, that is kinda fun to read, once you've given up on understanding and let it flow over you in a sort-of zen, sort-of Olde English, Jabberwocky way. And that's a pretty picture of a shrimp.
I spend most of my life staring at man-made retardation devices.
You can really feel scientifically retarded if you look at the site called "Ted" My son turned me on to it. Some pretty amazing people and ideas.
The shrimp thinks the picture sucks.
Nice.
I read this article yesterday – could inspire new forms of DVD players.
The human capacity for mediocre ideas never ceases to amaze.
Go and cure cancer with a fucking squid, RIGHT NOW, or I call bullshit on your snooty amazement.
Shrimpsky-Korsakov transcribed "Flight of the Bumble Bee" in achromatic quarter tones.