Crocheted coral reefs

Plus space dinos, chocolate and other interesting links

Since 2005, sisters Christine and Margaret Wertheim have been creating crochet corals to draw attention to coral bleaching as a result of climate change. Their crocheted reef has grown over the years and forms a traveling exhibit that’s currently in Baden-Baden, Germany. They’ve invited others to contribute to the project as well, which led to the ongoing creation of “satellite reef” exhibits created by citizen scientists. 

Image of a 2013 exhibit of a satelitte crocheted coral reef in Tübingen, by NearEMPTiness on Wikimedia CC-BY-SA

Interesting links

• Astronaut collaborates on clothing line inspired by dinosaur toy she made in space - by me for Forbes.com

• How one British laboratory protects the world’s chocolate - Tom Scott (YouTube)

• The artist who's taking a fresh look at science - UKRI interview with artist Diana Scarborough about her work with scientists (YouTube)

• Scientists settled a centuries-old family drama using DNA from postcards - by Grace Browne for Wired

Some science/art events

These came up in my usual search for interesting links, but I thought I’d give them a separate little category this time. 

• Online seminar on the neuroscience of mindwandering and creativity (Royal Institution, February 24)

• The Citizen Science Lab in Pittsburgh is hosting a fundraising event on May 29 featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff, Slick Rick and others  

• Blue Dot Festival announced its music and science lineup for July, including Björk, Jim Al-Khalili and others

🎵 Next issue: MusiSci special edition 🎵

Since there have been a lot of new subscribers to Mixture lately, many of you probably haven’t seen all of the talented musical scientists whose music has been featured in this newsletter (and its predecessors) over the years. So the next issue (in two weeks) will be a special edition with only music made by scientists. Old-time subscribers will recognize some of them, but I’ll add one or two new ones as well! 

☕ Support Mixture

If you like this newsletter and want to support it, you can buy me a coffee. Besides literal coffees I also use the Buy Me a Coffee funds to save for some future custom Mixture art.