Scribal Terror

Bacterial art

Yes, that's Pre-Raphaelite painter John Everett Millais's Ophelia reproduced in E. coli by artist Jo Wonder. Via Bioephemera

Chinese clepsydra

This is an ancient Chinese clepsydra or water clock.  Here's how it works, according to Cultural China:

The time-measuring device consists of several kettles filled with water, which are usually connected together. There are small holes on the bottom of upper kettles, so that once the kettles are filled up, the water will drop down stepwise and regularly to the lower kettles. The lowest kettle has an erect buoy in it carved with scale divisions. The clepsydra is a 24-hour calculagraph used to calculate time through observing the scale of buoy according to fluctuation of buoy enabled by changes in water level. It measures time day and night during both sunny and rainy days. However, there may be changes in the speed of dripping according to temperature condition, which lead to inevitable error or difference in telling time. Nevertheless, it can be corrected by using a sundial during fine days. 

Chihuly among the cacti

At Candy Rant

Flower people

By Elsa Mora via Kuromi

The art of the small

Thanks Dorka!

Before there was Photoshop there was Harry FreesFrom the Archives

Harry Frees began his career as a photographer at the turn of the century.  At that time, picture postcards were a new concept and were gaining in popularity.  His animal photographs were perfect for this new medium and they decorated the pages of calendars as well.  He was hired by The Rotograph Company of New York to photograph animals for their postcards:  cats and kittens; dogs and puppies; chicks and ducks.  During his tenure with Rotograph, he began adding simple props to his pictures as well as an accessory here and there ~~ a bonnet or hat; a scarf or a shawl.  During this early period of Mr. Frees' career, Rotary Photo also published his work on postcards. Rags, his cat, was a favorite early model as was Fluff the Angora kitten.  -- One More River (lots more cute photos at the site) via Neatorama

Icanhazcheezburger is featuring what is assuredly a Harry Frees cat today.

Mammoth ivory icon

Not a large icon made of ivory, mind you -- an icon made of mammoth ivory. From English Russia, which has lots more pretty stuff, made from what is apparently quite an abundant resource.

Anatomy of a monster

More at the link

Fall color wheel

Link

Cyrtoideaby Ernst Haeckel

From Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur (1904) -- magnificent series of plates at the link, but I especially like this one because of its Escher-esque modernism.