Eye candy! Sand up close and spectacular

Beautiful images of how sand looks up close and personal:

Photographer and scientist Gary Greenberg has devoted his life to revealing the secret beauty of nature. "My real passion in life is to explore the intersection between art and science", he says in a TedX talk. View his amazing photos below the video.



Fun Fact: People who collect sand are called arenophiles (yeah - you needed to know that!)

That is some kind of cool, right there!

You know, it's kind of serendipitous that this week I'll be teaching "Understanding Pattern" in my PDC. Those individual grains of sand represent a large portion of the types of patterning we discuss:

--branching
--honeycomb
--Fibonacci spiral
--double spiral (the "petal" effect)
--explosive
--scatter
--torus
--concentric rings
--concentric ridges...

We also discuss how patterns are created. Basically patterns are formed in response to flows of energy. In the Tedx video above, Gary Greenberg talks about the energy that comes into play in the formation of "sand". Some sand come from parts of living organisms in the sea and is created by the interaction between the dead bodies of the organisms and water erosion. Other sand is created by the energy interaction of wind, rain and stone. His "moon sand" examples are shape by energy from micro meteors and stone. Pretty interesting stuff!

Eye candy? EYE OPENING !!

I will never look at the moon the same way. Or for that matter - sand. Thank you Gary, and thank you Jennifer, for sharing.

I live near the Frac-sand mines of SW Wisconsin; and every mammoth truckload I see being hauled up and down the Great River Road along the Mighty Miss and picturesque Lake Pepin saddens me - greatly. I know the devastation required to extract it … I know the bio-cost spent to transport it … and I know what they are going to do with it - tiny little projectiles to violate and rape our Mother Earth.

I’m sure that Gary Greenberg could tell me exactly why the sands of the Driftless Region are so damn perfect for this FRACK’g process - what made these inland sand grains so unique. But instead, what he shared - what he enlightened me to was the beauty … the art … the intricate patterns that have evolved over eons. Now I’ll lament every truck as it hauls away trillions of tiny little treasures; masterpieces each unique to and more beautiful than the next.

As I drive through this very beautiful part of Wisconsin - pocked with hundreds of small, often depressed towns and unincorporated villages - I see dozens and dozens of little yard signs reading:
SAND = JOBS
Oh, and get this, all those signs are "green".

Though I’m sympathetic with those that are economically challenged, I can’t help but notice that just behind those little green signs is a nice big satellite dish, three or four automobiles, at least one giant truck, at least one SUV, probably an ATV or a snowmobile - or both - or multiples, parked next to a speed boat with an Evinrude handing off the back end that could literally make this craft fly across the top of water (‘cause when you’re relaxing on the lake, it’s imperative to get from one fishing spot to the next as quickly as possible - I guess so that the trophy catch you know is waiting just for you doesn’t get scarfed away by some pesky eagle or pelican) . . . sooooo . . . oh yeah, I AM sympathetic with those that are economically challenged — But at what price/JOBS? And the jobs aren't that many. And the jobs are temporary - while the bluffs will lie barren for decades. And what new toys will be purchased as a result of those Sand Jobs? And how many years until we change that equation from:

SAND = JOBS
to
FRACKING = POISONED ENVIRONMENT

[ okay Jeff, get off your soapbox before you’re told to “go pound sand” ]

Glad I popped into this thread to see these pics - thanks, Jennifer!

... it's kind of serendipitous that this week I'll be teaching "Understanding Pattern" in my PDC

Jennifer, a couple of days after reading your response to the "Eye Candy Sand" -- the concept about Patterns in Permaculture sort of receded into the nether regions of my mind. But then - as I was wading hip deep through the vast depth and breadth of the Permies Forums - your post about PC Patterns popped back into the forefront.

It occurred to me that the expansiveness and extensiveness of the Permaculture movement would be allegorised as a Fractal. I don't know; but I assume Fractals is one of the many patterns that your course covers? I love how organic fractals are. Just like Permaculture - both literally and figuratively organic.

I know it's important to get our technical details right and show that we're using good science, but let's not forget that nature is frequently so beautiful. Such beauty makes life a wonderful pleasure and helps us share our sense of meaning in what we're doing. No I am not charging PDC prices to say that to you.

John S
PDX OR

Jeff Bartol wrote:... But at what price/JOBS? And the jobs aren't that many. And the jobs are temporary - while the bluffs will lie barren for decades. And what new toys will be purchased as a result of those Sand Jobs? And how many years until we change that equation from:

SAND = JOBS
to
FRACKING = POISONED ENVIRONMENT

[ okay Jeff, get off your soapbox before you’re told to “go pound sand” ]

I don't think anyone is going to tell you to "go pound sand" at permies, for that particular message.

Jeff Bartol wrote:

... it's kind of serendipitous that this week I'll be teaching "Understanding Pattern" in my PDC

Jennifer, a couple of days after reading your response to the "Eye Candy Sand" -- the concept about Patterns in Permaculture sort of receded into the nether regions of my mind. But then - as I was wading hip deep through the vast depth and breadth of the Permies Forums - your post about PC Patterns popped back into the forefront.

It occurred to me that the expansiveness and extensiveness of the Permaculture movement would be allegorised as a Fractal. I don't know; but I assume Fractals is one of the many patterns that your course covers? I love how organic fractals are. Just like Permaculture - both literally and figuratively organic.

Fractals are indeed part of the class!

Check out these awesome fractal patterns in nature. Fractals are EVERYWHERE.

Wow, I am in love: I am going to start collecting a little sand now, whenever I see some.  My only question is, how can you get that black background...?  I am using an antique Japanese-made non-electric microscope (has a reflector, needs light source).  Just wondering.  It looks so cool!!

Photographer and scientist Gary Greenberg has devoted his life to revealing the secret beauty of nature.

I would imagine that he pour the sand onto glossy black paper.

His work is beautiful.