physical virus blog

Sim Ant

Sim Ant is a computer game that enables you to simulate the fun of living in an ant colony. Created in 1991, it was one of the first 'Sim' series games, and is briefly mentioned in the book Emergence. The aim is to organise an ant colony that can take over an entire yard, and, if possible, a house – all the while battling with competing colonies, foraging for food, and avoiding losing too many ants to other bugs and humans. As one of the first simulation games, it uses a nice agent-based system to control an entire colony, not unlike StarLogo.

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computer game emergence sim ant simulation starlogo stephen johnson

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Dec 8

Why not eat insects?

http://www.ted.com/talks/marcel_dicke_why_not_eat_insects.html

Marcel Dicke asked "Why not eat insects?" in July 2010 at TED. Vincent M. Holst asked the same question in 1885.

insects ted video

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Dec 3

Godot Machine in Art World Magazine

The Godot Machine is featured in this month's edition of Art World Magazine's quarterly publication Snacks. If you're in mainland China, you can purchase a copy from this list of outlets; alternatively peruse the images below.

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English-speakers curious about the text can read a poorly translated version here (thanks to Google; apologies to Mandarin-speakers).

China Godot Machine magazine press

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Dec 2

Monomorium pharaonis pheromone synthesis

I'm sure all readers will be delighted to read this good news from Tetrahedron Letters in 1986 (doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2004.06.022).

Read the rest of this post »

pheromones monomorium pharonis synthesis

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Nov 24

Ant ballet concept graphics

(download)

This week I've been developing software skills and working out technical logistics for the first ant ballet performances. These images show the initial concept graphics for information screens during performances.

ant ballet concept graphics

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Nov 1

Reverence Revisited

Good news! Do you remember this story I posted last week about an Oscar-winning filmmaker looking for funding for a mobile insect museum? The project is now fully funded to the next stage, thanks to the input of kind Kickstarter visitors. View the project here, and look out for mobile insect museums in New York next year!

funding insect insect art photography reverence zana brinski

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Oct 28

Ferrofluids

Although we're researching links between ants and electricity (particularly those nasty critters Solenopsis invicta and Lasius neglectus), we like magnetism too. This video rather beautifully shows a variety of magnetic fields on ferrous materials, and acts as a source of inspiration for the films that will document Physical Virus' ant ballet.

Of course, it's worth remembering that one of the early concepts for the project involved Ferrofluids...

inspiration magnetism video

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Oct 26

Thursday Club

Ollie Palmer will be presenting Physical Virus project at Goldsmiths University's Thursday Club this week (aptly, on Thursday). Also presenting is Artemis Papageorgiou with her Fabrique project.

The talk is in the Goldsmiths Digital Studios, Ben Pimlott Building at 18.00 on Thursday 28th October.

Godot Machine artemis papageorgiou events goldsmiths ollie palmer physical_virus physicalvirus presentation talk

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Oct 15

Zana Brinski's Reverence

Just came across this fantastic insect project by Oscar-winning filmmaker Zana Brinski. Her photographs are "a tribute to insects, to their intelligence, personality and elegant beauty.” Watch the film and you'll see what she means.

Zana is currently looking for $50,000 to turn the photographs into a travelling museum. Take a more detailed look at the project on the Kickstarter blog, or help fund its future through Kickstarter.

insects mantis new york photography similar projects zana brinski

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Oct 14

Trap-jaw ants

Odontomachus, a carniverous genus of ant, have jaws that can close at 140mph. In the above video, researchers from the University of Arizona show some incredible footage of these ants snapping their jaws against objects in order to perform staggering jumps through the air.

Odantomachus bauri showing off huge jaws. Grr! Image: Wikimedia.

ants arizona odontomachus odontomachus bauri trap-jaw video

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Sim Ant

Why not eat insects?

Godot Machine in Art World Magazine

Monomorium pharaonis pheromone synthesis

Ant ballet concept graphics

Reverence Revisited

Ferrofluids

Thursday Club

Zana Brinski's Reverence

Trap-jaw ants

About Ollie Palmer

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