Science and Nature: two of the all time greats

I took your advice and looked at all of the photos on that website. You are right, they really are quite incredible. Now I have a slightly blown mind, not just because there was technology available in 1909 to take colour photos, but also because of how verdant and lovely Russia was in 1909, and how strange it is to see these people who were about to live through revolutions and wars just standing in a forest looking at the camera. Old photos always make me feel a little funny so that's not very surprising I guess.


But back to things that blow minds.


Unlike you, I basically try to avoid thinking about how things work because I take about two steps down the path of discovery and bam, my mind gets blown. As a result of not knowing how anything works, I am quite impressed by most things. And even if I am not that impressed, I am very pleased. For example, most mornings when I get in the shower, I can't help but have a little smile over the fact that hot water is piped in to my house and I can access it any time by turning a tap. Now this is a system I understand, so it doesn't impress me per se, but it certainly pleases me.


But another thing that happens most mornings impresses me a great deal. I have an African Violet plant in my bathroom that AB gave me as a thank you present when I looked after her dogs one time. I wish I had a photo of it here because it is a real beauty. Here is a photo from the interweb so you can get an idea. Mine is pink though.


So lovely. Anyway, AB propagated this plant from a single leaf. I know, it sounds crazy, but that's how it's done! You cut off a leaf from an established African Violet, then you place that leaf in a pot, and a whole new plant grows. Here is a picture from the interweb so you can get an idea.

I guess the big leaf at the back is the original leaf and those little green ones at the front are new leaves. Isn't that incredible! I just find that so incredible! Once upon a time my plant was just a single leaf. And now it is a big plant with many leaves and many flowers, flowers that look sparkly in the light! Every morning when I look at my African Violet in the bathroom I just think WOW.

So lets hear it for science AND nature, shall we? Hooray!