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What
triggered a massive ice age on Earth 480 million years ago? Scientists
have a surprising answer: the humble moss.
The simple plants' interactions with rocks are believed to be the cause.
"The humble moss has created the climate which we enjoy today, from which the life we see all around us evolved," said Prof Tim Lenton of Exeter University, one of the lead researchers.
Carbon dioxide insulates the planet, rather like a duvet wrapped around it: the higher the concentration of CO2, the higher the average global temperature.
Atmospheric levels of the gas 480 million years ago are thought to have been 16 times higher than they are now, and average global temperatures are thought to have been 25C, around 10C higher than they are now.
But by 460 million years ago, CO2 levels had fallen by half and the planet began to cool, allowing the formation of the polar ice caps.
The question is: what caused the drop in CO2 levels? The answer, according to an experiment by Prof Lenton and his colleague Prof Liam Dolan of Oxford University is "moss".
Paul McGee spotted this Volkswagen Beetle at the Belladrum Festival, an annual music fair held in Scotland. On the atmosphere of the event, McGee wrote “Brilliant small festival for families though, I’d heartily recommend it.” Link -via Colossal | Photo: Paul McGee
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This video game is guaranteed to move very slowly. Kimi Spencer and Marko Manriquez created an interactive mural that uses moss to depict Space Invaders:
Moss invaders comprises a living graffiti mural and a capacitive sound installation into one piece. The moss mural is made using laser cut stencils to mold a moss milkshake concoction of our own devising. The moss paste is “painted” onto the stencils to grow directly onto the brick wall surface. The sound installation aspect takes the moss invaders into the intergalactic realm. Each moss pad is a capacitive sensor which plays 8-bit musical sounds when touched.
Link via DVICE | Photo: Core77 | Previously: DIY Moss Graffiti
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From the Upcoming 
ueue, submitted by 
Edina Tokodi is an eco-minded artist who hopes to create more environmental friendliness in the midst of urban bareness.
In leiu of spray paint this street artist creates moss installations that have become the talk of the town in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Consisting of mossy animal figures and camouflage patterns, this art is “meant to be touched, felt, and in turn touch you."
For me, the reaction of life on the street is also very important. I am curious about how people receive them, if they just leave them alone, or if they want to, take care of them or dismantle them. This is what makes my work similar to graffiti, although I am searching for a deeper social meaning and a dialogue with memories of the animals and gardens of my past in a small town in Central Europe. I believe that if everyone had a garden of their own to cultivate, we would have a much more balanced relation to our territories. Of course, a garden can be many things.
From the Upcoming Queue, submitted by
Last I checked basic jewelry offers a vast multitude of stylish, and
some not-so-stylish, rings for consumers to choose from. We have
promise rings, mood rings, earrings, engagement rings, wedding rings,
class rings, Lord of the Rings (yes, Gollum’s “precious” is
available to purchase). But now, thanks to Icelandic designer Hafsteinn
Juliusson (try to say that five times fast), we now have … moss rings.
“Growing Jewelry is a redefinition of modern values. It is a clash of jewelry and gardening; couture and organism. The collection of this hand jewelry is designed for people in metropolitan cities and is an experiment in drawing nature toward man, as nature being the presupposition of life.”
From the Upcoming Queue, submitted by whitespace.
