Steampunk Carousels & Infernal Machines

The Project of Machines de l’île in Nantes

Science Fiction books of the of the Victorian age and the Belle Epoch echo certain themes.

After all, this was the age of Edison and Tesla, of mechanized war. It was an emerging era of shocking scientific theories such as evolution and flight. 19th century science fiction novels chart the course of these shocks with themes of science run amok and strange encounters with monstrosities. Steampunk imagery is generated from works of the fantastic such as Frankenstein, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, War of the Worlds and  The Time Machine.

So, when I first saw The Project of Machines de l’île in Nantes, I felt for a moment that sense of wonder at that strange convergence of science and fantasy, machine and dream. All the beautiful and terrible possibilities of the future exist in these odd mechanisms.

The machines are built in the warehouses of the former shipyards of Nantes, France by François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice who were also inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci’s infernal machines.

And every so often they come alive.

Setting up The Sea Life Carousel

Riding the Sea Life Carousel

The Christmas Carousels of Brussels are also made by the artisans of Nantes

 

The Royal Elephant

 

The Heron Tree

The Hound and the Girl

The Spider

photo by:


claude44

Steampunk Carousels & Infernal Machines

Steampunk Carousels & Infernal Machines

The Project of Machines de l’île in Nantes

Science Fiction books of the of the Victorian age and the Belle Epoch echo certain themes.

After all, this was the age of Edison and Tesla, of mechanized war. It was an emerging era of shocking scientific theories such as evolution and flight. 19th century science fiction novels chart the course of these shocks with themes of science run amok and strange encounters with monstrosities. Steampunk imagery is generated from works of the fantastic such as Frankenstein, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, War of the Worlds and  The Time Machine.

So, when I first saw The Project of Machines de l’île in Nantes, I felt for a moment that sense of wonder at that strange convergence of science and fantasy, machine and dream. All the beautiful and terrible possibilities of the future exist in these odd mechanisms.

The machines are built in the warehouses of the former shipyards of Nantes, France by François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice who were also inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci’s infernal machines.

And every so often they come alive.

Setting up The Sea Life Carousel

Riding the Sea Life Carousel

The Christmas Carousels of Brussels are also made by the artisans of Nantes

 

The Royal Elephant

 

The Heron Tree

The Hound and the Girl

The Spider

photo by:


claude44

Steampunk Carousels & Infernal Machines

Astronaut Chris Hadfield tweets the ultimate Selfie

Even though he’s back on earth, Commander Chris Hadfield still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

He just tweeted the ultimate Selfie, a man floating between the earth and the sun:

 

Good morning! Some selfies are more thought-provoking than others. Amazing what you can see in the reflection. pic.twitter.com/Z39tadWK1W

— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) September 30, 2013

 

Astronaut Chris Hadfield tweets the ultimate Selfie

Space Craziness with Astronaut Chris Hadfield

I am going to miss the amazing videos from Commander Chris Hadfield, the Canadian astronaut who streamed his odd missives from the International Space Station with an earthiness that was both hilarious and informative.

Many of his videos are practical demonstrations about the reality of our physical bodies meeting a gravity-free environment like space. Watching these videos will change your perspective of gravity.

Hadfield’s experiments create a visceral understanding of the fact that everything we do from moving to eating and everything we experience around us is in a complex dance with gravity. Our very existence depends on gravity.

What better way to show it than to wring out a wash cloth in space?

Hadfield demonstrates crying in space:

Chris carries out student experiment by wringing out a wash cloth in space then waxes philosphical:

Chris talks about “space vision” and testing eyeballs in space:

 

Hadfield talks to William Shatner AKA Captain James T. Kirk:

Space Craziness with Astronaut Chris Hadfield