• LEGO Prosthetic Arm Empowers 8-Year Old with Affordable Accessible Healthcare
    www.yankodesign.com
    LEGO has long been a symbol of unfiltered creativity, a tool that brings imagination to life with every click of a brick. What started as a simple toy has evolved into something remarkable. Architects use it to model intricate buildings, engineers prototype robots with it, and educators rely on it to teach the fundamentals of science and design. But in the hands of someone like David Aguilar, LEGO takes on a whole new meaningbecoming a medium for engineering and empowerment.Aguilar, often known by his nickname Hand Solo, was born with a condition that left his right arm partially formed. As a teenager, he decided to channel his love of LEGO into solving a problem he had lived with his entire life. Piece by piece, he created a functioning prosthetic arm. Over the years, his designs became increasingly advanced, evolving from basic constructions into sophisticated, functional tools. LEGOs versatility and adaptability made it the perfect material for experimentation, allowing Aguilar to build arms that were not only practical but deeply personal.Designer: David AguilarHis journey has since gone beyond self-innovation. Aguilar recently made headlines again for building a prosthetic arm for Alex, an 8-year-old boy born without a right forearm. Alex, a LEGO enthusiast himself, got to experience the magic of turning his favorite hobby into something life-changing. Working closely with Alex, Aguilar designed and built a prosthetic arm using LEGO Technic piecescomponents that add motion, durability, and strength to the builds. The final result was a lightweight, functional arm that gave Alex the ability to complete everyday tasks while also reflecting his love of LEGO.The collaboration wasnt just about assembling bricks. It was about creating something unique that matched Alexs personality and gave him a sense of ownership. For Alex, having a prosthetic arm made from something as familiar as LEGO wasnt just practicalit felt like an extension of who he was. That emotional connection underscored the deeper value of Aguilars work, which is rooted in accessibility and imagination.The beauty of LEGO lies in its universal appeal. It is one of the few materials that transcends age, background, or skill level. Aguilars use of LEGO to build prosthetics shows how everyday objects can be reimagined to solve challenges in innovative ways. Unlike traditional prosthetics, often expensive and inaccessible, a LEGO arm represents the possibility of affordable, customizable solutions. Aguilars work inspires a broader conversation about how design can be democratic and inclusive, offering tools that empower people rather than isolating them.This use of LEGO isnt limited to prosthetics. Around the world, educators and innovators have embraced the versatility of LEGO in unexpected ways. Architects create scale models of complex structures with it, and teachers use LEGO to introduce students to concepts like coding and engineering. The modular design of LEGO allows for experimentation, letting people prototype ideas quickly and affordably. Aguilars approach embodies that same spirit, using a simple medium to accomplish something extraordinary.For Alex, the prosthetic was beyond a mere wearableit was an extension of his world. With Aguilars creation, he could now grasp objects, perform simple tasks, and experience the freedom of movement many take for granted. But beyond functionality, the arm became a source of joy and confidence. Its LEGO design was familiar and fun, reflecting his love for the bricks while making his prosthetic feel less like a medical device and more like a personal project.Aguilars achievements have not gone unnoticed. In 2017, his LEGO prosthetic earned him a Guinness World Record as the creator of the first functioning LEGO prosthetic arm. It was a recognition not just of the ingenuity behind his work but of the groundbreaking ways hes pushed the boundaries of design. This comes at a rather significant time with the medical and healthcare industry coming under fire for their anti-consumer practices. Who knew that a humble LEGO brick could be the solution?!The post LEGO Prosthetic Arm Empowers 8-Year Old with Affordable Accessible Healthcare first appeared on Yanko Design.
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  • SLAP and FLOP browser vulnerabilities threaten nearly every Apple device since 2021
    www.macworld.com
    MacworldFresh off the fix of a zero-day vulnerability in iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other devices, security researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have revealed a pair of vulnerabilities that affect all of Apples modern devices.First reported at BleepingComputer, these are side-channel attacks that can use special code on websites to allow websites to execute side-channel attacks that steal data from other web sessions. A malicious site could, for example, see your location data from a Google Maps tab, or unencrypted email from an open browser tab that is logged in to your secure email account. Banking info, login info, purchase historythere are lots of potential targets.Most modern browsers sandbox web sessions, so that one browser tab or window cant access the data from other tabs/windows. The SLAP and FLOP vulnerabilities exploit features of the latest Apple processors to get around this sandboxing.What is SLAP?The M2 and A15 generation of processors (and later) have a feature called Load Address Prediction (LAP), which it tries to predict the memory address of the next memory request in order to prefetch it and speed things up. SLAP (Speculation Attacks via Load Address Prediction) first falsely trains that predictive algorithm and then uses that the pull targeted data from other browser processes.SLAP seems to work only in Safari.What is FLOP?Starting with the M3/A17 generation of processors, Apple goes a step further than loading data from predicted memory addresses. They have a feature called Load Value Predictor (LVP), which guesses what the value will be from a memory request. Its all to help the processor run faster by not having to wait around for data to come from memory.FLOP (FalseLoadOutputPredictions) issues instructions that return the same values all the time to trick the predictor into expecting a certain value even when the data has changed, and that lets them execute code on incorrect data values.FLOP works in Safari and Chrome.Which Apple devices are affected?The researchers say the following Apple devices have the hardware necessary to execute these flaws.All Mac laptops from 2022-present (MacBook Air, MacBook Pro)All Mac desktops from 2023-present (Mac Mini, iMac, Mac Studio, Mac Pro)All iPad Pro, Air, and Mini models from September 2021-present (6th- and 7th-gen iPad Pro, 6th-gen iPad Air, 6th-gen iPad Mini)All iPhones from September 2021-present (iPhone 13, 14, 15, and 16 models, 3rd-gen iPhone SE)Should I be worried?The Georgia Institute of Technology researchers say there is no evidence that either SLAP or FLOP has been used in the wild. Similarly, Apple told BleepingComputer, Based on our analysis, we do not believe this issue poses an immediate risk to our users.Is Apple fixing these flaws?Yes, but it appears to be taking some time. The researchers disclosed SLAP to Apple on May 24, 2024, and FLOP on September 3, 2024. Apple has released numerous updates since that time without fixing the issue here.You can read more about these exploits and see test demonstrations of them in action at the SLAP and FLOP site set up by the Georgia Institute of Technology researchers.
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  • Two Apple Silicon chip flaws could expose your private data to thieves
    appleinsider.com
    Apple's processors are fast because they predict what you'll need next, but when they guess wrong hackers can exploit those mistakes to steal your private data.M3 MacBook ProApple Silicon, like the M2 and M3, is designed to be some of the fastest in the world, powering iPads and Macs. Their strength is speculative execution, a feature that guesses what you'll need next to keep things running smoothly.But new research shows this speed boost comes with a cost. When these guesses are wrong, they can create vulnerabilities that hackers could use to access sensitive information, like emails and credit card details. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
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  • A new CVS iPhone app aims to make shopping at the pharmacy less frustrating
    appleinsider.com
    If you've ever been frustrated while shopping at your local pharmacy, you're hardly alone but now CVS has devised a plan to change that with it's new iPhone app.Image credit: CVSPharmacies often get disparaged as one of the most tedious places the average person has to put up with. Long lines, hidden prescription costs, and the highly inconvenient locked cabinets are hated by nearly everyone.And, that probably includes your local pharmacy, too. That's why CVS is trying to change how you make your pharmacy run with its revamped CVS Health app. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
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  • Michael Maltzan, TERREMOTO, and others celebrated at the 25th annual Cooper Hewitt National Design Awards
    archinect.com
    The 25th edition of theCooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum's annual National Design Awards program has named ten winners, each representing the "empowering, inclusive and diverse" nature of design practices in their respective fields. The program was established in 2000 as part of the White House Millennium Council and honors the best of the best American designers making impacts in the public sphere in multiple disciplines and across ten separate awards categories.Maurice Cox, who served as the Chair for this year's jury, stated he was "proud that the winners are increasingly a reflection of who we are in America and who we hope to be."Design touches all aspects of our lives every single dayfrom the buildings we live, learn and work in, to the physical and digital systems that deliver our basic services, the clothes we wear, the spaces we gather in or the creativity and beauty that help us understand ourselves as a nationand yet designs undeniable influence can go unsee...
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  • Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is Out Now on PC
    gamingbolt.com
    After first debuting in 2006 in arcades and making its way to consoles in 2007, Segas Virtua Fighter 5 is available on PC via Steam. It isnt the same version as the base game Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is essentially a port of Ultimate Showdown with 4K visuals and rollback netcode. Check out the launch trailer below.There are 19 playable characters and modes like Arcade, Versus, Rank Match, and Training. Online play supports up to 16 players via Tournaments and League. Unfortunately, the originals Quest Mode, missing from Ultimate Showdown, is also absent in R.E.V.O., which players are calling out in the user reviews.Other complaints include the limited customization, with many cosmetics confined to the 30th Anniversary Edition, which costs $49.99. Its discounted alongside the base game by 20 percent until February 3rd.Of course, this is only the beginning of Segas Virtua Fighter revival, with a reboot in the works at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Check out some in-engine footage here.
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  • Nintendo Has Started Sending Out Confirmation Emails for Switch 2 Experience Events
    gamingbolt.com
    Those that had signed up for Nintendos upcoming Switch 2 experience events are now getting their confirmation emails. Social media X user Connor revealed the email he got from Nintendo in a post. Interestingly, it looks like even those that were unsuccessful in signing up for the event might have a chance of being picked by Nintendo.In Connors case, they will be getting to attend the Switch 2 Experience event in London on April 12, which tracks with the previously-announced schedule for these events from back when Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2. X user Bast_Mate456 has also chimed in with a screenshot of their own confirmation email.For a brief recap, Nintendo is hosting Switch 2 Experience events in Tokyo, New York, Paris, London, Los Angeles, Berlin, Milan, Dallas, and Toronto. The first of these events will take place on April 4, and cities will be getting the events all the way until June. There will also be events in Hong Kong and Taipei, details of which will be revealed later. For more details on dates, check out our coverage of the events.Nintendo had unveiled the Switch 2 with a video earlier this month. While scarce on concrete details, the video did give us a great look at the upcoming console, including the fact that it will feature a better, wider kickstand, a new mechanism for attaching and detaching JoyCon controllers, and a generally bigger size for the unit itself, as well as its display.The company has also revealed that the Switch 2 will be fully backwards compatible with the original Switch for both digital as well as physical copies of games.Any more details we have about the Switch 2 largely come from leaks, rumours and speculation. One of these indicates that the new console will require more power from the wall when docked; a leaked picture of the Switch 2 dock indicated higher voltage requirements, which is likely necessary for the more advanced hardware powering the system.As for the hardware itself, the Switch 2 will reportedly run on a newer Nvidia chip, and will even feature its own neural net hardware to be able to run the companys own take on DLSS-styled image upscaling algorithms. These algorithms would allow the console to display games at higher resolutions than they are being rendered in, going all the way up to 4K.Nintendo is slated to reveal more details about the Switch 2 in a special Direct dedicated to the console on April 2. Along with giving us a better look at the hardware and some of the consoles new features, the Direct might also showcase some of the new games that Nintendo has been working on for the consoles launch.There are also several third-party developers rumoured to be working on games for the Switch 2, including Ubisoft, Konami, and even several studios under Microsoft. These rumours include games ranging from Assassins Creed Shadows to Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and even Halo: The Master Chief Collection.In the mean time, here are 15 games that are rumoured to be in development for the Switch 2.You lucky charm workedWelcome to the team bro pic.twitter.com/KeahMhngFm Best_Mate456 (@LinEric22562614) January 27, 2025
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  • www.cgchannel.com
    Tuesday, January 28th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerRed9 ProPack gets new tools created for Sonic the Hedgehog 3html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Red9s demo of the character and facial rig it created for Sonic from Sonic the Hedgehog 3. New tools developed for the work are now available in Red9 ProPack, its Maya animation toolkit.Character rigging specialist Red9 has updated Red9 ProPack, its animation pipeline environment for Maya, with new tools developed as part of its work on Sonic the Hedgehog 3.The public version of ProPack now includes Transfer Deformation Stack, used to build the deformer stack that controls Sonics face, and Ripple Animation, used for the quills on his head.Putting AAA developers character animation workflows into the hands of smaller studiosIntended to give smaller studios access to the same kind of workflows as AAA game developers and large VFX studios, Red9 ProPack is a suite of over 40 custom UIs and hundreds of individual tools to streamline character animation workflows.Artists can connect their own character rigs to its systems, which include animation retargeting and repathing, Perforce integration for version control, and custom exporters.The ProPack is an expanded version of Red9 founder and former Crytek technical animation director Mark Jacksons open-source Maya toolkit, Red9 Studio Tools.Now includes tools developed during rig development for Sonic the Hedgehog 3The ProPack has now been extended with new tools developed during Red9s own work on hybrid live-action/CG animated movie Sonic the Hedgehog 3.The company was contracted to do all of the character and facial rigging, creating base assets that were then distributed to the six key VFX facilities working on the film.The rigs were built entirely using native Maya nodes to minimize compatibility problems between studios.New Transfer Deformation Stack and Ripple Animation toolsTwo tools were developed for the movie, Transfer Deformation Stack and Ripple Animation.Transfer Deformation Stack (above) transfers skinning and deformation from one object to another, and was written to build up the deformer stack that controls Sonics face in the movie.Red9 used it to bounce deformation between objects for example, from the eyelids to the geometry for the eye meniscus breaking up the evaluation graph into small components.The components could then be processed in separate CPU threads to avoid performance bottlenecks.Speaking to CG Channel, Mark Jackson called it a life-changer when dealing with blendshapes, noting that without it, Red9 couldnt have had the final rig run in real time.The second tool, Ripple Animation, was developed to create the overlapping secondary motion of the quills on the back of Sonics head.The new tools were actually added to the ProPack last year, in the 02_09_24 release, but Red9 has only just been able to publicise them following the release of the movie.Red9 also modified the Red9 PuppetRig and several other existing tools in the ProPack for its work on the project, and to accommodate requests from the VFX studios working on the movie. Pricing and system requirementsRed9 ProPack is compatible with Maya 2020+ on Windows, Linux and macOS. It is rental-only, with subscriptions costing 39.99/month (around $50/month) or 450/year ($560/year).Read more about Red 9s work on Sonic the Hedgehog 3See an overview of Red9 ProPacks features in the products YouTube channelHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsRed9 ProPack gets new tools created for Sonic the Hedgehog 3Maya animation toolkit for VFX and games gets new tools developed for Red9's character rigging work on the latest Sonic movie.Tuesday, January 28th, 2025JangaFX teases IlluGenThe EmberGen dev's new app will be a 'better way to create the majority of assets' for VFX in games. Here's what we know about it so far.Monday, January 27th, 2025Check out the new features due in EmberGen 2.0Next major update to the real-time smoke and fire simulator to feature sparse sims, simulation retiming, USD support and a macOS edition.Monday, January 27th, 2025Tutorial: Creating Runtime Cinematics in Unreal Engine 5Master key workflows for integrating character animation into interactive gameplay in UE5 with The Gnomon Workshop's new tutorial.Saturday, January 25th, 2025PhotoLine 25 now reads Cryptomatte dataCheck out the new features in the sub-$100 image editing app, including support for Cryptomatte data when retouching 3D renders.Friday, January 24th, 2025Polygonflow releases Dash 1.8.5Promising Unreal Engine 5 world building toolset gets new options for creating terrain and layering effects. Cost of subscriptions down, too.Thursday, January 23rd, 2025More NewsAfter Effects' latest beta lets you preview HDR compsNew version of iOS and Android scanning app Kiri EngineRE:Vision Effects launches Twixtor StandaloneSee the new features due in Unreal Engine 5.6 and beyondLeft Angle releases Autograph 2025Check out this GPU-accelerated Houdini Skin Slide DeformerCheck out this free 2D Rim Light Tool for NukeCreate motion graphics in Nuke with the new Screen FX pluginMaster Cinematic Sand & Dust Simulations Using HoudiniGet the new free version of ZibraVDB for Unreal EngineChaos releases V-Ray 7 for Cinema 4DThese simple free tools convert Maya shaders to BlenderOlder Posts
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  • See 15 Winning Images From the Close-Up Photographer of the Year Competition
    www.smithsonianmag.com
    Beetles battling for mating rights, a bear stalking through the rainforest and a damselfly perched in front of a waterfall are just some of the many scenes that wowed judges during the annual Close-up Photographer of the Year contest.Now in its sixth year, the competition recognizes photographers who excel at revealing the hidden wonder of the world through close-up, macro and micro photography, according to a statement shared with Smithsonian magazine. The 2025 contest included more than 11,000 submissions from 61 countries, which a panel of judges carefully reviewed to determine the winners and the top 100 images.The jury, made up of 25 photographers, scientists, journalists and editors, spent more than 20 hours on video calls sifting through the entries. In the end, they awarded first, second and third place in 11 categoriesranging from insects to animals to underwater shots. They also named six to eight finalists for each category.All the winning images are published on the competitions website, as well as in an accompanying eBook.Every year, Im blown away by the caliber of entries, Tracy Calder, who co-founded the contest with her husband, Dan Calder, in 2018, says in the statement. Close-up photography is a celebration of curiosity, and this years top 100 is a true testament to the artistry of everyone involved as well as an invitation to look, marvel at and honor the world around us.Heres a look at some of this years best shots.Clash of the Titans by Svetlana IvanenkoClash of the Titans by Svetlana Ivanenko Svetlana Ivanenko | cupoty.comRussian photographer Svetlana Ivanenko impressed the judges with her striking photo of two male stag beetles (Lucanus cervus) duking it out for mating rights in an oak forest. Ivanenko traveled more than 430 miles to the Voronezh region of Russia to capture the beautiful event, she says in a statement.And after capturing that moment, I want to share it with everyone, she adds.As this years Close-up Photographer of the Year, Ivanenko gets a $3,000 cash prize, a trophy and a universal license for several photo editing and design apps. The same image also took first place in the insects category.God in the Shadows by Santiago J. Monroy GarcaGod in the Shadows by Santiago J. Monroy Garca Santiago J. Monroy Garca | cupoty.comSantiago J. Monroy Garca, a Colombian photographer, earned first place in the animals category for his dramatic photo of an Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) walking through the dense foliage of a highland rainforest.He traveled to Ecopalacio Nature Reservelocated about 20 miles outside Bogotto see if he could get a shot of a well-known bear nicknamed Nariz de Calavera, or Skull Nose. The individual is one of the largest bears in the area, and its species is the only bear native to South America.The photographer set up a motion-triggered camera so as not to disturb the reserves wildlife. Finally, in November 2023, his trail camera captured the image he had been envisioning, without the use of bait.I wanted to capture the bear behaving naturally in its environment, seeking an intimate picture that showcased the unique ecosystem as though it were part of a dream, he says in a statement. Fortuitously, the rain had splashed the lens in just the right spots, creating brushstrokes and textures that immerse the viewer in the humidity and cold of the highland Andean forests of Colombia.Queen of Hearts by Pierluigi RizzoQueen of Hearts by Pierluigi Rizzo Pierluigi Rizzo | cupoty.comItalian photographer Pierluigi Rizzo merged two photos of a female Mediterranean black widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) to create the winning shot in the arachnids category. He saw the spider feeding on its prey at Pollino National Park in Calabria, Italy.In the first photo, I shot the spiders abdomen to emphasize the spiders characteristic red spots, he says in a statement. In the second photo, I wanted to capture the moment of feeding, so I placed a flash with a blue gel behind the spider to obtain its silhouette. The two photos were merged in-camera.Damselfly by the Waterfall by Yong MiaoDamselfly by the Waterfall by Yong Miao Yong Miao | cupoty.comA damselfly (Archineura incarnata) perches peacefully on a rock in front of a roaring waterfall in Chinese photographer Yong Miaos image, which won the butterflies and dragonflies category of the contest. Taken at Tianmushan Nature Reserve in Zhejiang Province, China, the photo captures a moment when time seemed to stand still, Miao says.Its head was lowered to the surface of the water, as if appreciating its own reflection, he says in a statement. Any slight disturbance would make it fly away, so I immersed my body in the water and cautiously crawled towards it. From a distance of about [6.5 feet], I firmly set my camera and captured this precious scene.Bark is Worse than its Bite by Aran GibbsBark is Worse than its Bite by Aran Gibbs Aran Gibbs | cupoty.comIrish photographer Aran Gibbs was taking a long evening hike up a mountain near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when he spotted a Caerostris spider, also known as a bark spider, resting on a stick. Using his backpack for extra stability, he steadied his camera and snapped this charming photo, which won the invertebrate portrait category.Everythings A-OK by Gabriel JensenEverything's A-OK by Gabriel Jensen Gabriel Jensen | cupoty.comEven on difficult days, American photographer Gabriel Jensen believes that everything will turn out just fine. He reminds himself to feel this way with this photo, which sits on his desk at work and depicts a comically calm doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) in the jaws of a lizardfish (Synodus foetens) in Kona, Hawaii, he says in a statement.Using its splayed pectoral and dorsal spines to fight back, the doctorfish eventually escapedbut not before Jensen managed to get the winning shot in the underwater category.Mosses by Piet HaaksmaMosses by Piet Haaksma Piet Haaksma | cupoty.comMany people would have strolled right on past a bit of garden moss covered in dew dropsbut not Dutch photographer Piet Haaksma. After a foggy, early spring night in Sneek, the Netherlands, he was so moved by the dreamy scene that he got out his camera and started shooting. His resulting imagecomposed of two combined shots and adjusted to achieve a blue colorwon this years plants category.Ear-Pick Fungus by Barry WebbEar-Pick Fungus by Barry Webb Barry Webb | cupoty.comBritish photographer Barry Webb won this years fungi and slime molds category with his shot of a half-inch-tall ear-pick fungus (Auriscalpium vulgare) growing on a pine cone in southern England.Auriscalpium vulgare grows on pine cones and has an eccentric stem attached to one side of the cap, with unusual and distinctive downward-pointing, teeth-like gills, he says in a statement.Webb was also a category winner for his fungus photos in the Close-up Photographer of the Year contest several times in the past.A Network of Life and Death by Jean-Philippe DelobelleA Network of Life and Death by Jean-Philippe Delobelle Jean-Philippe Delobelle | cupoty.comFemale bark beetles lay their eggs beneath the bark of trees. When these eggs hatch, the larvae begin to carve tunnels under the barkand the tunnels get larger and larger as the larvae grow. French photographer Jean-Philippe Delobelle spotted one such network of tunnels under the bark of a spruce tree in the French Alps and decided to take a photo. His image won the intimate landscape category.The intricate tunnels are a symbol of life for the larva and death for the tree, he says in a statement.Spring by Andres Luis Dominguez BlancoSpring by Andres Luis Dominguez Blanco Andres Luis Dominguez Blanco | cupoty.comAndres Luis Dominguez Blanco may be just 14 years old, but already, the Spanish teen understands how to compose a compelling photo. Blancos shot of a colorful European bee-eater (Merops apiaster) in mid-flight with an insect in its beak won this years young photographer category.Having previously observed bee-eaters with binoculars, I knew exactly where they would fly after hunting insects, he says in a statement. This allowed me to strategically place a hide so that I could get a low point of view to blur the foreground and background flowers in the picture. I spent several weekend mornings in the hide, watching each bird catch 15-20 insects per hour, which provided ample opportunities for me to capture some attractive images.Artificial Landscapeby Rob BlankenArtificial Landscape by Rob Blanken Rob Blanken | cupoty.comViewed closely through a microscope, a combination of crystallized amino acids captured by photographer Rob Blanken of the Netherlands evokes a fantastical landscape, according to a statement.To set up this shot, which took first place in the studio art category, Blanken mixed two amino acids with water and ethanol. Then, he heated the solution on a microscope slide. Over time, the crystals form on the slide and can be made visible with the help of polarization filters, he adds. I create these images because of the fascinating shapes, colors and endless variations they offer.Runners-up: mushrooms, kelp and giant sequoiasSandy Mushroom by British photographer Jamie Spensley won third place in the fungi and slime molds category. He spotted the fruiting body while exploring the sand dunes on Holywell Bay Beach in Cornwall, England. Jamie Spensley | cupoty.comFlowing Kelp by American photographer and marine biologist Sigfrido Zimmermann won third place in the plants category. The image shows a giant kelp frond (Macrocystis pyrifera) in the water at Channel Islands National Park in California. Sigfrido Zimmermann | cupoty.com Zimmermann also took third place in the intimate landscape category for Among Giants, an image showing a white fir tree surrounded by three giant sequoias amid snow and fog at California's Sequoia National Park. Sigfrido Zimmermann | cupoty.comGet the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Animals, Art Photographers, Art Photography, Fish, Fungus, Insects, Nature, Nature Photography, Photographers, Photography, Plants
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