Topography

Science

Seals Are Helping Chart The Ocean Floor

3:01PM October 9, 2010 | Christina Bonnington

What better way to learn about the ocean’s depths than plastering this contraption on a wild seal’s head? This guy and 56 of his friends are gathering information about the seafloor to help scientists model the ocean’s reaction to climate change. More »

Topographical Carpet Must Be Mine, My Toes Decree It

3:40AM August 8, 2010 | Kyle VanHemert

Imagine a vast kingdom of rolling hills and rippling tides, cast in soothing shades of green, blue and yellow. A kingdom that is soft and squishy. A kingdom in which the only doctrine is the Divine Right of Toes. More »

The View From Prostitution Mountain

2:00PM June 9, 2010 | Brian Barrett

Those towering peaks casting shadows over San Francisco? Those are where you see the highest incidence of prostitution. Creator Doug McCune has 3D topographical maps of seven more types of San Francisco crime, from assault to vandalism. The complete set: More »

Science

Sharkskin Inspired Material Repels Bacteria

1:00PM October 31, 2009 | Rosa Golijan

Sharks are scary. So scary that the texture of their skin alone prevents parasitic bacteria from sticking. Good, because by modelling a plastic sheet-like surface after that scary skin, we can actually prevent drug-resistant superbacteria like MRSA from building up. More »