Weekly Photo Challenge: It’s All In Your Head

This week’s challenge is all about things you admire, so I decided on something a little less..conventional. Do not adjust your set; that is a real human brain, preserved in epoxy and currently on display at the Exploratorium. Take step back and consider all that a human brain does. Controlling your body’s functions, from the senses and sleep to memories and sheer, raw emotion. Keeping you breathing and balanced. Reading this sentence and processing the little squiggles into letters and words, and thus their meaning. A complex organic machine connected via trillions of synapses. For all the dangers out there, it’s allowed us to become the dominant species on the planet. We survive, thrive, create, accomplish, and it’s all because these little clumps of matter are developed just enough to make it happen. Yeah, it’s worth admiration. A larger version is viewable here.

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Makeup Wave

This week’s challenge calls for something abstract, and I remembered something I saw at recently at the Macy’s Flower show. This isn’t just some random flow of colors; it’s a rather cleverly-designed makeup display for Dior. A larger version is viewable here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Hanging Orchids

Just some of the many, many flowers growing at the San Francisco California Conservatory of Flowers. Larger version is viewable here.

Dripping Stigma

San Francisco’s de Young Museum is famous for its wide variety of artifacts from all over the world. It’s less famous, however, for the beautiful sunflowers that decorate its restroom sinks! Larger version viewable here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Papua Skull Reliquary

A 19th century artifact from the Gulf of Papua, on display at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California. While some might think it’s creepy, I think it’s an amazing work of art. Also can be viewed here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Asmat Skull

The Asmat are an ethnic group of New Guinea, residing in the Papua province of Indonesia. This skull of one of their ancestors is on display at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California. While some might find it creepy, I think it’s a beautiful artifact of a culture we know so little about. Larger version can be seen here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Lily Pond Reflection

One of the cooler features at the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers is a lily pond inside the building. If it’s not to crowded, you can walk right up to it and enjoy the view. Considering how many tourists see it every day, it’s amazing how clean and serene it is. Larger version viewable here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Borneo River Toad

This rather stoic fellow can be found inside the Osher Rainforest at the Academy of Sciences. Unlike many animals, he just sat there calmly and let museum-goers get a good look. Larger version available here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sambava Tomato Frog

Here’s a colorful inhabitant of the Osher Rainforest at the California Academy of Sciences. Larger version is available here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Red Moon Jelly

At the Academy of Sciences, there’s a cool exhibit that features a dozen or so Moon Jellies in a cylinder. There’s a light shining into the water that changes color every few seconds…and so do the moon jellies. Here’s a close shot of some in red. Larger version can be viewed here.