Vector Control (1997)

From a well written and freely available handbook on how to control the vectors of insect borne disease such as malaria. (HERE). 

An ordinary life examined closely reveals itself to be exquisite and complicated and exceptional, somehow managing to be both heroic and plain.

A piece by Susan Orlean on how and why she writes (HERE).

Little Science, Big Science ...and Beyond ( 1986)

Above is a typical quantitative analysis by the physicist and social historian of science Derek J. de Solla Price (1922-1983). This is from Little Science, Big Science ... and Beyond published by Columbia University Press in 1986. The complete PDF is HERE.  

Gears from the Greeks. The Antikythera Mechanism: A Calendar Computer from ca. 80 BC (1974)

A long and detailed description of the reconstruction of an antique mechanical calculator by the science writer Derek de Solla Price. (HERE) 

The Illustrated Dust Jacket: 1920–1970

A collection of illustrated book jackets selected by Martin Salisbury (HERE). Above an illustrated jacket by Rockwell Kent for a John Buchan novel.

Gary Lichtenstein Editions (2018)

Silk screen printing is a fine art technique that is widely used to make limited editions of artworks - derived from paintings, graphic art or photography. HERE is a wonderful short video on the work of the Gary Lichtenstein Editions studio in Jersey City. The studio is open to the public. 

True Blue (2015)

A great, short essay, on the blue pigment ultramarine by Ravi Mangla - in The Paris Review (HERE). 

On a transcendental `law of logistic growth’ (1971)

The quote above from William Feller, called out recently by Edward Tufte, on the Law of Logistic Growth reminds me of what is sometimes called Kaplan's Law of the Instrument, which he formulated as follows: Give a small boy a hammer, and he will find that everything he encounters needs pounding. (Here).

Mount Joyce, USGS Map

Above a detail from a high resolution topographic reconnaissance map of Mount Joyce Antarctica. More HERE.

Hans Rosling (1948-2017)

Hans Rosling (1948-2017), a Swedish medic and statistician, and most recently a professor of international health at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, died a year ago. Rosling made superb presentations that combined animated data visualisations with humour and deep humanitarian compassion. With his son and daughter in law he built Gapminder - a software and institute with a focus on tools for showing development data.