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Greta oto, a species of brush-footed butterfly most commonly found in Central and South America, has a colloquial moniker just as beautiful as its physiology: It’s known as the “glasswing butterfly.” And that name is definitely not hyperbolic. Because these butterflies’ wings look enough like glass to make it seem like they belong on a cathedral.

The glasswing butterfly, which can be found as far south as Chile and, very rarely, as far north as Texas, belong to the family, Nymphalidae. Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. The glasswing stands out as unique for obvious reasons.

The glasswing butterfly. David Tiller 

The glasswing, shown off in the PBS video above (via Laughing Squid), is able to achieve its extraordinary transparency thanks to its wings’ lack of pigment, as well as their being covered with waxy nanopillars. The nanopillars allow Greta oto‘s wings to avoid being reflective. The nanopillars (shown below), are randomly arranged on the wings’ surfaces, and are so tiny that their radii are smaller than the wavelengths of visible light. This nanoscale allows the miniature pillars to scatter light rather than have it reflect off the transparent wings.

A close-up look at the glasswing’s waxy nanopillars. PBS

Despite the fact that the glasswing may seem like an especially fragile member of Nymphalidae, it’s shockingly resilient. Apparently the glasswing is able to carry 40 times its own body weight, and also combats predation by birds by eating toxins that make the butterflies taste foul. The natural nanotech still takes the cake for cool factor, however, especially because it’s reminiscent of vantablack.

What do you think about the glasswing butterfly? Is this the most stunning butterfly you’ve ever laid eyes on, or are you a bigger fan of these boozed-up specimens? Give us some clarity about what you’re thinking in the comments!

Feature Image: Deep Look 

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Calling all art lovers and Ghibli fans! In honor of Studio Ghibli‘s 34th anniversary fans from all over the world have taken to social media to present their versions of Hayao Miyazaki’s visions (via Bored Panda). The Studio Ghibli Redraw Challenge follows the viral Sailor Moon Redraw Challenge that saw hundreds of artists putting their own spins on Sailor Moon. And with Ghibli’s treasure trove of films, artists have tons of characters to pull inspiration from. The animation studio is home to beloved classics such as Spirited Away (2001), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), and Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), just to name a few (and they’re available to stream on HBO Max now).

Twitter user @Kadeart put out the call in May to start the #ghibliredraw challenge to celebration Studio Ghibli’s anniversary. The response has been overwhelming and impressive.

Studio Ghibli

The original tweet reached far and wide, and artists have stepped up for the redraw challenge. Let’s peruse some of the many incredible submissions.

The original poster of the challenge, @Kadeart, drew Haku and Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle.

This adorable rendering of Jiji from Kiki’s Delivery Service by @PuffyGators makes me want a new animated spin off with Jiji as the adorable lead.

Chihiro of Spirited Away gets a new, bold look with @risorins‘ rendering of her.

This beautiful reinterpretation of The Wind Rises by @squizxy would make anyone want to commit to a rewatch.

Kiki is ready for adventure in this piece by @frangeles.

This The Secret World of Arrietty drawing by @kuroniikka is giving us major Ferngully vibes.

This dreamy interpretation of Mononoke by @Bloomer__ is perfect

Of course, you can’t have a Ghibli challenge without someone drawing Totoro. Twitter user @ephinephrineee made the forest spirit very cute.

Studio Ghibli has brought joy to audiences for over 30 years with its beautifully crafted characters and worlds. According to Entertainment Weekly, “At the start of the new year, Studio Ghibli rang in 2020 by revealing there were in fact two films in development.” So, thankfully, we have more magic to look forward to in the future. In the meantime, be sure to follow the #ghiblredraw hashtag on Twitter and Instagram.

Featured Image: Studio Ghibli

The post Artists Re-Create Studio Ghibli Characters in Their Own Styles appeared first on Nerdist.

The Alien franchise seems to be on pause for the moment, given the recent acquisition of Twentieth Century Fox by Disney. Before the merger however, there were tentative plans for director Ridley Scott to follow up his two Alien prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant with another film, one which lead directly into his original 1979 classic.

Twentieth Century Fox

Until recently however, we didn’t know much about this potential film, and just what story threads it would tackle. But in speaking with the L.A. Times (via IGN), Scott revealed just what some of his plans were going to be for his fourth film set in this universe, saying the following:

“What I always thought when I was making the first one [was] why would a creature like this be made and why was it travelling in what I always thought was a kind of war-craft, which was carrying a cargo of these eggs. What was the purpose of the vehicle and what was the purpose of the eggs? That’s the thing to question – who, why, and for what purpose is the next idea, I think.”

Twentieth Century Fox

Essentially, we’d finally find out just what those xenomorph eggs were doing on that downed alien ship on planet LV-426 that the crew of the Nostromo discovers. It will be interesting to see if Scott ever gets to complete his story; perhaps that will remain a mystery for all time. Despite Alien: Covenant not exactly setting the box office on fire in 2017, it opened well enough to prove that this story still has life.

Maybe instead of a theatrical film, we get a big budget series on Hulu for example? The world of Alien is definitely too R-rated for Disney+. Whether it’s Ridley Scott continuing his prequels, or Neil Blomkamp resurrecting his idea for a direct follow up to Aliens with Sigourney Weaver, we highly doubt we have visited this universe for the last time.

Featured Image: Twentieth Century Fox

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Brande Elise & Danielle Gray have recently relaunched their CBD & Lifestyle brand UNOIA to combat anxiety associated with COVID-19 & all the injustice in the world.

UNOIA encourages its users to be “Beautiful Thinkers” as they travel through everyday life and deal with some of the tough things our world has to offer, both physical & mental. UNOIA is also targeted to users looking to improve their overall health. By simply adding their products to your food/drinks, or even moisturizing your skin with it, you can improve your overall health. They even offer products for pets! UNOIA has received support from celebrity influencers like Mimi Faust (Love & Hip-Hop ATL), & Toya Wright. Products can be purchased here.

Brande & Danielle are advocates for finding peace of by showcasing different practices in mindfulness, how wellness can encompass our life during the pandemic, explaining the difference between CBD & THC (component in Marijuana Products), discuss their love/business relationship, & more! Brande, was formerly engaged to WNBA star Angel McCoughtry. She was even featured on a TLC show, “Say Yes To The Dress.” Now, she gives advice on how it is being in a business relationship with her new lover, Danielle Gray.

Brande Elise describes herself as a combination of every person she’s ever met. As a co-Founder of UNOIA, she brings an exhaustive network of celebrities, artists, photographers and influencers to the table. With a click of a button, her network can garner an audience of over 20 million people on social media. Brande is a former tennis professional and can speak about how CBD helped her wind down after a tough match, lower her anxiety level, and get creative. Danielle Gray has always been a bit out of the box – it makes sense how naturally marketing comes to her. She has owned and operated her marketing firm, DG Marketing Co. since 2016 and has traveled the country speaking to over 20,000 people. She developed and designed the UNOIA logo, brand and all marketing materials.

Collectively, Brande and Dani are one of the most well-known couples in the South. They light up every room with their genuine energy and excitement for life.

UNOIA was established in Atlanta by founders, Brandé Elise and Danielle Gray in June 2019. The company grew rapidly once the city learned about their signature CBD honey and CBD agave products. Upon rebranding in April 2020, Unoia has expanded its product line to include CBD oral drops, CBD Muscle Relief, CBD Soothing Salve, CBD Pet Treats and Tinctures.

“The world is heavy right now. It is our job to provide light and help lighten up those feelings. We’re so excited about the relaunch because we’ve added so many new products to accommodate all of our beautiful thinkers,” says Danielle Gray.

“We are not only creating healers in the world, but we are enlightening and inspiring people to be with themselves during this difficult time,” says Brande Elise.

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