Golden Ratio Calipers

The Golden Ratio [phi (ɸ) ~1.61803399] is often found in the relationship between lines and shapes in nature. Some examples include the nautilus shell, sunflowers, and proportions of the human body. A tool with three caliper legs that divide the space by the golden ratio is useful for art and design and so I created a golden ratio caliper.

Handcrafted from laminated ice cream sticks and rivets, the construction used limited tools (pocket knife, sandpaper, rasp, and hammer).

Handcrafted upcycled golden ratio calipers 

The middle leg points to 13cm, dividing the outer legs (measuring 21cm) into 13cm and 8cm sections 

Another golden ratio related item I have created is the Approximately Φ coffee table

The Museum of Alchemists and Magicians of Old Prague

During the 1500s, the idea of turning lead into gold with alchemy was sought after by many including Emporer Rupert II of Bohemia. He employed Edward Kelley as an alchemist. We visited the historic tower where Kelley produced gold from a red liquid and mercury. It is suspected that some fakery was involved, but it would be interesting to learn if any real science was done or discovered by the alchemists.

Kelley Tower, 1546

View from the tower

Some of the preserved creatures in the lab

A homunculus

Kelley's study

More lab equipment

Lego Museum, Prague

A fun museum for kids and adults to visit is the Lego Museum in Prague. On our recent trip to Prague, we enjoyed looking at the models and playing with the Lego.

A large Sydney Opera House

And a small Sydney Opera House

A large architectural model of the Czech National Museum (front)

A large architectural model of the Czech National Museum (inside)

Many global visitors have added their flags to the map

My attempt at a Silver Fern flag

There were push-button controls for some of the Technic Lego models

A town with a train

The Little Mole "krteček" is a famous Czech cartoon character

The Millenium Falcon

More Star Wars models

R2D2

Watching a hot air balloon launch

On our holiday at the famous Pamukkale geothermal area last winter, I stopped to watch a hot air balloon launch.

   

 Apple Museum, Prague

Prague has hundreds of specialist museums. We rounded a corner and saw the Apple Museum so we just had to visit. They have a huge collection of Apple computers, iPods, iPhones and iPads from 1976 to 2012.

The museum has only Apple products and artifacts and with 472 exhibits, it is the largest private Apple collection. 

An Apple 1 Computer

Schematic Diagram Apple 1

Apple IIe computer. We had these at high school in the 1980s

Macintosh 128K. 

Remember the 1984 advert. The famous hammer throw advert and other excerpts from Apple events like the introduction of the iPhone played in the video presentation.

More of the original Macintosh Family

NeXT computers

Some rare iMacs

20th Anniversary Mac

PowerMacs

iMacs

iMacs

iBooks

MacBooks

iPods

iPhones

iPads

As well as a cafe, there is a collection of Pop Art featuring the Crazy Ones. Learn more info about the Apple Museum on their website. 

Pre-vinyl Recorded Music

On a recent trip to Prague, we visited the Nostalgic Museum. The owner had a large collection of devices for playing recorded music before vinyl records were popular. These included music boxes and organs that played using metal or cardboard discs or paper rolls.

Gramophone

A few music players in action

A multi-instrument music player

A multi-instrument music player. Cymbals, drum, chimes, and triangle.

Phonograph. Uses a wax cylinder.

Zinc discs

Ariston. Uses rotating cardboard discs and compressed air. 

Herophon. The plate is stationary while the machine rotates.

Mechanical Autoharp

Baroque Clock