On a clear day...

Today was cloudy, then it wasn't, sunny, then it wasn't, now it's rainy. Wait an hour it will change. It is spring in Bremen now - apparently the seasons are reversed this year, after 30 degrees in May.

Today I found the answer to my dreams. Besides occasionally clear skies, I also found out that some snail shells are clear ... and the first diving goggles were made by the Persians from polished tortoise shells. This is a baby snail shell viewed with different polarizing filters.
This confirms my theory that if you can control the growth of crystals with enzymes (which is what animals do that use a process called "biomineralization"), you can control the optical properties as well as the strength and surface finish. This is actually very cool if you don't want to run into things when you're crossing the seas in your giant snail aka Dr. Dolittle (can't believe I can't find a picture of it online!).

This weekend I'm goin' barnacle huntin' up the Weser River to see if any of the local species can tolerate brackish water in the intertidal zone like some tough nuts in Texas (and go exploring) - 4 ferries and 70km to Bremerhaven should be a cinch after last weekend!