Generally, I focus on the grass-and-puddles world, where we have the most satisfying experiences with our pets. And I like to keep things local. But today, I'm making an exception for an online art gallery that set the hair on the back of my neck on end, which is an image I'll never think of in exactly the same way since killing an hour sifting through the morphed pictures at Human Descent [1].
Using something called "a healing brush" in Adobe Photoshop, an "artist" named Martin (one name only) somewhere in the southern United Kingdom, merges a snail with a frog to generate a frail; a mouse and a lizard become a mouzard; a dog and a penguin, a doguin; and strangely on and on. Like the unholy creatures out of a Hieronymus Bosch [2] painting, the results are unnervingly beautiful. They'd also be a playful romp, if I didn't think esteemed physics professor Freeman Dyson is right when he predicts someday genetic engineering will be so cheap and essay, hobbyists will cook up species at home [3].
Share my fears or celebrate the possibilities with Human Descent T-shirts and cards, morphing tutorials, and customized morphs. Ever wanted to cross your husband with your cat? Here's your chance.
From dogsledding in Fairbanks to tracking down lost pups with a pet detective in Fresno, Pet Dish blogger Lisa Wogan explores the world of dogs and their people for Bark magazine, and in books such as Unleashed: Climbing Canines, Hiking Hounds, Fishing Fidos, and Other Daring Dogs. She lives in Seattle with two dogs, Lulu and Renzo.
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