Stuff To Blow Your Mind From the Vault: The Universe in 100 Colors, with Tyler Thrasher
Sep 27, 2025
Tyler Thrasher, a self-taught chemist, botanist, artist, and author, shares his passion for nature-science art, including his unique crystallized insects and lab-grown opals. He discusses the fascinating world of color in science and nature, revealing surprising facts like the rarity of blue foods and the ethical issues surrounding colors like mummy brown. Tyler emphasizes how his book, co-authored with Terry Mudge, aims to rekindle a deeper appreciation for colors and their complexity.
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From Kitchen Experiments To A Career
- Tyler Thrasher discovered crystallizing insects by accident in college and grew crystals in his kitchen after studying minerals from caving.
- His viral posts turned that experiment into a full-time career producing crystallized insects and artworks.
Schrödinger's Cat Becomes A Plush Toy
- Tyler created Schrodinger's cat plushies including a 'quantum cat' representing a superposed state.
- He turned thought experiments into playful, physical items to make science tangible.
Color Classified By Origin
- Tyler built the book around color origins and teamed with Terry Mudge to include weird materials and science explanations.
- Their goal was a 'pokedex' style classification to reveal diverse mechanisms producing color.
