In this week’s cafe, we had a chance to watch a short film Fragile Legacy and explore the magnificent Ocean. The film started by introducing Leopold and Redolph Blaschka, two glass artisans that made glass models of marine life. I was truly amazed by how fine and delicate the glass models are, and their high resemblance to marine creatures. It must have taken huge amounts of effort to create these glass pieces, and their dedication and passion for both art and the ocean impress me a lot. It would be nice to see the glass for real some day and I’m happy to learn that they will be exhibited in the Johnson Museum next year.

Besides appreciating these glass pieces, we also learned about the environmental issues of the Ocean. Due to the rising concentration of carbon in the atmosphere, the Ocean is taking in more carbon dioxide and growing more acidic, which causes some organisms to have trouble growing shells. Some people’s dynamite fishing destroyed coral reef habitats. An epidemic broke out among starfishes, now causing the population of starfish to decrease dramatically. Just like the Blaschka collection, these species under the sea are all extremely precious and fragile. We don’t want to lose all these wonders of the Ocean, and it is important for us to be aware of the severeness of these ecological issues.