INTERIOR DESIGNS

Interior designer

     Interior Designer implies that there is more of an emphasis on Planning, Functional design and effective use of space involved in this profession, as compared to interior decorating. An interior designer can undertake projects that include arranging the basic layout of spaces within a building as well as projects that require an understanding of technical issues such as acoustics, lighting, temperature, etc. Although an interior designer may create the layout of a space, they may not build the space without having their designs stamped for approval by an architect, which is why many interior designers also complete school to become architects as well. An interior designer may wish to specialize in a particular type of interior design in order to develop technical knowledge specific to that area. Types of interior design include residential design, commercial design, hospitality design, healthcare design, universal design, exhibition design, spatial branding, etc.

History of the interior design profession in the US

    In the past, Interiors were put together instinctively as a part of the process of building. The profession of interior design has been a consequence of the development of society and the complex architecture that has resulted from the development of industrial processes. The pursuit of effective use of space, user well-being and functional design has contributed to the development of the contemporary interior design profession.

In ancient India, architects used to work as interior designers. This can be seen from the references of Vishwakarma the architect - one of the Gods in Indian mythology. Additionally, the sculptures depecting ancient texts, events are seen in palaces built in 17th century India.

Throughout the 18th century and into the early 19th Century, interior decoration was the concern of the homemaker or, in well off families an upholsterer or craftsman may influence the style of the interior space. Architects would also employ craftsmen or artisans to complete interior design for their buildings. Towards the end of the 19th century interior decorating emerged as a profession in the Western world. This was due to various actions, particularly by women, to professionalise the homemaking process. Elsie De Wolfe has been credited with the creation of the interior decorating profession. Having successfully re-designed her own home, De Wolfe began offering her services to other people within her social circle. As people began offering interior decoration as a service the professionalization of this service gained momentum.

This movement towards professionalization was reinforced by the publication of books on the subject. Publications include the book Suggestions for House Decoration in Painting, Woodwork and Furniture (1876) by Anges and Rhoda Garrett, Elsie De Wolfe’s The House in Good Taste (1913) and articles by Candice Wheeler such as Principles of Home Decoration with Practical Examples (1903). Most of the books were published by women and clearly suggested the profession was within the women’s domain, E.g. The two-part article Interior Decoration as a Profession for Women (1895), written by Candice Wheeler.

As previously mentioned, before formal interior decorators evolved the job was the concern of craftsmen or upholsterers. This means that many ‘decorators’ at this time were dealers in the elements needed for interiors. This called into question the qualifications of the decorator and their standing as an independent advisor. This gave term interior decorator negative connotations for some, as a painter or curtain sales person can be a self-appointed decorator. Hence, the decorators favoured term Interior Designer. Interior design has now developed past the point of decoration and the terms, although overlapping, are distinct.

The most prominent development of the interior design profession was after World War II. From the 1950s onwards spending on the home increased. Interior design courses were established, requiring the publication of textbooks and reference sources. Historical accounts of interior designers and firms distinct from the decorative arts specialists were made available. While organisations to regulate education, qualifications, standards and practices, etc. were established for the profession.

Interior design was previously seen as playing a secondary role to architecture. It also has many connections to other design disciplines, involving the work of architects, industrial designers, engineers, builders, craftsmen, etc. For these reasons the government of interior design standards and qualifications was often incorporated into other professional organisations that involved design. Organisations such as the Chartered Society of Designers, established in the UK in 1986, and the American Designers Institute, founded in 1938, were established as organisations that governed various areas of design. It was not until later that specific representation for the interior design profession was developed. The US National Society of Interior Designers was established in 1957, while in the UK the Interior Decorators and Designers Association was established in 1966. Across Europe, other organisations such as The Finnish Association of Interior Architects (1949) were being established and in 1994 the International Interior Design Association was founded.

Ellen Mazur Thomson, author of Origins of Graphic Design in America (1997), determined that professional status is achieved through education, self-imposed standards and professional gate-keeping organisations.Having achieved this, interior design became an accepted profession.

Art Deco style in interior design

     The Art Deco style began in Europe in the early years of the 20th century, with the waning of Art Nouveau. The team "Art Deco" was taken from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, a world’s fair held in Paris in 1925. Art Deco rejected many traditional classical influences in favor of more streamlined geometric forms and metallic color. The Art Deco style influenced all areas of design, especially interior design, because it was the first style of interior decoration to spotlight new technologies and materials.
Art Deco style is mainly based on geometric shapes, "streamlining" and clean lines.The well-maintained Muswell Hill Odeon was an Art Deco style interior. Its striking lighting fixtures include an illuminated ribbon running down the middle of the ceiling to the top of the screen, which creates a streamlined effect, with a circular light be placed in the recessed ceiling area as a focal point. The geometrical shapes, angular edges and clean lines offer a sharp, cool look of mechanized living utterly at odds with anything that came before. The spacious lounge of Chicago’s 1929 Powhatan apartments which designed by Robert S. Degolyer and Charles L. Morgan is also a key Art Deco icon. These apartments note the geometric patterns on the ceiling’s light panels, as well as on the mouldings, grilles and pelmet. All of these geometric patterns provide by sharp angles and well-define lines that give the whole space a clean and elegant looking.
As the influence of industrial power, the Art Deco has to be seemed as one of the most exciting decorative style of the century. The Art Deco reject the traditional materials of decoration and interior design, instead option to use more unusual materials such as chrome, glass, stainless steel, shiny fabrics, mirrors, aluminium, lacquer, inlaid wood, sharkskin, and zebra skin. Stemming from this use of harder, metallic materials is the celebration of the machine age. Some of the materials used in art deco style interiors are direct reflection of the time period. Materials like stainless steel, aluminium, lacquer, and inlaid woods all reflect the modern age that was ushered in after the end of the World WarⅠ,and the steel and aluminium also reflect the growing aviation movement of the time. The innovative combinations of these materials create theatrical contrasts which were very popular at the end of the 1920s and during the 1930s, for example, the mixing highly polished wood and black lacquer with satin and furs. The barber shop in the Austin Reed store in London was designed by P. J. Westwood. It was the trendiest barber shop in Britain by using metallic materials. The whole barber shop was a gleaming ovoid space of mirrors, marble, chrome and frosted glass. The most exciting design was the undulating waves lighting fixture that forming by the continuous arcs of neon tubing, and support by chrome structure. The used of new technologies and materials emphasis the feature of Art Deco style.
The popular color themes in Art Deco consist of metallic color, neutral color, bright color and, black and white. The primary color use of Art Deco interior design is predominant by cool metallic colors including silver, gold, metallic blue, charcoal grey and platinum. These metallic colors not only create a shiny and glitz look to express the wealth and prosperity of the times, but also emphasis the look of Art Deco interior design by giving life to the numerous geometrical shapes that defines this style. Serge Chermayeff is a Russian designer who made extensive use of cool metallic colors and luxurious surfaces in his room schemes. The 1930 showroom for a British dressmaking firm has silver-grey background and black mirrored-glass wall panels which created a typical Art Deco of metallic look. Art Deco style color schemes started out with neutral colors such as beige, taupe, cream and medium brown. These neutral colors can easily achieve the feeling about streamlined and modern look. The black and white was also a very popular color scheme during the 1920s and 1930s, like the black and white checkerboard tiles, floors and wallpapers were very trendy in that times. As the style developed, bright vibrant colors became popular as well. For interior design, Art Deco incorporates a variety of creative colour combinations into its decor. The walls were often painted with a glossy finish to highlight the brightness of the Art Deco style. The colours were usually use plain and neutral colors with the bold, stylized and metallic patterns. The practice of painting each wall in a different color is very common in the Art Deco style of interior design.
Since the furniture and lighting fixture are the very significant parts of interior design, the features of Art Deco style also work the same in furniture and lighting design as well. Art Deco Furnishings and lighting fixtures have a glossy, luxurious appearance. Art Deco is a streamlined, geometric style which often includes furniture pieces with curved edges, geometric shapes and clean lines. Art deco furniture use glossy and shiny with inlaid wood and reflective finishes. The materials of chrome, aluminium, glass, mirrors and lacquered wood can create glossy and brilliant surfaces that define this style. Art Deco lighting fixtures often make use of the stacked geometric patterns. Most fixtures were made from
 polished bronze, chrome or steel in order to create that shiny, sleek look that was most associated with Art Deco.

 Interior designer

Interior Designer implies that there is more of an emphasis on Planning, Functional design and effective use of space involved in this profession, as compared to interior decorating. An interior designer can undertake projects that include arranging the basic layout of spaces within a building as well as projects that require an understanding of technical issues such as acoustics, lighting, temperature, etc. Although an interior designer may create the layout of a space, they may not build the space without having their designs stamped for approval by an architect, which is why many interior designers also complete school to become architects as well. An interior designer may wish to specialize in a particular type of interior design in order to develop technical knowledge specific to that area. Types of interior design include residential design, commercial design, hospitality design, healthcare design, universal design, exhibition design, spatial branding, etc.

Top 5 Dive Destinations!

There are many great reasons to scuba dive, but the one that most captures people's imagination is marine wildlife. From schools of tropical fish to sharks, tropical seas house an impressive chunk of Earth's life that most people only ever see on the Discovery channel. Still, as a diver, I firmly believe that swimming with a school of fish or sharing a manta ray's habitat for a few minutes is about more than recreation.

Seeing the ocean animals in their natural habitat makes them seem more real and worth protecting than any TV program could. At each of these five incredible destinations, divers can get up close and interact with some of the planet's most powerful and beautiful animals. The action is just below the surface at many of these sites, so even novice divers can participate.

1. Palau - There are a whole host of good reasons to dive in Palau, a tiny island nation in the south Pacific. The islands have been famous as a wreck diving site since 1969, when Jacques Cousteau came to Palau's Chuuk Lagoon in 1969 to film the wreckage of Japan's Pacific fleet, most of which sunk there during World War II. The wrecks have since been colonized by a variety of marine life that includes corals, rays, turtles, and over 200 species of fish. 

Above all, Palau is known for it's sharks, with some 130 threatened species inhabiting the islands. To protect the islands' ecosystem, Palau's government in 2009 named the country's waters a 'shark sanctuary', banning all commercial shark harvesting. Divers are likely to run into grey reef sharks, whitetips, and other 

species patrolling both wrecks and wall sites like Blue Corner.

2. The Great Barrier Reef - While most Americans would be hard-pressed to find Palau on a map, even non-divers know the Great Barrier Reef. Running nearly 1,500 miles down the eastern coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef in the world and is said to be visible from space. To go with its size, the Great Barrier Reef has an almost unfathomably large collection of sea life. Besides moray eels, wrasse, and other common coral-dwellers, rarer creatures like giant clams and sea snakes abound. 

Visiting the Great Barrier Reef by car is a good alternative for those who aren't willing to commit to a liveaboard: the GBR is probably the world's most road trip-friendly reef, and many people choose to town-hop down the coast, doing their diving by day boat. From Cairns on the reef's northern end, divers can catch a boat out to Hamilton Reef, a favorite spot for marine mammals like dolphins and Minke whales. Moving south, Townsville is the base for trips to the SS Yongala, a 1911 wreck-turned-reef that now sports turtles, large sea snakes, and other super-sized animals. Gladstone, located further south, is the connection point for boats to Heron Island, said to have some of the best diving on the GBR.

See more photos at Australia Photos

3. Galapagos Islands - Known for inspiring Darwin's theory of evolution, Ecuador's Galapagos Islands are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a reserve for one of the world's largest populations of endemic wildlife. With the waters around the islands protected, the local fish have very little fear of humans, and many will even approach divers. Sea lions, turtles, and manta rays are everywhere, and starfish, sea cucumbers, and Galapagos crabs seem to cover the sand in some spots. Sharks, including hammerheads, are common but not dangerous. Diving in Galapagos is tricky, and really only for experienced divers.

The islands are unusual for the tropics in that most of the diving is on volcanic drop-offs instead of  coral reefs, so dive sites are deep and very exposed to ocean currents. Thanks to the Antarctic Humboldt current, which passes by the islands, the water is unusually cold for the equator; a 7mm wetsuit is standard gear. If you're planning on going to Galapagos, keep in mind that all visitors, whether Ecuadorian or foreign, need an INGALA transit card to visit the islands; the card costs $10 for foreigners and must be purchased before going to Galapagos. Visitors also have to pay a park fee ($100 for foreigners) upon arrival in the islands.

See more articles about Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands and photos of Ecuador

4. Cocos Island, Costa Rica - Costa Rica is famous as an eco-tourism destination, and few places in the country are better for it than Cocos Island, a rainforest-covered spot of land 340 miles off Costa Rica's Pacific shore. Accessible only by liveaboard, Cocos is one of the largest uninhabited islands outside of the Arctic: the only residents are a group of about 30 park rangers. While visitors can land for day hikes and other activities, they have to be off the island by nightfall. 

Cocos is an oceanic island, so visitors can expect to see an eclectic mix of animals, including octopuses,hawksbill turtles, tuna, and hammerhead and whitetip sharks. The island is especially famous for whale sharks, most often sighted in deep, off-shore sites like Dirty Rock, a 100-yard-wide underwater channel northwest of the island. As in Galapagos, the diving in Cocos is generally on the deep side and in strong current, so it's not for beginners. With sea kayaking and whale-watching nearby, divers shouldn't have a hard time keeping themselves occupied during surface intervals.

5. The Red Sea - Europeans have been diving the Red Sea for decades, but it's only been in the past few years that American divers have begun to join them. The 1,200-mile-long sliver of water has an impressive variety of habitats available for divers to visit, from coral reefs in the south to deep walls and wrecks in the north. The Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheik has become the base for Red Sea diving; from there, visitors can board a liveaboard or take day trips to coastal sites.

The extra-saline Red Sea's marine life is much like that found in the Indian Ocean, with a few endemic species like the blue-cheek butterflyfish thrown in for good measure. There are loads of sponge and coral species, dolphins, sharks, and tropical fish like anthias and clownfish. At 1,200 miles long, there's plenty of Red Sea to explore, and divers may even need multiple days to exhaust the possibilities at enormous offshore sites like Daedalus Reef.

Discover Home Gardening to Breathe Life Back Into Your World

Many people are rediscovering the joys of home gardening. Some major factors that have brought about this change are the necessity for a major change in the lifestyle habits in order to prolong life span, have a better quality of life and preserve the environment. 

Through the years, we have seen the proliferation of deadly diseases such as cancer, heart disease and different respiratory tract illnesses. These are just a few among the many problems that have been brought about by the birth of mass industrialization. Modernization and progress have their price. For sleek and concrete jungles to be built, many trees and plants have to be sacrificed. Along with these came noise and air pollution, and environmental damage. The cutting down of trees and plants to give way to modernization has also caused a sudden rise in the environment s temperature. The absence of the plants caused by deforestation has brought about


Having a home garden and growing your own plants, flowers and vegetables is like hitting several birds with one stone. First of all, you bring nature into your home. Plants give off more oxygen. Thus, the air around the home becomes fresher. 

When you grow your own vegetables in your garden, you are sure of fresh, organic produce that is free from chemical pesticides that may harm your family s health. You will have fresh vegetables and herbs on demand, so this also means great savings on your grocery budget. 

You relieve some of your stress by attending to your new hobby and you contribute to making the planet a more beautiful and better place to live in because of the plants you grow. 

Those who live in high rise residences who would like to bring more of nature into their homes can consider creating pocket gardens or indoor gardens. Creating pocket gardens is like having their own oasis in the midst of the concrete jungle. It provides not only some form of a hobby, it helps save the environment in one s own little way. These are just some reasons why many people would try as much as possible to squeeze in some of nature into their urban domains. 

Flowering plants are always great for gardens, no matter what the size. It is important, however to consider what kinds of flowers one wants to have in the garden. This is because some flowering plants bloom only once in a while. Should you want plants that bloom often, then perennial plants are for you. 

Vegetable gardens will come in handy for the chef in you. You will be guaranteed fresh organic produce all the time. You are also sure that these are chemical and pesticide free. For those with small spaces, but would want easy access to fresh herbs, a miniature garden in your own kitchen will be great for you. You can buy potted fresh basil, oregano and other herbs from your neighborhood market and put them right on your kitchen counter. They require very little care. 

Creating your own home garden will help you relieve stress as you help the environment in your own little way.

FACTS  ON  TOY POODLE

Another unusual task that toy poodles were set to was truffle sniffing. Truffles were a fungus that was considered a delicacy. These small dogs were perfect for seeking out this special treat. It was their job to sniff out and dig up this fungus because of their special qualifications. Part of the reason that they were favored was that they did less damage to the truffles than a larger dog would because of their small size and, consequently, smaller paws. They were less likely to stomp the delicacy before returning it to their owners. Truffle hunting just seemed to be something that toy poodles were suited to.

Dogs have served countless roles throughout history. The toy poodle alone has been a performer in the circus, used to warm the hands of nobility, and used to track down a fungal delicacy. You probably thought they were just cute.

Toy Poodles As Hand Warmers?

It sounds odd, but during the Renaissance toy poodles were said to have served this very function. Their purpose was to rest in the large sleeves in the clothing of the nobility and to keep these wealthy hands warm. The large sleeves that were stylish at the time left room for these small dogs, and the toy poodles did the rest. Their size obviously made them an ideal choice for such an odd function. They have even been referred to as sleeve dogs at times for this very reason. Given the fact that toy poodles are so intelligent and easily trained, it is entirely possible that toy poodles served such functions.

Tango Steps

Getting started

Select tango music with a slow, steady one-two-three-four beat, emphasizing on the one and three beats. To begin with, Argentine Tango music is found to suit the best, but one can always go for slow rock or a rumba, which will work equally well.

Before you start practicing the steps in Tango dancing, listen to the music to find the beat. Then start walking in a counter-clockwise circle around the room. Try to land on the balls of your feet as you walk around the room. Now, try to walk backward around the circle now. While you are practicing the Tango dance steps, look over your shoulder to see where you are going. Women should look over to their right shoulder; while the men are supposed to look over their left shoulder.

Instructions for Men: steps of Tango dance
The should face their partner, placing their right arm on her lower back. They should also straighten your upper body, while keeping the weight of their body on the balls of the feet. Using their right hand, they have to pull their partner towards them. To do this, he may have to shift to the side a bit so as to avoid any knees bumping with each other when learning basic steps of Tango dancing.

Now, extending the left arm up and to the side, apply gentle pressure on to your partner's palm. This soft pressure against her palm will help her know which way you are going as you lead. With your feet close together, you should take a step forward with your left foot and then forward with your right foot. Bringing your left foot next to your right, keep your weight on the right foot. You are now back to the starting point.

Repeat these basic Tango dancing steps, guiding your partner around the room in a circle.

Instructions for Women: steps of Tango dance 

Facing your partner, place your left hand on his arm above his bicep, while straightening your upper body. Keeping your weight on the balls of your feet, try to extend your right arm up and to the side. You have to keep it tense, as this tension will allow you to sense your partner's movements better, while making it easier to follow his lead. After standing with your feet close together, step backward with your right foot and then with your left foot. Bringing your right foot next to your left, try to keep your weight on the left foot. You are now back to the starting position.

Repeat these steps in Tango dancing as your partner guides you around the room. Pay attention to body language, for any little pushes or pulls as he guides you.

Some variations in the steps of Tango dancing are:

Cadencia
One can change the Tango dance steps by altering the basic step by standing in place as you do the two-step. You can then step backward on the second step to do la Cunita, or the Rock-Step. One can also combine the basic two-step with some of these variations and don't be afraid to experiment.

Once you have mastered the basic steps of tango, you can start off with Tango dancing with partner. With more practice and improvisations, you can further add variations to your dancing style, thus making it unique.

Here are a few guidelines when you tango dance with partner:

• Stand close to your partner, touching your bodies.
• If you are leading the dance, place your right hand at the center of your partner's lower back and with your left hand, lightly hold your partner's right hand.
• If you are following the lead, your left hand should be placed on his right shoulder, while holding his left hand with your right hand.
• The lead will initiate the dance, walking slowly and starting with the left foot. He will land first on the heel followed by the toes. The partner is expected to replicate the steps.
• On the second beat of the music, you should slowly, take a step with your right foot so it glides past the left, when tango dancing with partner.
• To the third beat, replicating the first two steps, quickly, you have to start with a forward movement with the left foot and a quick movement to the right with the right foot, while shifting the weight between both feet.
• Slipping your left foot towards your right foot, on the fourth beat, keep it bent, while maintaining the weight on the right foot.
•  Now, taking a half-turn in a clockwise direction, transfer your body weight from the right to the left foot. Quickly step forward with your right foot while doing so. Now, stepping forward with your right foot, complete the half-turn.
• Go over the same guide once you join your feet together at the end of the beat.

Tango dancing with partner has been rightly called “dancing in the heart”. Tango dance with partner does not only relate to the music, but requires both dancers to get involved completely. A romantic and passionate dance, you can bring out your best in you and your partner and do justice to the tango.

Planet Earth

Earth (or the Earth) is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets. It is sometimes referred to as the world, the Blue Planet,or by its Latin name, Terra.
Earth formed approximately 4.54 billion years ago by accretion from the solar nebula, and life appeared on its surface within one billion years. The planet is home to millions of species, including humans. Earth's biosphere has significantly altered the atmosphere and other abiotic conditions on the planet, enabling the proliferation of aerobic organisms as well as the formation of the ozone layer which, together with Earth's magnetic field, blocks harmful solar radiation, permitting life on land. The physical properties of the Earth, as well as its geological history and orbit, have allowed life to persist. The planet is expected to continue supporting life for another 500 million to 2.3 billion years.

Earth's crust is divided into several rigid segments, or tectonic plates, that migrate across the surface over periods of many millions of years. About 71% of the surface is covered by salt water oceans, with the remainder consisting of continents and islands which together have many lakes and other sources of water that contribute to the hydrosphere. Earth's poles are mostly covered with solid ice (Antarctic ice sheet) or sea ice (Arctic ice cap). The planet's interior remains active, with a thick layer of relatively solid mantle, a liquid outer core that generates a magnetic field, and a solid iron inner core.Earth interacts with other objects in space, especially the Sun and the Moon. At present, Earth orbits the Sun once every 366.26 times it rotates about its own axis, which is equal to 365.26 solar days, or one sidereal year. The Earth's axis of rotation is tilted 23.4° away from the perpendicular of its orbital plane, producing seasonal variations on the planet's surface with a period of one tropical year (365.24 solar days). Earth's only known natural satellite, the Moon, which began orbiting it about 4.53 billion years ago, provides ocean tides, stabilizes the axial tilt, and gradually slows the planet's rotation. Between approximately 3.8 billion and 4.1 billion years ago, numerous asteroid impacts during the Late Heavy Bombardment caused significant changes to the greater surface environment.

Both the mineral resources of the planet and the products of the biosphere contribute resources that are used to support a global human population. These inhabitants are grouped into about 200 independent sovereign states (193 United Nations recognized sovereign states), which interact through diplomacy, travel, trade, and military action. Human cultures have developed many views of the planet, including personification as a deity, a belief in a flat Earth or in the Earth as the center of the universe, and a modern perspective of the world as an integrated environment that requires stewardship.

The BIG Bloom

In the summer of 1973 sunflowers appeared in my father's vegetable garden. They seemed to sprout overnight in a few rows he had lent that year to new neighbors from California. Only six years old at the time, I was at first put off by these garish plants. Such strange and vibrant flowers seemed out of place among the respectable beans, peppers, spinach, and other vegetables we had always grown. Gradually, however, the brilliance of the sunflowers won me over. Their fiery halos relieved the green monotone that by late summer ruled the garden. I marveled at birds that clung upside down to the shaggy, gold disks, wings fluttering, looting the seeds. Sunflowers defined flowers for me that summer and changed my view of the world.

Flowers have a way of doing that. They began changing the way the world looked almost as soon as they appeared on Earth about 130 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period. That's relatively recent in geologic time: If all Earth's history were compressed into an hour, flowering plants would exist for only the last 90 seconds. But once they took firm root about 100 million years ago, they swiftly diversified in an explosion of varieties that established most of the flowering plant families of the modern world.

Today flowering plant species outnumber by twenty to one those of ferns and cone-bearing trees, or conifers, which had thrived for 200 million years before the first bloom appeared. As a food source flowering plants provide us and the rest of the animal world with the nourishment that is fundamental to our existence. In the words of Walter Judd, a botanist at the University of Florida, "If it weren't for flowering plants, we humans wouldn't be here." 

From oaks and palms to wildflowers and water lilies, across the miles of cornfields and citrus orchards to my father's garden, flowering plants have come to rule the worlds of botany and agriculture. They also reign over an ethereal realm sought by artists, poets, and everyday people in search of inspiration, solace, or the simple pleasure of beholding a blossom.

"Before flowering plants appeared," says Dale Russell, a paleontologist with North Carolina State University and the State Museum of Natural Sciences, "the world was like a Japanese garden: peaceful, somber, green; inhabited by fish, turtles, and dragonflies. After flowering plants, the world became like an English garden, full of bright color and variety, visited by butterflies and honeybees. Flowers of all shapes and colors bloomed among the greenery."

That dramatic change represents one of the great moments in the history of life on the planet. What allowed flowering plants to dominate the world's flora so quickly? What was their great innovation?

Botanists call flowering plants angiosperms, from the Greek words for "vessel" and "seed." Unlike conifers, which produce seeds in open cones, angiosperms enclose their seeds in fruit. Each fruit contains one or more carpels, hollow chambers that protect and nourish the seeds. Slice a tomato in half, for instance, and you'll find carpels. These structures are the defining trait of all angiosperms and one key to the success of this huge plant group, which numbers some 235,000 species.

Just when and how did the first flowering plants emerge? Charles Darwin pondered that question, and Paleobotanists are still searching for an answer. Throughout the 1990s discoveries of fossilized flowers in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America offered important clues. At the same time the field of genetics brought a whole new set of tools to the search. As a result, modern Paleobotany has undergone a boom not unlike the Cretaceous flower explosion itself.