Tag Archives: Mattia Careddu

Keeping score on the Andean Quipu

One of the benefits of being a TBB contributor (besides limited use of the headquarters hot tub) is you learn new things about the world. Take this rather unconventional LEGO creation by Mattia Careddu for example. Is it the newest trend on the catwalk? Or is it some sort of facehugger monster? It turns out, it’s an Andean Quipu, a device, according to the internet, used for recording everything from tax information to land ownership to census records to military organization during the time of the Inka Empire. Highly specialized Quipu readers were even hired to read the complex series of fiber and knots in order to settle court cases. The only thing I can decipher from this particular LEGO creation is that someone can tie a sweet figure-eight knot. However, a skilled reader would surmise that I probably shouldn’t have claimed my dogs as dependants on my taxes. Also, I’ve been denied access to the TBB hot tub.

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A little brain can be a dangerous thing

Boy, industrial containment standards sure have fallen lately, as evident in this LEGO build by Care Creations of one of the more disturbing video game bosses I have seen since Resident Evil, Mother Brain from Metroid. Clearly, if a giant brain can break their glass prison this easily, someone in the QA department deserves to get fired, if they didn’t get devoured by Mother Brain first.

A huge collaboration takes on the Pokémon Ultra Beasts!

I love it when a great LEGO collaboration comes together! A group of friends built the Pokémon Ultra Beasts and the end result is pure gold. Take Aidan Hayward’s Celesteela, for example. This is one of the dangerous UBs, (that’s Ultra Beasts) high energy readings can be detected coming from both of its huge arms.

Celesteela brought friends. Lots of them!

How Anomalocaris, Opabinia, and the Cambrian Explosion changed my life

The broad range of wonderful LEGO creations built for events like the annual BioCup often spark odd memories of my own life experiences. This beautiful Anomalocaris by Care Creations reminded me of Stephen Jay Gould’s 1989 book Wonderful Life, which first introduced me to the panoply of fantastic lifeforms that emerged during the Cambrian Explosion over half a billion years ago. The book changed my view of how life emerged and evolved on our planet, as well as how scientific understanding itself evolves — both mind-blowing to a young missionary kid. One of the strengths of Bionicle is the system’s ability to reproduce organic shapes, enabling talented builders to create much more than Toa.

I love the minifigure hands on the ends of Anomalocaris’ tentacles, as well as all the smaller creatures the builder has included to give the impression of the early arthropod in its natural habitat.

If you enjoyed this ancient sea creature as much as I did, you’ll love these other Cambrian creatures, as well as this beautiful LEGO ammonite (though of course ammonites emerged about a hundred million years later).

A taste of nectar on another world

Meet the Epyft, an alien being created by Mattia Careddu. This LEGO creature brings to mind a hummingbird crossed with a butterfly, as its long mouth reaches down to the bright blooming flower, drinking up all the rich nectar. No doubt the sugar is needed for the energy to stay in the air. The flower and the surrounding foliage feature so many cool parts to create something out of this world! Bionicle masks give the translucent green plants and blue flowers cool shapes and textures. Speaking of Bionicle masks, they’re also used for the creature’s sides, but that’s not the coolest bit of parts usage for this build. The creature’s body is a fun use of a torso piece from the Galidor toy line, produced by LEGO in 2002 for the sci-fi kids show by the same name.