Discover Michigan: Detroit Art, Classic Games, Alpacas, Wildlife & Cryonics

Detroit's Artistic Vision

• 🎨 Erik and Israel Nordin create unique art objects for spaces at the Detroit Design Center.
• 🏙️ Inspired by Detroit's historical architecture and creative elements, their work is found across Metro Detroit.
• 🏆 They crafted the "Iron D" trophy for the Michigan State-Michigan hockey game, emphasizing Detroit's "thick and heavy" allure.
• 🤝 The brothers maintain a collaborative and honest relationship, scrutinizing ideas to ensure quality and freshness.

Carrom Company: Classic Games

• 🎲 The Carrom Company in Ludington has been bringing families together with games for over 120 years.
• 📜 Founded in 1889 by Henry Haskell, the original Carrom board offers over 100 game variations.
• 🧩 They manufacture a range of fast-action games including Skittles, shuffleboard, balance boards, foosball, and Nok hockey.
• 📈 With annual sales exceeding 65,000 games, Carrom Industries contributes to a growing $1.9 billion game and puzzle industry.

Crystal Lake Alpaca Farm

• 🦙 The Crystal Lake Alpaca Farm in Frankfort is home to about 50 alpacas, started by Chris and Dave Nelson 14 years ago.
• ❤️ Alpacas are described as gentle, docile, sweet, and therapeutic animals that "steal your heart."
• 🌿 They are considered "green animals" due to their gentle impact on the earth, padded feet, and use of manure as "Black Gold" fertilizer.
• 🧶 Their annual shearing produces warm, soft fiber for clothing, and a unique "spit check" confirms pregnancy.

Platte River Eagle Cam

• 🦅 The CarbonTV Eagle Cam at the Platte River State Fish Hatchery near Honor offers a live, bird's-eye view of an eagle's nest.
• 🌐 This partnership between the DNR and CarbonTV allows global viewers to witness eaglets hatching and fledging.
• 🐟 The hatchery also plays a crucial role in the Great Lake Salmon Program, raising millions of coho, Chinook, and Atlantic salmon annually.
• 🌲 The camera provides insights into eagle parenting and the natural cycle, with eaglets leaving the nest by September.

Cryonics Institute: Life After Death

• 🧊 The Cryonics Institute in Clinton Township, founded by Robert Ettinger, explores the concept of life after death through cryopreservation.
• 🔬 The process involves vitrification: cooling the body, replacing blood with a protective solution, and freezing to -196 Celsius in liquid nitrogen.
• 👥 With 151 current patients, the institute preserves humans, pets, and DNA, attracting a growing number of younger members.
• 🤞 While human revival is currently unproven, successful vitrification and transplantation of rabbit kidneys offer a glimpse into future possibilities.
• 🚀 Optimism for future revival is based on rapid technological advancements in areas like organ transplants, cloning, and 3D printing.