Historiae Naturalis is a visualization of the biological sciences of the 16th century and earlier. Specifically, it is based on the natural history writings and drawings of Pliny the Elder, Konrad Gesner, Edward Topsell, and others. Visually, it is similar to Crayoland, where the entire 3D environment is constructed of paper-thin 2D drawings; however, I hope to animate the drawings for a more dynamic world than Crayoland. User interaction, beyond navigation, is undefined at this point.

Historiae Naturalis was exhibited at the SIGGRAPH 99 Conference in Los Angeles as part of “Education Delivered Through Storytelling: Using Virtual Reality as an Education Tool” in the Electronic Schoolhouse venue, Playground: Stand-Alone Exhibits.

Sources:

• The Natural History of Pliny [77 AD]. Translated by John Bostock and H. T. Riley. 1855.
• The Historie of Foure-Footed Beastes. Edward Topsell. 1607.
• The Historie of Serpents, or, The Second Booke of Living Creatures. Edward Topsell. 1608.
• A World of Wonders. D. Appleton and Company. 1881.