The dandelion clock is exclusively for
patient, wealthy people with good
eyesight.
On top of the gently-curved stainless-
steel tubular stem sits a small glass
button, about a quarter of an inch in
diameter.
On the surface of this glass button are
1,440 small dimples. Embedded within
the glass are 1,440 exquisitely small
copper coils - one beneath each dimple.
Two almost invisibly fine wires run from
each coil down into the stem.
Sitting on the glass button are 1,440
individually hand-crafted dandelion
seeds.
Each seed consists of a 3/32" long sliver
of polished nickel, topped with a 1/3" tall
umbrella-like feather made from the
finest
silver wire. Each seed is held in its
respective dimple by electromagnetic
forces from the corresponding coil.
At any given time of day, the
microprocessor in the stem regulates the
flow of current to all 1,440 coils
precisely.
At the same time, it monitors the
inductive
properties of each coil, thereby detecting
the presence or absence of each one of
the 1,440 nickel-tipped seeds.
The wealthy, patient, sharp-eyed
dandelion clock-owner plucks this
artificial flower from the table, holds it to
his face and gives a gentle blow. A
number of the seeds break free of their
magnetic bonds and scatter across the
room. A second puff dislodges another
cloud of seeds - but perhaps fewer than
before: the inner workings of the clock
have slightly increased the current to the
electromagnets holding the remaining
seeds. A third puff dislodges fewer still -
but now there are only perhaps a few
dozen seeds left.
A fourth puff dislodges only a handfull of
seeds. After that even the strongest
blow
does not dislodge the remaining seeds -
they are held now by stronger fields, as
the current through each of the tiny coils
beneath the remaining seeds has been
increased to its maximum.
Clearly, then, it is four-something-
o'clock.
A casual examination of the depleted
seedhead reveals that exactly 24 seeds
remain attached and intractable. It is,
therefore, 4:24.
Time to order another dandelion clock,
obviously.