Without the latest advances in chemistry, the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy would never have been so realistic, says a scientist using his tools in the film trade. Chemist Norman Cates estimates he made thousands of elves' ears, wizards' noses and hobbits' feet for all three Rings movies. It was the job made in heaven for the former Aucklander, who first started doing make-up and making prosthetics when he joined a science fiction club at age 16. "I taught myself from books I got out of the library." [More]