// lights
            var ambient = new THREE.Vector3(0.1, 0.1, 0.1);

            var light1_pos = new THREE.Vector3(0.0, 10.0, 0.0); //from above
            var light1_diffuse = new THREE.Vector3(1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
            var light1_specular = new THREE.Vector3(1.0, 1.0, 1.0);

            var light2_pos = new THREE.Vector3(-10.0, 0.0, 0.0); //from the left
            var light2_diffuse = new THREE.Vector3(0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
            var light2_specular = new THREE.Vector3(1.0, 1.0, 1.0);

            var light3_pos = new THREE.Vector3(10.0, 0.0, 0.0); //from the right
            var light3_diffuse = new THREE.Vector3(0.0, 1.0, 0.0);
            var light3_specular = new THREE.Vector3(1.0, 1.0, 1.0);


            // geometry

            var geometry1 = new THREE.SphereGeometry(1, 64, 64);
            var geometry2 = new THREE.BoxGeometry(1, 1, 1);
            var geometry3 = new THREE.TorusKnotGeometry(1, 0.1, 100, 16);

            // materials (ie, linking to the shader program)

            var uniforms = {
                ambient: {
                type: "v3",
                    value: ambient
                },
                //light 1
                light1_pos: {
                    type: "v3",
                    value: light1_pos
                },
                light1_diffuse: {
                    type: "v3",
                    value: light1_diffuse
                },
                light1_specular: {
                    type: "v3",
                    value: light1_specular
                },
                //light 2
                light2_pos: {
                    type: "v3",
                    value: light2_pos
                },
                light2_diffuse: {
                    type: "v3",
                    value: light2_diffuse
                },
                light2_specular: {
                    type: "v3",
                    value: light2_specular
                },
                //light 3
                light3_pos: {
                    type: "v3",
                    value: light3_pos
                },
                light3_diffuse: {
                    type: "v3",
                    value: light3_diffuse
                },
                light3_specular: {
                    type: "v3",
                    value: light3_specular
                }
            };