Week 9, Space + Art

Week 9, Space and Art.

Our solar system consists of the sun, eight planets, and their natural satellites ("Planets"). All of the planets, except Earth, were named after Roman gods and goddesses. For example, Venus is the Roman Goddess of Love, Mars is the Roman God of War, and Neptune is the Lord of the Sea (“How the Planets Got Their Names”).

Scientists believed humans would not be able to survive the conditions of outer space, so they used animals to prove that humans can survive it. Thus, Laika, a Soviet space dog, was one of the first animals that went to space. But unfortunately, Laika died due to overheating and running out of oxygen (Latson).

Laika, about to be launched into outerspace

https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/laika.jpeg?quality=65&strip=color&w=550

The Sputnik Moment changed America and the rest of the world forever. The space race that occurred decades ago has change the way that we live today. When Sputnik 1, the first Earth-orbiting satellite, was launched into space by the Soviet Union, the Sputnik Moment came (Melina). But the space race ended when Americans managed to send two of their men, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, to the moon on 20 July 1969 (Dunbar).

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/08/25/article-2193587-14B13105000005DC-877_634x419.jpg

MiSci, the Museum of Innovation and Science in Schenectady recreates the mission control room that looks like the real one in Houston to pay tribute to the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster (Bazile). In 1986, the space shuttle exploded 73 seconds after liftoff. The exhibit allows visitors to be part of a team of scientists and engineers on a mission to space (Bazile).

The exhibits pays tribute to the Challenger tragedy

http://media.dailygazette.com/img/photos/2015/05/14/515space4_r250x250_c250x250_fsharpen.jpg?45671f8d39a291d54993f7706cd4213906cc7c06

One of the greatest natural phenomenons that occur on Earth is the Aurora Borealis. Also known as the Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis is caused by the atoms and molecules in space colliding. It interacts with Earth’s magnetic field and entering our planets upper atmosphere. Recently, in March 2015, a team of NASA scientists confirmed that beautiful aurorae can be seen by the naked eye on Mars (“Blue Aurorae in Mars' Sky”). Just in March 2015. On Earth, we can usually see green and/or red. But on Mars, the most intense color is deep blue. Red and green usually occur when there are more oxygen particles around, while blue occurs when there are more nitrogen particles (“Blue Aurorae in Mars' Sky”).

How the Aurora Borealis forms

http://sen.com/img/inline/blue-aurorae-predicted-to-dance-above-the-suface-of-mars_1433011776.gif

An artist's prediction of how the blue aurora will look like from Mars

http://motherboard-images.vice.com/content-images/contentimage/no-id/1432824130553547.jpg

With today’s major technological improvements, the scientists and engineers of our time will continue to make groundbreaking discoveries about our Solar System and the rest of outer space.

Works Cited

Bazile, Dan. "MiSci Exhibit Pays Tribute to Challenger Disaster." WNYT.com. 14 May 2015. Web. 31 May 2015.

"Blue Aurorae in Mars' Sky Visible to the Naked Eye." Astronomy Now. Web. 30 May 2015.

Dunbar, Brian. "July 20, 1969: One Giant Leap For Mankind." NASA. 14 July 2014. Web. 30 May 2015.

"How the Planets Got Their Names." Rome.MrDonn.org. Web. 30 May 2015.

Latson, Jennifer. "The Sad Story of Laika, the First Dog Launched Into Orbit." Time. 3 Nov. 2014. Web. 30 May 2015.

Melina, Remy. "What Exactly Is a 'Sputnik Moment?" Space.com. 7 Dec. 2014. Web. 30 May 2015.

"Planets." Nasa.gov. Web. 30 May 2015.

Week 8, Nanotech + Art

Nanotechnology enables our visual culture to perceive reality based on sensing and connectivity. It introduces a new era of our lives and shifts the paradigms; pushing all of us into the 21^st century. Even though nanotechnology is new, nanoscale materials were also used in the past ("What Is Nanotechnology?"). For example, stained glass windows of medieval churches centuries ago used nanotechnology with their gold and silver particles that helped to create colors. During that period, artists did not know that what they did was working together with art and nanotechnologies.

A stained-glass window at an old medieval church used a form nanotechnology

http://www.rohlfstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/17_Panel_Stained_Glass_Window_Panels_Blessed

Nanoscientist Dr. Gimzewski talked about the potentials of nanotechnololgy and how it can change the world. He mentioned that in 1959, at Caltech, Richard Feynman talked about the book “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” (Gimzewski). In this book, he suggested that it is possible to make machines at the nano-scale to arrange the atoms the way we want. The micro electronic evolutions kicked off a little later (Gimzewski). Feynman discovered that the behavior of nanoscale objects could be used to create new effects such as different colors and types of chemistry, etc (Gimzewski).

Richard Feynman, who some people called the father of nanotechnology

http://cdn8.openculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/tiny-machines.jpg

The Scanning Tunneling Microscope, also known as the STM, enabled scientists to visualize the world through atoms and molecules, and also enabled them to study DNA molecues ("Scanning Tunneling Microscope"). Its inventors, Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer won the Nobel Prize in Physics. The STM is not just limited to vacuum. It is also able to resolve atoms in air, liquid in very low temperatures, and even in eletro-chemical environments ("The Scanning Tunneling Microscope").

How an STM works

http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/physics/microscopes/scanning/images/stm1.gif

Self-assembly is a process by which molecules and cells form themselves into specific, ordered structures under the right conditions ("Snowflakes"). Here, it is evident that science can produce art. The complex structure of a snowflake is a result of nanoscale arrangement of water molecules in an ice crystal.

A nanoscale arrangement of a snowflake

https://cc00d70565-custmedia.vresp.com/library/1260228838/48f48bc642/SNOWFLAKE_prettyflake_w040123a032_photo.jpg

Nanotechnology have led to new knowledge and innovations that were not possible before. Nanoscientists can now manipulate matter at the nanoscale!

Works Cited

Gimzewski, James. “Nanotechnology and Art.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 21 May 2012. Web. 23 May 2015.

"Scanning Tunneling Microscope." IBM100. Web. 23 May 2015.

"Snowflakes: Nano at Its Coolest." NISE Network. Web. 23 May 2015.

"The Scanning Tunneling Microscope." Nobelprize.org. Web. 23 May 2015.

"What Is Nanotechnology?" Nano.gov. Web. 23 May 2015.

Neuroscience + Art

This week, professor talked about how medical technologies influences art concepts.

Our human brain cells

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/mt/assets/food/main%20Sebastian%20Kaulitzki%20shutterstock_14167231.jpg

The Global Consciousness Project, also known as the EGG project, is a parapsychological experiment that attempted to test the relationship between mind and matter. The relationship between human attention and change in physical environment can be tested through this experiment that works with random number generators ("The Global Consciousness Project").

Greg Dunn is an artist who received a doctorate in neuroscience in 2011 

("Art of Nueroscience"). He explores the intersection of art and neuroscience. His themes are mostly in the stle of Asian art and he also explores the new artistic techniques from his science laboratory ("Greg Dunn").

One of Greg Dunn's amazing artworks

http://www.gregadunn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Cortex-in-Metallic-Pastels-gold-leaf.jpg

It is said that many creative people who scored well on originality also measured high in schizotypy, and also had a reduced deactivation in a part of the brain that help us gather information (Lewis).

Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most celebrated artists of all time. Unfortunately all his life he was afflicted by some neurological or psychiatric disorder (Jaffe). One of his most famous paintings was “The Starry Night.” He painted “The Starry Night” from the room of his asylum cell. “The Starry night” was painted as a depiction of the outdoor view from his window (Jaffe). He painted the expressionistic swirls of the background of the painting after going through a rather troubled life.

We can see the link between creativity and madness through his masterpiece.

http://www.abikoyeolufemi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/StarryNight2436.jpg

I find it exceptionally interesting that genes connected to mental problems or neuropsychological disorders may persist due to the fact that they have brought art to higher levels (Jaffe).

Works Cited

"Art of Nueroscience." Society for Nueroscience. Web. 17 May 2015.  

"Greg Dunn Design | Visual Art | Neuroscience Art | Gold Leaf Painting." Greg Dunn Design. Web. 17 May 2015.  

Jaffe, Eric. "What Neuroscience Says About The Link Between Creativity And Madness." Fast Company. 14 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 May 2015.

Lewis, Tanya. "Dazzling Images of the Brain Created by Neuroscientist-Artist." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 10 Dec. 2014. Web. 17 May 2015.  

"The Global Consciousness Project." Princeton.edu. Web. 17 May 2015.  

BioArt, Week 6

This week in lecture we learned about how biotechnology and art can interconnect.

What is biotechnology?

http://www.engineersgarage.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Original/wysiwyg_imageupload/4214/Biotechnology1_1.gif

Another interesting aspect of biotechnology and art is selective breeding. Selective breeding occurs when humans breed other animals and plants for their specific and desirable traits ("Animal Breeding and Genetics"). Over the lifetime of our plant, we can see that plants and animals have changed dramatically. Humans actively choose which traits they want to be passed onto offspring. An example would be the selective breeding of a Bull Terrier. A Texas hunting group has recently created a new breed of dog, the Dogo Argentino, to perform the same duties as the Bull Terrier ("Selective Breeding").

How its traits have changed over the years

http://www.direwolfproject.com/selective-breeding.html

Some people have developed controversies towards “designer babies.” “Designer babies” use reproductive and genetic technologies to create an optimal recombination of their parents’ genes (Veksler). They claim it to be immoral and undesirable. However, it is important for to remember that genetic diversity is valuable when it is used to enhance human life (Veksler). Biotechnology also adds new tools to the old arsenal of genetic techniques for stronger, healthier offspring.

Gattaca is a science fiction movie about human recombination, in which parents choose traits for their offspring.

http://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/movie/movie_poster/gattaca-1997/large_gZmIxR0qfaTj0sIvfAWqgqOOeVa.jpg

Another interesting topic that we learned in this week’s lecture was mutation. A few years ago, there was an exhibition in London called The Nature of Change: Hybridity and Mutation (Battersby). The exhibit was about hybridity and mutation being forms of change relevant to today’s post-modern culture. The art explores transmutation, gender bending, and other altercations (Battersby).

One of the many artworks at The Nature of Change: Hybridity and Mutation exhibit.

http://www.independent.co.uk/migration_catalog/article5292459.ece/alternates/w620/Jan-Manski,-Onania---Aetiol.jpeg

All in all, BioArt has become more widely practiced in our generation and will continue to surpass its potentials (Miranda). Often, it is controversial or somewhat shocking, but artists who practice BioArt draw attention to beautiful and grotesque details of nature that we will overlook in life.

Works Cited

"Animal Breeding and Genetics." Agriculture and Life Sciences. Web. 10 May 2015.

Battersby, Matilda. "The Art of Mutation." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 7 Apr. 2011. Web. 9 May 2015.

Miranda, Carolina. "Weird Science: Biotechnology as Art Form." ARTnews. 18 Mar. 2013. Web. 10 May 2015.

"Selective Breeding." The Dire Wolf Project. Web. 9 May 2015.

Veksler, David. "The One Minute Case for Designer Babies." One Minute Cases. 2 Apr. 2009. Web. 10 May 2015.