DESMA 9 Week 9 - Space + Art

 I'd like to start off with this Ted Talk, in which retired colonel Chris Hadfield recounts his experience with space travel.

 He discusses how to deal with the pressure of space travel, an extremely dangerous setting. One quote stood out to m
e, “… because you realize that by the end of the day, you´re either floating effortlessly, gloriously in space or you´ll be dead.”

 One such case was the Challenger mission, which reminded of part of a book I read a few years ago on Richard Feynman's life. The chapter was an excerpt from a technical documents on the Challenger mission- "Appendix  F - Personal observations on the reliability of the Shuttle" by Richard Feynman.
 <http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/51-l/docs/rogers-commission/Appendix-F.txt>

 In it, he describes faults in NASA's method of assessing risk and probability of failure. As he describes, some of this error was due to conflicts between the management and the scientists. He ends with a quote that I think is very relevant to scientific advancements in general, regardless of field. "For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled." (Feynman, Conclusion)
 This goes back even to Copernicus and his conflict with the ideologies of the Church, which was basically the government. Looking at how government, religion, and science has clashed in the past is especially interesting now, with space technologies transitioning from the government sector to the private sector.

 This gives the responsibility of developments to private companies, with their own livelihood at risk. So then, what incentives do they have to research space exploration? This Ted Talk covers three main reasons: curiosity, fear, and wealth.

 

 Fear is definitely a large motivator, a classic example is the space race caused by the launching of Sputnik. I know we talked about it in lecture, but I still thought this TedTalk was interesting.

 Art can bolster the desire to improve because of fear through media and propaganda, though more causing fear than inspiring.
 Curiosity is the most ideological of the three- dreaming as a child about space and growing up to take an active role in space exploration. Art can help definitely promote curiosity, and has been doing so for generations. From movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey, to tv shows like Dr. Who and Futurama, to rides at Disneyland and books such as Dune and Ender's Game, many of these have stirred curiosity in people about what's out there, what is the limit and can we reach it? This Ted Talk shows another type of art that can be inspiring, one more fused with science.


Sources:
Hadfield, Chris. "Chris Hadfield: What I Learned from Going Blind in Space." YouTube. TED, 14 Mar. 2014. Web. 31 May 2015.
Shannon, Tom. "Tom Shannon's Gravity-defying Sculpture." YouTube. TED, 6 May 2009. Web. 31 May 2015. 
Hoffman, David. "David Hoffman: Catch Sputnik Mania!" YouTube. TED, 4 Apr. 2008. Web. 31 May 2015.
Diamandis, Peter. "Peter Diamandis: Taking the next Giant Leap in Space." YouTube. TED, 4 Sept. 2008. Web. 31 May 2015. 
Feynman, Richard. "Appendix F - Personal Observations on the Reliability of the Shuttle." Kennedy Space Center, NASA. Kennedy Space Center, NASA, 29 June 2001. Web. 31 May 2015. .

DESMA 9 week 8- Art + Nanotech

Nanotechnology is something I wasn't familiar with at all, and it was a little bit of a surprise to me how common it was in our lives-- something as simple as the silver nanoparticals on my socks. I guess I'd assumed that I would just know about important developments in technology, such as GMOs. The potential for nanotechnology seems almost limitless, from applications in cosmetics to medicine.

 This TedTalk gives a quick demo related to the hydrophobic properties of the lotus leaf discussed in part 3 of the lecture series.

The Project of Emerging Nanotechnologies was very informative with developements in applying nanotechnology to medicine. 

http://www.nanotechproject.org/inventories/medicine/

The more familiar we are with a subject, the more we understand it. I think nanoart is extreemly important to extend interest and understanding of nanotechnology to a broader range of people, not just scientists, doctors, manufacturers. It reminded me of our week looking at math and art, how a focus on developing better artistic techniques helped also develop mathematical techniques. Concepts involving depth, perception, and the relation between 2d and 3d that are general knowledge now weren't necessarily so back in Leonardo da Vinci's time. Art had the potential to benifit nanotechnology in the same way. An example of this is an interactive exhibition on nanotechnology put on by UCLA and LACMA in 2003(described in the article linked below). 

"'I don't expect people to understand quantum physics,' Gimzewski said. 'But I expect them to notice what happens when they go through the exhibit. I'd like them to ask, 'What does this mean?"' "

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/12/1223_031223_nanotechnology_2.html

Art has the same appeal. Looking at these photos below, someone who hasn't taken many science classes might not recognize them as magnetic fields, but their interest could still be sparked. 

Wanting to find out what those pictures are, how they were taken, these questions would lead to a gaining of knowledge of magnetic fields. Using art, we can create and engaging and enticing open door into the world of nanotechnology. Like genetic modification, the more we know nanotechnology, the better equipped we are to make decisions about when and where it should be present in our lives.

Sources: 

Shaw, Mark. "Mark Shaw: One Very Dry Demo." YouTube. TED, 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 24 May 2015. 

Linke, Heiner. "What Nanoscience Can Do to Change Our Future for the Better: Heiner Linke." YouTube. TEDx Talks, 23 Nov. 2012. Web. 24 May 2015.  

Ed Simpson, Yasuhiko Hayashi, Takeshi Kasama and Rafal Dunin-Borkowski. Magnetic Nanotubes. Nd. Nanotechnology Now. Web. 24 May 2015.

Takeshi Kasama, Rafal Dunin-Borkowski, Krzysztof Koziol, Alan Windle. Magnetic field of an iron crystal inside a carbon nanotube. Nd. Nanotechnology Now. Web. 24 May 2015.

Lovgren, Stefan. "Can Art Make Nanotechnology Easier to Understand?" National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 23 Dec. 2003. Web. 24 May 2015.  

"Nanotechnology Project." PEN News. Web. 24 May 2015.

 

DESMA 9 week 6: BioTech + Art

When considering genetic manipulation, I always think of the Jurassic Park movies- partly because they're just really good movies and I like them a lot, but also because they have some great quotes relevant to these discussions.

The artists presented in lecture seem to take a slightly different position- focusing more on how we should move forward in the biotech industry rather than if we should be pursuing development at all.
 By actively participating in genetic manipulation or other biotechnological art forms, artists such as Eduardo Kac, and Orlan try to see science from other perspectives- ultimately its implications on how we value life. Some of these points are covered below.

How we value non human life

One quite from Eduardo Kac's GPF Bunny with respect to his work really stood out to me- "This must be done with great care, with acknowledgment of the complex issues thus raised and, above all, with a commitment to respect, nurture, and love the life thus created." Many domestic animals are looked at as objects- whether lab rats or ill-treated pets. The discussion of genetic manipulations is part of how we value non-human life, and seeing animals as individuals that we can learn a lot from. This Ted Talk touches on some things that are related to understanding our relationship with animals.

How we value human qualities and diversity
Orlan's art brings up questions of how we value human life, looking at aesthetic beauty. In an interview, she says, "Beauty is the product of the dominant ideology.... This is very relevant also in all the beauty standarts out of occident that I am interested in and that I question in my work." Physical aesthetics has always been a controversial part of humanity, both idolizing it and trying to make it insignificant. This Ted Talk gives some insight into evolutionary aspects of aesthetics.

The future of genetics with respect to attributes such as intelligence, beauty, and physical capabilities has a huge question mark. If we can control the human genome, should we? Who would these procedures be available to? How will it affect our society around the world, and how we value a human life? With so much diversity in our world, we try to cultivate respect and value for everyone, but how does the game change when we can control the genetic lottery?


Sources:

TED. "Dennis Dutton: A Darwinian theory of beauty." Online video clip. YouTube. Nov 16. 2010. Web. May 10 2015.

TED. "Laurel Braitman: Depressed dogs, cats with OCD - what animal madness means for us humans." Online video clop. YouTube. Aug 21. 2014. Web. May 10 2015.

Orlan. "ORLAN Talks Plastic Surgery, Beauty Standards And Giving Her Fat To Madonna." Huffington Post. Jan 29. 2013. Web. May 10 2015.

Kac, Eduardo. "GFP Bunny." KAC. 2000. Web. May 10 2015.

"Jurassic Park". Steven Spielberg. Perf. Jeff Goldblum. Universial Pictures, 1993. DVD.
Photo from: Panda Whale, Adam Rifkin <http://pandawhale.com/post/59968/your-scientists-were-so-preoccupied-with-whether-they-could-that-they-didnt-stop-to-think-if-they-should-dr-ian-malcolm-jurassic-park>