Week 9: Space + Art

            The lectures this week discussed space and art. This study of space incorporates mathematics, robotics, biotechnology, and nanotechnology, all of which was discussed throughout this course. From the beginning of time, we have been fascinated by the sky, the stars, and the planets, and without the sciences mentioned above, we would not have been able to study the universe at all. It is easy to see why space exploration heavily relies on the application of all the science fields, but it is not so clear to see how influential art was in this process.

https://sonsofcorax.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/odyssey-01-2001.jpg

            The 1920 novel, Beyond the Planet Earth, by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky “remarkably anticipated the ISS [or International Space Station] by pictureing a space station with a crew of six people from Russia, America, France, England, Germany, and Italy, all of which (save for England) are now involved in its construction” (Westfahl). Tsiolkovsky anticipated the construction of the ISS thirty years before space travel became possible. In later years, Arthur C. Clarke wrote technological science fiction novels like The Fountains of Paradise and A Space Odyssey “to promote this future to a wider public” (Cengage Learning). Clarke believed that most public support and excitement stemmed from science fiction novels, movies, and TV shows.

http://www.theimaginativeconservative.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Star-Trek-Original-Series.jpg

            Aside from books, TV shows like Planet Stories, The Jetsons, Lost in Space, and Star Trek influenced popular culture. “’Star Trek’ has represented the hope of what space – ‘the final frontier’ – can mean for humanity in a few centuries” (Howell). Shows like Star Trek excited the public about space travel. For example, in 1970, Constitution was a prototype space shuttle that was about to run test flights, but Star Trek fans wrote letters to the government to request the name to be changed to Enterprise, which is the main starship in the TV series.

            It is clear to see how these forms of art were extremely important in the public acceptance, understanding, support, excitement, etc. of space travel and exploration. NASA perfectly states that they are “proud to be part of the wonderful future that visionaries such as Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick imagined more than 45 years ago” (Dunbar).

http://www.pewresearch.org/files/2014/04/FT_14.04.23_SpaceExploration.jpg

Citations

Cengage Learning and CengageBrain. "5 Science Fiction Writers And Their Impact On Space Exploration." HowToLearncom. The Center For New Discoveries In 

          Learning, Inc, 25 July 2012. Web. 26 May 2016. <http://www.howtolearn.com/2012/07/5-science-fiction-writers-and-their-impact-on-space-exploration/>.

Dunbar, Brian. "1968 Science Fiction Is Today's Reality." NASA. NASA, 21 Oct. 2014. Web. 26 May 2016. 

         <https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/2001_anniversary.html#.V0dYx1expE4>.

Forde, Kathleen. "Dancing on the Ceiling: Art & Zero Gravity Curated by Kathleen Forde : EMPAC Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts 

          Center : Troy, NY USA." Dancing on the Ceiling: Art & Zero Gravity Curated by Kathleen Forde : EMPAC Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and 

          Performing Arts Center : Troy, NY USA. Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, n.d. Web. 26 May 2016. 

          <http://zerogravity.empac.rpi.edu/>.

Howell, Elizabeth. "Star Trek: History & Effect on Space Technology." Space.com. Purch, 01 Feb. 2016. Web. 26 May 2016. 

          <http://www.space.com/31802-star-trek-space-tech.html>.

Westfahl, Gary. "Inspired by Science Fiction." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 26 May 2016. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/station/inspired.html>.

Week 8 - Nanotech + Art

            This week’s lectures focused on the connection between nanotechnology and art. Perfectly stated by Jim Gimzewski and Victoria Vesna, “In both the philosophical and visual sense, ‘seeing is believing’ does not apply to nanotechnology, for there is nothing even remotely visible to create proof of existence” (Gimzewski and Vesna). Nanotechnologies are reinventing how science works and it has the power to change the world, yet it is invisible to the naked eye. It is amazing how something so miniscule could be the most powerful tool in the world.

The Making of the Circular Corral: Iron on Copper (111)
http://researcher.watson.ibm.com/researcher/files/us-flinte/makecirc.tif

Quantum Corral: Iron on Copper (111)
http://researcher.watson.ibm.com/researcher/files/us-flinte/cover7.tif

            Nanotechnology would be impossible without the collaboration between artists and scientists. A great example is the Quantum Corrals by Don Eigler and coworkers. The Scanning Tunneling Microscope’s (STM) “ability to image variations in the density distribution of surface state electrons created in the artists a compulsion to have complete control of not only the atomic landscape, but the electronic landscape also” (Crommie, Lutz and Eigler). These corrals are not just inanimate art pieces, but they actually have nanoscale happenings inside them. “The artists were delighted to discover that they could predict what goes on in the corral by solving the classic eigenvalue problem in quantum mechanics” (Crommie, Lutz and Eigler). These artists and scientists created “corrals” using quantum states of electrons and positioning them into different density distributions. In addition to creating the general shapes of the different corrals, Eigler, Crommie, and Lutz also play with different lighting conditions, the point of view, and the different colors to fit the purpose of the image. So, these Quantum Corrals not only incorporate the skills and knowledge of a long-time scientist, but the intricate, detailed care and thought process of an artist to produce and design their vision. This is a great example of one of the many ways scientists are using art to create different structures on the nanoscale level.

             Similar to the creation of the Quantum Corrals, scientists and artists are constantly working together with nanotechnologies to create medicine, adhesives, glass, concrete, clothing, etc. Nanotechnology is a field with much more to discover, invent, and create, so I am sure that in the near future things will be possible that we never thought would be.

"Power of Nanotechnology"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEH6tDLKcVU

Citations

Crommie, M. F., C. P. Lutz, and D. M. Eigler. "Confinement of Electrons to Quantum Corrals on a Metal Surface." Science ns 262.5131 (1993): 218-20. JSTOR. 

          American Association for the Advancement of Science, 08 Oct. 1993. Web. 16 May 2016. <http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0036-

          8075%2819931008%293%3A262%3A5131%3C218%3ACOETQC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H>.

Eigler, Don. "Capturing Quantum Corrals." Interview by Felice Frankel. American Scientist. Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, n.d. Web. 17 May 2016.

Eigler, Don, Michael Crommie, and C. P. Lutz. " STM Image Gallery." IBM Research. IBM, n.d. Web. 17 May 2016. 

          <http://researcher.watson.ibm.com/researcher/view_group_subpage.php?id=4252>.

Gimzewski, Jim, and Victoria Vespa. "The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact & Fiction in the Construction of a New Science." N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2016. 

          <http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/publications/02-03/JV_nano/JV_nano_artF5VG.htm>.

"Nano Education." NanoArt 21. NanoArt 21, n.d. Web. 16 May 2016. <http://nanoart21.org/blog/>.

Week 7 - Neurosci + Art

Before the lectures this week, I did not realize that neuroscience and art had such a strong connection, or any connection whatsoever. According to Giovanni Frazzetto and Suzanne Anker, “Artists in particular draw on publicly available references that illustrate, among other things, scientific images and the natural world. In neuroculture, such references specifically describe knowledge about the brain and mind” (Anker and Frazzetto). Artists are able to covey neuroscience to the public to help us understand both the complexity and beauty of our minds and bodies. Frazzetto and Anker’s idea becomes vey clear when you look at Suzanne Anker’s fMRI Butterfly and Jeff Lichtman’s Brainbow.

Anker took 15 fMRI scans of the human brain with the image of a butterfly in the center and different inkblots superimposed on the butterfly. “The overlays of the butterfly, MRI scans and inkblots yield nuanced variations in figure—ground relationships, creating in the viewer subtle optical illusions . . . although the butterflies are identical in each print, they seem different from one another” (Anker and Frazzetto). She created these superimposed images to show the core neurological processes and how they alter perception.
                   

                               

                                                                                   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJlf5SB38pk

Of the different neuroscience art we looked at, Lichtman’s Brainbow is my favorite. “The brainbow system, a sophisticated transgenic technique, provided extraordinary pictures of neuronal circuitry, rivalling artistic representations” (Anker and Frazzetto). The brainbow uses a process by which individual neurons in the brain can be distinguished from neighboring neurons using fluorescent proteins, which light up in different colors. Not only does this help scientists locate, view, and track different neurons for easy study, but the brain scans have a beautiful and bright array of colors that depict how amazing the processes are that go on in our brains.

                                                                          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZCZV5-v3S4

The use of art to display neuroscience gives the public an idea and visualization of the complicated processes that go on within our minds and bodies. “The interaction between art and science offers an opportunity to make the scientific community and the public aware of the social and ethical implications of the scientific advances in neuroscience” (Anker and Frazzetto).

"Minds Wide Open"
http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2012/04/neuroscience/

Citations

Anker, Suzanne, and Giovanni Frazzetto. "Neuroculture." 2009. MS Volume 10, Nature Reviews. N.p.

Gardner, Howard. "Art, Mind, And Brain: A Cognitive Approach To Creativity." Google Books. Howard Gardner, 1982. Web. 10 May 2016. 

          <https://books.google.com/books?id=2BMDYRRF1WcC&dq=gardner%2B%22art%2Bmind%2Band%2Bbrain%22&printsec=frontcover&source=

          web&ots=DYaIMCGy4j&sig=8yrvOMWISopSrN_fNXsYqUPJCgw&hl=en#v=onepage&q=gardner%20%22art%20mind%20and%20brain%22&f=false>.

Gorman, James. "Brains as Clear as Jell-O for Scientists to Explore." The New York Times. The New York Times, 10 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 May 2016. 

          <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/11/science/brains-as-clear-as-jell-o-for-scientists-to-explore.html?_r=0>.

Lichtman Et Al., and Livet Et Al. "Brainbow." Center for Brain Science. Harvard University, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. 

          <http://cbs.fas.harvard.edu/science/connectome-project/brainbow>.

Lichtman, Jeff. "The Brainbow." DNA Learning Center. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. <https://www.dnalc.org/view/2063-The-

          brainbow.html>.