Week 8: Nanotech + Art

This week’s topic about nanotechnology contained interesting details regarding actual mechanisms used to create nanotechnology, and about the potential benefits and risks of nanotechnology on society. The origins of nanotechnology as a field of study, even though he never used this word to characterize it, can be contributed to Richard Feynman. In his work, There is Plenty of Room at the Bottom, Feynman first introduced the idea of nanotechnology by introducing the idea of the manipulation of matter on an atomic scale in order to create new and more advanced technologies. Eric Drexler took this idea of nanotechnology to another level, as he explored the idea of nanotechnology as a deterministic, rather than stochastic, handling of individual atoms and molecules and envisioned a microscopic factory that would use atoms to engineer different kinds of materials. 

Richard Feynman

Before the 1980s, nanotechnology was largely viewed as a hypothetical field, as the ideas explored by both Feynman and Drexler were theoretical concepts that had no real-world applications. However, important discoveries and innovations in the 1980s were able to introduce real-world applications of nanotechnology, and thus, help it become a prominent field. One such discovery was a new form of Carbon, which had 60 carbon atoms arranged in a soccer ball-like structure. The discovery of a new form of carbon was significant because it showed that the same atoms could be rearranged in different ways to create structures that have different properties. The development of the scanning tunneling microscope was another major discovery for the field of nanotechnology, as it allowed for the study of materials on an atomic level. The development of the scanning tunneling microscope also allowed for the potential to physically rearrange atoms to create different, possibly artistic, structures such as the ones shown in the lecture video. This reminded me of the first lecture on the idea of two cultures, and how nanotechnology can be yet another form of the third culture that bridges the gap between science and art. 

Electron Tunneling Microscope

It was also very interesting to listen to the lecture about nanotechnology and its relationship to medicine, as nanotechnology can be used to help create safer and more efficient medications to fight various diseases. For example, nanoshells can be used to kill off various harmful pathogens in the body without the negative effects of chemotherapy or other types of therapy. This is done by specifically targeting these pathogens and then illuminating the  nano shells with infrared light, which would cause them to heat up and kill the specific type of pathogen. 

Nanoshells as Cancer Therapy

Sources: 

Gimzewski, James. “Nanotech Jim pt1.” YouTube, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=851&v=q7jM6-iqzzE

Gimzewski, James. “Nanotech Jim pt2.” YouTube, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=873&v=HEp6t0v-v9c

Gimzewski, James. “Nanotech Jim pt4.” YouTube, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=305&v=yHCuZetAIhk

“Scanning Tunneling Microscopy.” Nanoscience Instruments, www.nanoscience.com/techniques/scanning-tunneling-microscopy/.  

Strickland, Jonathan, and Kevin Bonsor. “How Nanotechnology Works.” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 25 Oct. 2007, science.howstuffworks.com/nanotechnology.htm. 

Event 2: UCLA Meteorite Gallery

On May 15th, I was able to visit the UCLA Meteorite Gallery with a couple of my friends. It was a great experience visiting the gallery with my friends, as were able to discuss our thoughts on the different exhibits together, which made the whole visit more enjoyable. Although I had some background knowledge on meteorites through the various science classes I have taken, I was surprised and interested by the diversity of the meteorites that were present in the gallery. 

Kinsella - IIIAB Iron Meteorite

During my visit, I was able to view each of the meteorites in some detail because of the small size of the gallery, which allowed me to truly see the diversity between them. For example, there was a very large variation in the size and weight of the meteorites, as there were some ranging from under 20 centimeters long, such as the Kinsella IIIAB iron meteorite, to others, such as the Gibeon Iron Meteorite, which weighed 811 pounds. This meteorite was extremely interesting to me because of the sheer weight of the specimen, as from its size, I would never expect to be anywhere near 800 pounds. In addition to my surprise, my friends were also shocked to find out the actual weight of the meteorite, which highlights the unique nature of the meteorite. Another specimen that was very interesting to me because of its size was the Old Woman Iron Meteorite. Although both the Gibeon Iron Meteorite and the Old Woman Iron Meteorite are both very heavy meteorites, it was interesting to see the contrasting shapes between the two, as the Old Woman Meteorite was much larger in terms of physical size than the Gibeon Iron Meteorite. 

Gibeon Iron Meteorite

Old Woman Iron Meteorite

The incredible variety of the meteorites that I was able to view during my visit to the UCLA Meteorite helped me think back to the idea of the Two Cultures introduced by C.P Snow. The idea of the two cultures revolves around the relationship between art and science and how it has deteriorated over the years. However, upon attending the gallery, I was able to see a clear connection science and art have through the meteorites, as I was able to see the scientific discoveries that were made to better help identify these meteorites in greater detail, and I was also able to see the unique artistic qualities each meteorite had. 

Week 7: Neurosci + Art

Throughout the early part of human history, the brain and its function was a complete mystery, as many of the greatest ancient minds had no idea what purpose the brain served and how it also fulfilled that purpose. For example, one of the greatest classical philosophers in history, Aristotle, believed the emotions and consciousness of humans came from the heart, and also believed that the brain only served a cooling purpose in order to prevent the body from overheating. However, improvements in technology allowed for the more detailed studies of the brain, which allowed for breakthroughs in the study of the structure and function of the brain. Franz Joseph Gall was the first individual to explore the brain in ways that were never used before, as he attempted to map out the individual sections of the brain that each had a specific function, in what is now known as phrenology. Similarly, Santiago Ramon y Cajal made major discoveries in the field of neuroscience and neurology, as he was able to discover the methods of how the brain communicates with rest of the body in his Neuron Theory, in which he states how the tree-like structure of neurons allows for an efficient connection with other neurons, providing a connection between neuroscience and art.

Neural connections drawn by Cajal 

It was very interesting to see how more modern technologies were also able to connect neuroscience and art. For example, artist Suzanne Anker, with collaboration from neuroscientist Giovanni Frezzeto, was able to create the FRMI butterfly to explore optical illusions that occur within the brain. Another project, called Brainbow, was able to portray beautiful colorations of the brain by using fluorescent proteins to differentiate the neurons. 

Brainbow

It was also very interesting to see how drugs such as cocaine and LSD were able to create a connection between neuroscience and art. Both cocaine and LSD were previously legal drugs that could be used for experiments, and in the late 19th century, a neurologist named Sigmund Freud experimented with cocaine and it was interesting to see how cocaine influenced his ideas. LSD, which was first synthesized by Albert Hofmann in 1938, is another drug that has interesting affects on the brain. While working on the drug, Albert Hofmann noted how his ingestion of the drug lead to a state of hallucination, where he was able to see a variety of colors and shapes. 

A variety of colors and shaped while ingesting LSD, as described by Hofmann

Sources:

Calderon, Trina. “Flashback: LSD Creator Albert Hofmann Drops Acid for the First Time.” Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/flashback-lsd-creator-albert-hofmann-drops-acid-for-the-first-time-629085/.

Palmer, Chris. “The Neuron Doctrine, circa 1894.” The Scientist Magazine®, 1 Nov. 2013, www.the-scientist.com/foundations/the-neuron-doctrine-circa-1894-38476.

“Phrenology.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1 May 2018, www.britannica.com/topic/phrenology.

Vesna, Victoria. “Neuroscience pt3.” YouTube, YouTube, 16 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5EX75xoBJ0.

Vesna, Victoria. “Neuroscience-pt1.Mov.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzXjNbKDkYI.

Week 6: BioTech + Art

The advances in genetics and biology, coupled with the advances technology and engineering have helped to create a new field where artists are able explore various biological processes to develop unique works of art. Joe Davis was a key figure in the development of bio art as a discipline, as he was the first person to use biological organisms as a template for his art in various projects, such as the audio microscope, and the Microvenus. However, in their pursuit of the future of bio art as a discipline, many of these artists, such as Davis, have generated controversy through their manipulation of biological process to create art, as many people wonder about the ethical implications of using biological organisms as a template to create works of art, which is an aspect of the unit I found very interesting. Throughout the unit, Professor Vesna presented various artworks that incorporate biological components, and all of them generated controversy and criticism in some sort of way, which was an interesting trend I was able to notice. This controversial nature of bio art can be seen in Eduardo Kac’s work, Alba. In this work, Kac, with the help of French geneticists, was able to implant a gene that is responsible for fluorescence in the jellyfish species, Aquorea Victoria, into a newly fertilized rabbit egg cell to create a fluorescent, albino rabbit. Many people have spoken against this work of art, as they state the artwork is unethical because it tampers with nature and the natural genetic code of the rabbit.

Although the field of bio art is associated with controversy, there are also aspects of the field that can be very beneficial to humans and the advancement of medicine. Kathy High expresses how rats can be beneficial in the discovery of new medicines to help cure many human diseases because of striking similarities between the human and rat genomes. Kathy High, who suffers from Crohn’s disease, also personally uses rats to help her, as she buys transgenic rats in an attempt to nurse them to full health using alternative methods. While she is nursing these rats, she notices how they handle stress and what they do to relax, which directly relates to her disease, as stress is one of the triggers to her condition. 

Kathy High’s experiences with bio art show that although the field contains many controversies, it has a massive potential to help with various problems that affect humans. 

Sources: 
Reder, Kimo. “Joe Davis' 'Microvenus' as Molecular Muse.” Jacket 2, 24 Sept. 2016, jacket2.org/commentary/joe-davis-microvenus-molecular-muse. 

Vesna, Victoria. “5 Bioart pt1 1280x720.” YouTube, YouTube, 18 Sept. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaThVnA1kyg. 

Vesna, Victoria. “5 BioArt pt3.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9DBF43664EAC8BC7&v=3EpD3np1S2g.

Vesna, Victoria. “5 BioArt pt4.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9DBF43664EAC8BC7&v=2qSc72u9KhI.

Young, Emma. “Mutant Bunny.” New Scientist, 22 Sept. 2000, www.newscientist.com/article/dn16-mutant-bunny/.

Midterm Project

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_VyIGMoPFTH1TBH8hf5JNUtS7R9L5W8Z/view