Event 3 – The Discovery Science Center

The Discovery Science Center is located in Orange County and has a variety of interactive, fun exhibits—a great place for children to learn and interact with science. The center has a lot of great, engaging exhibits that talk about really current issues and discoveries such as recycling, buying organic goods, Curiosity’s launch to Mars, and a variety of phenomena such as how waves, typhoons, and cyclones work.

One of the first exhibits that caught my attention was this cordless, laser harp.

You could run your fingers through the harp and it would start detecting your hands through the lasers, send the information to a computer, which would then translate your movement into a note. This piece really represents how far computers have gone and have you could incorporate science and art. Lasers are also a large part of the medical industry and you don’t see them being used for artistic reasons very often.

            Another piece I noted was this large, revolving model of Curiosity on Mars.

An interactive touch screen was positioned to talk about the various components of Curiosity, from its various cameras to its power source. Curiosity is really paving the way for space exploration and is a great item to learn about at this center. It also gave some fun facts about Mars such as how its arctic snowcaps revealed that Mars had water.

            There were also a series of exhibits showing how natural phenomena worked—such as waves, cyclones and whirlpools. These exhibits were interactive and allowed the user to touch and change-up the exhibits.

Exhibits like these that teach science through art is a great way to get children involved in science. Thinking back to some of my chemical engineering classes--- some of the equations got really complex and abstract, and the best thing to do in these cases were to think back to exhibits like these that show how things work in a fun and interactive way.

Sources

1. Choi, Charles. "Mars: Facts and Information About the Red Planet." n.d. n. page. Web. 13 Dec. 2013. <http://www.space.com/47-mars-the-red-planet-fourth-planet-from-the-sun.html>.

2. "Discovery Science Center." n.d. n. page. Web. 13 Dec. 2013. <http://www.discoverycube.org/>.

3. "Laser Products and Instruments." FDA. 06 27 2013: n. page. Web. 13 Dec. 2013. <http://www.fda.gov/radiation-emittingproducts/radiationemittingproductsandprocedures/homebusinessandentertainment/laserproductsandinstruments/default.htm>.

4. "NASA Rover Results Include First Age Measurement on Mars and Help for Human Exploration." 09 Dec 2013: n. page. Web. 13 Dec. 2013. <http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/msl/mars-rover-curiosity-20131209.html

5. "SEVERE WEATHER 101." n.d. n. page. Web. 13 Dec. 2013. <http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/>.

Event 2 - Griffith Oberservatory

            For my second event, I went to a Los Angeles landmark, the Griffith Observatory. The beautiful pathway of the Hollywood hills led to the grand observatory. It is the perfect setting to learn a lot about science in a beautifully artistic setting.

The pieces and exhibits at the observatory were pretty diverse. Some had to do with electricity, some had to do with chemistry, some physics, but most had to do with Earth and Space-which we discussed in the last lecture was the broadest topic. One of the most intriguing pieces was one of the first exhibits-the camera obscura. 

Inside a dark room on a flat surface, one can see a moving panoramic image of Los Angeles in real time. The camera obscura image is created by projecting an image of the outside world into a dark room through a pinhole. The camera obscura on the Griffith observatory roof uses a mirror and rotating turret to produce the reflected image seen here. This optical device, although seemingly high-tech, is an ancient device that is traced back to the the times of Aristotle where astronomers used them to observe the Sun.

            Another fun piece I enjoyed was the large and interactive periodic table with each square on the table represented by a physical representation and sample of each element. This piece represents one of the key tools in chemistry and as a chemical engineer I found it very amusing to display it in such an artistic styling. The piece gets the point across to both kids and adults alike.

There were a lot of different pieces and I could go on and on about the basic and advanced scientific facts that I learned and re-learned in fun, creative ways. The best way to experience this beautiful, fun, and educational landmark is definitely to go see for yourself!

Sources

1. Eaglin, Desiree. "Guide to the Griffith Observatory." (2011): n. page. Print. <http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/guide/guide-to-the-griffith-observatory/>.

2. "Griffith Observatory." n. page. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. <http://www.griffithobs.org/>.

3. "The Camera Obscura in History." n. page. Web. 12 Dec. 2013. <http://www.obscurajournal.com/history.php>.

4. The Whole World on a Disk. N.d. Video. Youtube.com, Los Angeles. Web. 12 Dec 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-wZcNVGV2E>.

5. Vesna, Victoria, and . Space Part 1. 2012. Video. Youtube.com, Los Angeles. Web. 29 Nov 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZIqTR332l8>.

Event 1- GLOW Santa Monica

            At the beginning of the quarter, I went to Santa Monica pier and got to experience something that I’d never seen before and was happy to attend; GLOW Santa Monica. I had been to the Santa Monica pier several times since coming to UCLA but I had never seen the landmark like I did when I saw GLOW. GLOW was an all-night experience where artists decorated the pier with their original glowing commissions. The crowds were large and excited and the energy of the town was contagious.

            One of the first pieces I saw that night was Professor Vesna’s Octopus Mandala Glow (OMG!).  Although I did not participate in this commission, it was fun seeing the glowing headpieces of those that did participate. The pieces were impressive, covering the passengers from head to toe.

From far away I saw the glowing headpieces circling the ferris wheel. The ferris wheel is already a beautiful site on a normal day, but it was ice to incorporate the ferris wheel and make it into a spiritual and artistic experience as it was one of the largest glowing items that night as it is every night. The technology and art really came together in this piece to create a group mandala, that allowed people to express themselves individually within a unified structure, on the world’s largest solar powered ferris wheel.

            The smaller pieces hanging on the trees on the beach were some of my favorite pieces by Shana Koenig.

Each piece was so intricate and exhibited so much movement. The pieces combine art and technology by combining fiber optics, glass, LEDs, and crystals. The pieces each have a lot of detail and represent deep sea creatures one could find in the depths of the ocean. This video captures Koenig’s Solar Sea creatures in the beginning and Janet Echelman’s “The Space between Us” in the end. 

Overall the experience was a lot of fun and the spectacles were well worth navigating through the crowds. I am excited to attend this event in another 3 years.

Sources:

1. "About GLOW." n. page. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.  <http://glowsantamonica.org/about/>.

2. Cunningham , Lori. "What is a Mandala?." n. page. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. <http://www.mandalaproject.org/What/>.

3. "Glow 2013." n. page. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. <http://octopusmandala.com/>.

4. Koenig, Shana. "Solar Sculptures." n. page. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. <http://shanakoenig.com/>.

5. Tate, Laura. The Space Between Us Highlight at Glow Santa Monica. N.d. Video. Youtube.comWeb. 11 Dec 2013. <http://www.deliciousvoyages.com/the-space-between-us-highlight-at-glow-santa-monica.html>.

Week 9 - Space and Art

           Ending the course on the subject of space and art demonstrates the comprehensive uses of technology and science in space discoveries and travel.  As Dr. Vesna noted in her video lecture, technologies in space research incorporate all the subjects covered thus far from math and biotechnology to nanotechnology.

           

            From Copernicus to the private space travel agency, SpaceX, the world beyond planet Earth has enticed and challenged scientists, engineers, and artists. The “Powers of Ten” video by Charles and Ray Eames really put human beings, Earth, and the galaxy into perspective. For me, the video gave an idea of where human beings are in the scheme of the universe of also created a sense of wonder by allowing me to realize how much we know about the world outside planet Earth.

Looking at the orbits of the planets in the solar system at 10^12 times the distance from a man's hand on Earth. Found here.

Art finds it’s way into research facilities concerning space. The research performed in the Basic Plasma Science Facility at UCLA is breaking ground in the world of plasma science. The images that come out of the facility reminds me of the highly intricate designs from the Mandelbrodt plots in the math unit. Scientific phenomena leads to colorful and beautiful pieces of art. 

Three dimensional field lines taken from a volumetric data set in an experiment at the Plasma Science Facility at UCLA. Found here.

            Science fiction plays a huge role in the intersection of space and art. The innate fascination in space is often satisfied by the stories of novelists and illustrations of artists. Charley Bonstell was a pioneer of astronomical and space art and helped to popularize manned space travel.  In the current time of viral videos, the work of Chris Hadfield has taught the public and popularized manned space travel. 

Commander Chris Hadfield sings David Bowie's Space Oddity in space. 

This work and  drawn interest in manned space travel is especially important during a time when less and less U.S. government funding is being appropriated to space technology.  Despite the cut in funding in the US, I believe the fascination with space will continue to power technology and art as it has in the centuries past.

Sources

 1. Alfed, Peter. "The Mandelbrot Set." (1998): n. page. Print. <http://www.math.utah.edu/~pa/math/mandelbrot/>.

2. UCLA Basic Plasma Science Facility. N.d. Photograph. plasma.physics.ucla.edu, Los Angeles. Web. 29 Nov 2013. <http://plasma.physics.ucla.edu/index.html>.

3. Eames, Charles. Powers of Ten. 2010. Infographic. http://powersof10.com/Web. 29 Nov 2013.

4. Hadfield, Chris. Space Oddity. 2013. Video. Youtube.com, International Space Station, Space. Web. 29 Nov 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo>.

5. Vesna, Victoria, and . Space Part 1. 2012. Video. Youtube.com, Los Angeles. Web. 29 Nov 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZIqTR332l8>.

Week 8 - Nanotechnology and Art

          Nanotechnology is a field of science defined by size. Because of this broad definition, nanotechnology touches a wide range of technologies from chemistry, molecular biology, microfabrication, and semiconductor physics that can be applied to medicine, electronics, biology, and energy production. Ray Kurzweil begins his TED talk, “Announcing a Singularity University”, by noting that information technology (IT), genomic sequencing, and computational data grows at an exponential rate. With nanotech being so broad and it’s impact so intense, it is important to link art and nanotechnology to inform the public of the importance of nanotechnology to learn how common technology like the chips found in our phones are made.

As technology advances, prices of the technologically decrease logarithmically. Found here. 

          Victoria Vesna and James Gimszewski use an image of a single grain of sand  via  a scanning electron microscope and project the image to reveal a mandala. The work combines eastern and western artistic practices—and shows how nanotechnology can be used as art.

Victoria Vesna and James Gimzewski uses a Scanning Electron Microscope of a grain of sand. Found here.

           Nanotechnology can also be used to create art in DNA via creative base pairing. Short strands of DNA are designed to link long strands of DNA to create creative shapes explains Paul Rothemund in his TED talk “Paul Rothemund explains DNA folding”. This nanotechnology has greater implications in biological nanostructures as well.

DNA folding makes these smiley faces. Found here.

          Nano-sized particles have even made it into some of our food products, which I found surprising. Low-calorie shakes with silica particles coated in chocolate have been created. These silica particles keep the customer fuller using less fat and carbohydrates. Nanotechnology is one of the broadest sciences we have studied thus far and has far-reaching applications. Art is easily incorporated in this emerging technology.

Sources

Gerth, John. "Art in the Age of Nanotechnology." Perth International Arts Festival exhibition. (2010): n. page. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. <http://www.artabase.net/exhibition/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology>.

Gimzewski, James. Nanotech for Artists. 2012. Video. Youtube.comWeb. 25 Nov 2013.

Kurzweil, Ray. Ray Kurzweil announces Singularity University. 2009. Video. TED TalksWeb. 24 Nov 2013. <http://www.ted.com/talks/ray_kurzweil_announces_singularity_university.html>.

"Nanomandala." n. page. Print. <http://nano.arts.ucla.edu/mandala/mandala.php>.

Rothemund, Paul. Paul Rothemund details DNA Folding. 2008. Video. TED TalksWeb. 25 Nov 2013.

Week 7 - Neuroscience and Art

             The brain is arguably the most important organ that contributes to our individuality. In addition, society has been studying the brain and mind up to a point in which we understand a vast amount about what contributes to our dreams, emotions, aesthetics, and habits.

Neurotransmitter move across the synapse of the brain. Found here.

             One reason that combination of art and neuroscience is an important contributing aspect to society is that it allows society to further understand the potential up and coming technologies in the future, and contemplate the ethics associated with these technologies. For example, in one of my favorite moves, Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, the main characters undergo a procedure to erase each other from their memories and the male main character attempts to understand his fragmented memories. This well-executed,  creative plot allows the viewers to contemplate the ethics of such a procedure, and the reactions allow scientists to act based on them.

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind explore technologies associated with memory. Found Here.

            In addition, artists also pursue chemical-altering drugs in the brain and the effects the drugs can have. Frazzetto notes that, “The drugs of choice have changed as culture has evolved”. Discoveries in neuroscience have a huge effect on society as it these drugs have an immense effect on popular culture.

Drugs influence pop culture. Found in Frazetto article, "NeuroCulture".

           Finally, artists can beat scientists to conclusions on the human mind, such as when Proust beat neuroscientists in discovering that memory is faulty and always changing. The line between art and science is no longer so well defined just as we had mentioned in the first week when we studied C.P. Snow's, "Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution". In conclusion, the combination of neuroscience and art  can go beyond art to allow society to contemplate the up and coming technologies, can alter popular culture, and can help discover more theories not formerly thought of.

Sources

Frazetto, Giovanni. "NeuroCulture." Science and Society. n. page. Print.

Gondry, Michael. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. N.d. Movie. n.p. Web. 17 Nov 2013. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338013/>.

Max, D. T. . "Swan's Hypothesis ." New York Times. n. page. Print. <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/books/review/Max-t.html?_r=0>.

"Neurotransmitter." Intro to the Brain. n. page. Print. <http://its.sdsu.edu/multimedia/mathison/neurotransmitter/>.

Snow, C.P. “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” Reading. 1959. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961. Print.