Art, Science + Technology
DMA9 Fall 2007, Section BArchive for December, 2007
W10: Finals
Certainly one of the less stressful examinations, it was also by far the most interesting one. To be surrounded by individuals with so many innovative and exceptionally brilliant ideas and proposals was quite humbling. I think that the incorporation of the elements was also quite clever since, I believe, it helped many of us focus.
I noticed that there was a large number of people who chose to use water as their elemental theme. Water, in particular the lack of clean, drinkable water, is humanity’s second most prominent problem. As such, I felt the large number of water projects was quite significant since it seems to reflect upon our society and what we’re most worried about.
The fact that each presentation was at most 2 minutes also made this examination quite enjoyable. People were forced to present their projects quickly and concisely. This prevented the audience from getting bored from tedious, minute details. In general, I feel that this style of examination was a successful venture.
W9: Nanotechnology – NanoBots
Nanotechnology involves working with matter of the ultra-small scale. E.g. molecules, atoms, etc. Like advances in space exploration, it is one of the most innovative and science-fiction-like fields. The aspect of nanotech that interests me the most is the concept of nanobots. There are a variety of authors/visionaries/sci-fi shows whom have made the first tentative steps into exploring this concept. Some of which include “I, Robot”, “Stargate SG1″, etc.
To clarify what nanobots are, nanorobotics refers to “the technology of creating machines or robotsnanometres (10-9 meters). More specifically, nanorobotics refers to the still largely hypothetical nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and building nanorobots. As no artificial non-biological nanorobots have so far been created, they remain a hypothetical concept at this time.”
There have been some primitive nanobots that have been created. One such bot is a sensorthat has a switch of about 1.5 nanometers across which has the function of counting specific molecules in a chemical sample. It is most likely that the first successful application of nanotechnology will be in the medical field. Nanobots may be used to identify and destroy cancer cells, and other pathogens. As such, I feel that nanotech is by-far one of the most promising fields of the future.
Kinetic and Robotic Art
What is kinetic art?
Kinetic Art is a type of art which includes parts that are in motion. The moving parts can be operated by a person, wind, air, water, electricity or a motor. In 1913, Marcel Duchamp created the “Bicycle Wheel,” which is recognized as the first piece of kinetic art. Antoine Pevsner and Naum Gabo were the first to use the term kinetic art in their 1920 publication, Realist Manifesto. Perhaps the most familiar and famous kinetic sculpture is the mobile, which was created by Alexander Calder
during the 1930’s. The 1950’s through the 1960’s stand out as the most prominent time period of kinetic art. Some front runners kinetic artists at this time were Yaacov Agam, Arthur Ganson, Len Lye, George Rickey, Bridget Riley, and Jean Tingley. Jean Tingly created a very interesting and elaborate self-destructing kinetic sculpture in 1960. Titled “Homage
to New York,” the fascinating piece of art, which was composed of junk found in Newark dumps, destroyed itself in about twenty-seven minutes on March 17th, in the garden of the Museum of Modern Art. While searching for kinetic art, I found two kinetic artists that really interested me.
One is Bruce Gray, whose “California Dreamin” rolling ball machine I found to be quite striking. I love the way it looks like a miniature version of a mystical roller coaster, something that would be found in “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” The second kinetic artist that caught my eye was Tim Fort, who creates playful and colorful projects that utilize the domino motion. I like his work because it is fun and appeals to all audiences, including children.
Pictures:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/CoyoteGremlin312/e24da6bc.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/CoyoteGremlin312/bicycle16.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/CoyoteGremlin312/kinpic14.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/CoyoteGremlin312/kinpic13.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/CoyoteGremlin312/dreamin.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/CoyoteGremlin312/card1.jpg
Robots: Who is Fast Karl?
In researching robot art, I came across an interesting website about a robot artist named Fast Karl. Fast Karl is a robot that designs abstract art without the use of a programmer. Using his tire treads, he paints across a canvas or paper with acrylic paints. As simple as it seems to put tire treads through paper, his work is actually quite beautiful. I find it incredible that machines can create such beautiful works of art. Even though some say they would not consider art created by robots
actually art, I believe it is as artful as a painting by Picasso. Just because it is not designed directly by a human, it does not make it any less beautiful or artistic.
Pictures:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/CoyoteGremlin312/unijunction.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/CoyoteGremlin312/screamkarl21a.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/CoyoteGremlin312/realestatesplendor01.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/CoyoteGremlin312/pinknoise01.jpg
What is Math Rock? Why isn’t Math Rock more popular in America?
Until Monday of this last week, I had never heard of math rock. When I first heard the phrase “math rock,” my mind immediately went to thinking that it is a type of music that talks about math, which made me initially turned off from it because I do not particularly like math. Then I thought, it would be illogical to have an entire sub-genre of music based
on songs that just talked about math; therefore, maybe instead of songs talking about math, the instrument playing was based on certain math equations. I was wrong both times because math rock is neither of those things. Math rock is actually titled math rock merely because the instrument playing is so precise. To me, the music was pretty similar to a lot of popular heavy metal today, except the drumming was very crisp.
Even though it is not really my type of music, I still cannot figure out why it is not more popular because it is still a fascinating musical genre. If you read reviews of math rock bands on Epitonic, one can tell that they are highly respected by their fans, so it is my belief that they should become more popular; however, maybe a part of math rock’s greatness lies in the fact that it is kind of hidden. Lots of once great songs become irritating once the radio plays them every hour of every
day; therefore, maybe it is better that a math rock song does not become another make-me-want-to-kill-myself if-I-have-to-hear-it-one-more-time songs.
What is the history of the Golden Ratio? Why is the Golden Ratio so incredible?
I had never really thought about the Golden Ratio until this week in lecture. It is incredible to think that so many things can be simplified to one number. Stars, spirals, architecture, perfect facial structures, sunflowers, etc.; it astounds me that so many natural objects contain the golden ratio. The golden ratio first appeared in architecture when Phidias created the Parthenon statues to show the significance of the golden ratio. Mark Ohm first coined the term “goldener schnitt” (in
English, Golden Section) in 1835. In the early 1900’s, Mark Berr used “Phi” to represent the numerical value of the golden ratio. This title gave recognition to Phidias, for his important contribution to the recognition of the golden ratio. I still do not completely understand how exactly this number exists, and I think that is where it’s incredibility comes from, that fact that it is such a far-fetched, yet completely realistic phenomenon. In lecture, we were even show that statistically the faces of people that follow the golden ratio are seen as the most beautiful. I guess if we were ever to actually define perfection, which I do not think we should do because I do not think it actually exists, but if we ever were to, I think that the golden ratio would define perfection, at least in the physically beautiful sense.
http://www.epitonic.com/index.jsp?refer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epitonic.com%2Fgenres%2Fmathrock.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Math_rock
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio#Timeline
Final Projects
Final Projects
I was really impressed with all of the final projects that were presented in class on Monday and Wednesday. Presentations from all four elements, earth, water, fire, and air, were really impressive in their creativity and their design. Many used the element requirement as a springboard to create projects that dealt with pollution and/or other issues facing our planet today. They tackled these problems in a variety of ways, from designs for wildfire defense systems to art projects that aim to raise awareness about these topics. Whatever angle they took, most of the projects were very successful. One in particular that really intrigued me was the reverse gravity art display, where the tree inside the glass cube shed leaves that would float upwards. I’m sorry I don’t know the name of who made that project and thus can’t give them credit, but I think that would be a really spectacular piece to actually create in real life.
Experimental as this format for the midterm and final was, I think it was a huge success. It forced us to directly apply what we’ve learned in class to create something special of our own. Furthermore, viewing the one-minute presentations exposed us to some really cool project ideas, and, at least for me, opened my eyes to all the great ideas that our floating through the minds of my fellow UCLA students. Plus, having no written final and being done with class a week before finals is a huge plus. Overall, it was a fitting ending to a very memorable class.
Week Nine
I have decided to write about my experiences with the final instead of doing the usual thing and writing about the class. Hopefully this wont be too big of a problem. This class did a few interesting things to the way I work. I usually dont worry about the scientific aspects of my artwork, but whenever I did things for the class, I always thought about the other side of the equation. As someone who primarily uses a computer as his primary medium, I am always aware, to a certain extent, of the technical side of things. However, this class brought new context to my work. I never thought about issues with a combination of art and science, it was usually just one or the other. For example, my midterm dealt with a portrayal of intensely scientific concepts in a very artistic method. This was really unexplored territory for me, though I know I am not exactly the first to cross over into this fusion of science and art, as the class has taught me. It was a good feeling, to know that I was trying something completely different than my usual shtick. It’s also something I’d like to keep doing.
Prof. Gimzewski- Week 9
This past week Professor Gimzewski came and talked to our class about nanotechnology and bucky balls. I found his perspective on science and life in general very interesting. I specifically recall him telling us that at this point in time bucky balls are pointless. He said that the guys who made them should not have received anything, but they got the Nobel prize. Dr. Gimzewski looked at everything at face value. He knows that although someday these things could produce something that NOW they do not. And that it will take a lot of work to use these discoveries and inventions. Another thing that I liked about Professor Gimzewski is that although he is a leader in the field of Nanotech, he kept a level head and is still a normal guy (He told drinking stories!).
I also thought that his comments on the monks at the end of the discussion were interesting. At first thought it is hard to imagine that these men who all they do is meditate all day are the happiest people on the Earth. But then I thought about it, and it makes perfect sense. These men have no fears, no worries and are at peace with their inner selves. They do not have any stress or worry about any of the normal troubles that we have. These men are so focused and refined in their thoughts that they are the happiest men in the world. They are at peace! His comments about us only being an energy source also interested me. He said that when he was meditating he saw that other beings were only energy source. I am interested in his thinking, but do not agree with it. If everyone else was only an energy source, then he would be too. And energy sources cannot think so therefore nothing would really exist. I believe that although our body may be an energy source that we have spirits that live forever.
I liked Prof. Gimzewski and would love to hear from him in the future. I think that he should talk to every Desma class in the future, just to give the students a different perspective on science, but more importantly life.
Nano tech suits and beyond.
Nano technology is a relatively new field in science. After all, we only got our nanotech building up this year. We now have the technology to manipulate atoms and molecules at that scale. The first idea that pops up when thinking of nanotech are robots in the human body that repair tissue. That maybe possible in the future, but may not be possible now because of limits with artificial intelligence. This topic reminded me of a cartoon I saw when I was younger. It was Spiderman Unlimited.
He had a wrist watch that contained nanomachines, that when activated, came out and formed his suit. It would protect him from villains, repair his body, and give him special powers.
There is also a game released recently named “Crysis” that involves US special soldiers equipped with a protective nanosuit that gives them super human abilities.
So many different things are influenced by the idea of nano technology. Now that nanotechnology is maybe some of these visions will come true. But now that we have nanotechnology, the next advancement is pecotechnology (10^-12 for those of you that don’t know).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_Unlimited
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_Unlimited_(comic_book)
http://www.tv.com/spider-man-unlimited/show/2360/summary.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crysis
http://www.ea.com/crysis/index.jsp
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/crysis/index.html
To Infinity and Beyond
It’s kind of odd, how widely misunderstood the idea of infinity is; or, if the concept itself is understood, its implications are not. Clearly, Buzz Lightyear was a nutjob who thought you could travel beyond ‘infinity’. Unfortunately, many if not most people are just as ridiculous.
One common misconception, for example, is the treatment of infinity as a number. Really, folks, just because something is used in mathematics doesn’t make it a number. Arguments that devolve from “uh-huh” and “nuh-uh” to “uh-huh TIMES INFINITY” and “nuh-huh TIMES INFINITY PLUS ONE”, though (hopefully) not reflective of the true intellect of those involved, exacerbates the false definition.
Another mistake: an infinite universe necessitates infinite matter within the universe, arrange in infinite arrangements. It’s surprising how many people would be amazed to hear that, assuming our universe is infinitely expanding, there is NO reason to believe that somewhere out there aliens exist. One begins to think these people are the same who mishandled ‘infinity’ in math, as well; anyone who has divided one by three can find an infinite sequence with a finite variety of numerals.
I realize at this point that nobody cares how many other people misuse vocabulary; after all, modern society spits on language in favor of looking like a moron on the internet. Strange value systems aside, I think the concept of ‘infinity’ is much more important than grammatical crimes, and society’s inability to understand it speaks a lot about our breadth of mind.
Of course, it may not seem like it matters, given that people have been making the same mistakes for eons. Yet humankind is spreading at a frightening rate; advances in information technology, communications, transportation, and other fields have massively increased the reach of each person. Before widespread sea travel came around, a person in Europe could be completely mistaken as to how far the Americas were, and it wouldn’t really make a difference to everyday life. But those distances became important as improving capabilities put them within reach. Same deal with air travel. Now, as society eyes the ‘final frontier’ of space, a true understanding of what space really entails is becoming more relevant.
Such a literal context, however, might make it seem insignificant; we’re not vacationing to the moon yet, after all. In that case, consider the somewhat recent movement for people to become ‘global citizens’. Belonging to the Earth instead of a nation, it is said, would promote responsibility to treat the planet well, as well as sympathy towards others far away from you. In my opinion, the realization that an infinite universe does not automatically supply us with another inhabitable planet is a frightening and much more effective way to put our planet’s ills in context. It makes you realize how small, fragile, and unique the Earth truly is, and how moronic it is for us to blindly mistreat it.
Also, it means all those people studying stars that are millions of light-years away are wasting their time. That’s like dreaming of a space shuttle before the steam engine was invented. Let’s get that space elevator up and running, and connect it to a lunar colony. That sounds better to me.
Nano? Not now
I was intrigued by Jim’s idea that knowledge can hinder creativity. The story of the two gentlemen who invented the scanning tunnel microscope who lacked the knowledge of other scientists. If they had too much knowledge, they would have abandoned the idea. Knowledge can put a box around what we think is possible. But obviously a base level of knowledge must be had to understand the possibilities. A young child cannot influence nano-tech, but on the opposite end of the spectrum neither can the very old. An old way of thinking become conservative and tend to think within reason. The young scientists are the innovators.
Jim Gimzewski said that a lot of the new nanotechnology really has no use. The story of the bucky ball Nobel Prize was quite funny. But it is true a lot of these discoveries has been science for the sake of science. Although impressive, what impact does arranging atoms in the letters IBM. All ideas have been based on speculation of what could be. The smallest gear could have a use in microscopic motors, but we do not currently have a use for them.
The HAARP project in Alaska is controversial, but I believe the suspicion is unfounded. The energy available to the HAARP project is really not all that much. The ability currently of the station to inflict any really damage on the world is small. But the capabilities in the future may be different. However all of the speculation of what the public says is not necessarily a bad thing. Being able to control the weather to a degree could have amazing benefits. During the wildfires in Southern California, we really could have used a little rain to put out of the fire, or rain counteract a drought that is killing thousands of people. There are some potentially dangerous abilities of HAARP but we must be prepared do have defenses against nuclear threats.
week 9
Everyone presented innovative designs on Monday for the final. Many of the projects seemed to focus on pollution and depleting water availability. One presentation that was particularly interesting was the one about water music. My project also dealt with water and music. I designed a musical instrument that was played by music. The other project recorded water sounds and combined them to make a song. The best projects seem to be the ones where the student actually carries out the proposals. What made that project so interesting was that he actually recorded the sounds of water like rain or a faucet and compiled them into an actual song. Another project that was interesting for the same reason was the tornado sculpture. The group actually constructed a model of the sculpture.
It was surprising to see that so many people chose water as their element, myself included. At first I wanted to do fire, so that I could relate it to the wildfires occurring in Southern California, but as I was developing my idea, I decided to use water. Water was easier to adapt to an art/science idea. Also, water is already used often as an art form in fountains. It will be interesting to see how popular the other elements were. Since I almost chose fire, I really want to see those too. I’m excited to see the rest of the presentations tomorrow!
Nanotechnology and Construction
Currently construction process is planning, gathering materials, and putting together materials through cutting to shape the materials and welding the materials together. If materials aren’t cut into right shape and welded together throughly, the resulting building may be structurally weak and break down. But sometimes the materials might not be easy to cut, and welding could be hard to do because how the joints are formed. Sometimes the excess materials cut may be put as scrap metal and be wasted.
But what if the materials are made into very small pieces from the beginning? What if materials are made into couple molecules big nano-robots and the robots receive instructions to how to join to form the structure? This concept is used in a computer game named Total Annihilation.
A battleship’s layout is projected by laser imaging, and the bunches of nano-robots (seen as lumps of green in the screen shot) adhere to the projected image. This way, materials for the battleship doesn’t have to be forged into shape, but just needs to be made into nano-robots and they will attach themselves to the projection and build the battleship themselves. Of course the materials have to go through process to be made into nano-robots, but other than that, the whole construction process becomes simplified. This kind of construction is not currently possible, but I think this definitely could be one of the utilization of nanotechnology once the technology level reaches this stage.
Week#9: Space and Nanos
Common themes of space in popular culture?
Space exploration or adventure is a popular subject in the science fiction genre. In general, space settings are usually set far into the future, which has limitless possibilities. It is in the future that space travel capable starships are developed and earth has already made contact with alien races. A popular series that seems to follow that premise is Star Trek where the focus is on the adventures of one starship as it explores space. Exploration of space in fiction may be a way for people to channel their exploration drive now that pretty much all of earth is mapped. In the past, before satellites and such, there were many unknowns on the planet itself that people didn’t really think about what is beyond space.
There is one particular sci-fi show that is interesting to note: Stargate SG1. It is a space exploration/adventure show set in the present. It is interesting to watch how space exploration is a possibility as of today in the show. If it is possible now, I don’t think it would be along the line as the sci-fi genre would portray. I think it would be, though exciting, would be quite arduous. It may even take a long while before man kind makes any contact of aliens, hopefully nice ones.
Nanotechnology in fiction and in real life?
Nanotechnology portrayed by fiction is quite easy to understand, at least the concept of it. First, there is the idea that nanotechnology equates to nano-bots, or tiny microscopic machines, that can do various things. Their functions can range from enhancing human performance, fixing flesh or inorganic damages, run robots, and so on. Well, that is basically what comes to my mind when I think of nanotechnology…I immediately think of those fictional nano-bots that I see all the time in sci-fi shows like in Star Trek with the Borgs.
But, Professor James Gimzewski was able to enlightenment me on the reality of Nanotechnology. No, it isn’t the wondrous nano-bots, at least not yet. Instead, Gimzewski talked about buckyballs, which I still don’t quite understand yet, and about the scanning tunneling microscope. He then talked about some of his projects like the nano-abacus and how he made a nano spinning thingy. He then talked about something I was more familiar with, like the carbon nano tube thingy, which was thought to be able to be used in a space elevator. I had read like short passage about the plausibility of the space elevator and about the carbon nano wire. Overall, Gimzewski’s lecture was really informative.
http://my.execpc.com/~culp/space/mmu.jpg
http://www.screenhead.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/startrekenterprice.jpg
https://www.prettyside.com/Seek/themes/default/images/stargate_big.jpg
http://www.retinalreality.com/gallery/2002_08/nanobots_on_patrol.jpg
Space and aliens Wk 9
by Blair Georgakas
It is human nature to get caught up in our own lives. We are so concerned about our work, relationships, and finals that our lives become everything we know and everything that is important. We think the world is this massive place and it is in comparison to us. But let’s think bigger. We forget that Earth is just one planet of our solar system. Our solar system is just one of many in our galaxy and our galaxy is just one of all of space. How significant really are our lives? How significant is even our planet? Earth is just one tiny blue dot in hundreds of thousands of miles of space. It makes me wonder why I am even here. What is the point of me living this life? On a grand scale, my life does not really mean anything. It reassures me that it really doesn’t matter about that one test I failed or the one time I really made a mistake. Thinking about how small Earth is in comparison to space is so interesting to me. We question whether or not there are other life forms. But I don’t see how it’s even a question. In my mind, there has to be more life out there. How can we really believe that our planet is the only one of millions that has life? Isn’t it naïve and almost arrogant to believe that we are the only planet with life? The question now is when we will discover it.
Nanotech: Bottom Up Building
First of all what’s the difference? Bottom up or Top down.
Well building top down starts with much larger materials and break them down and down using a series of chemical, mechanical and other processes. The goal is to make nano-materials from stock materials. The other method, bottom up production, involves starting the production of the desired molecules or materials with the atoms or individual molecular scale. They manipulate individual atoms and molecules so that the produced material are formed and can be controlled. Specific characteristics of a molecule that are beneficial to control include: particle size, shape, contents, and others.
What benefits are there to building bottom up? The major improvement in bottom up technology is the ability to manipulate matter at the smallest level, the atomic level. This allows materials to be formed with more advanced properties and allows innovative applications. New materials with super properties can be formed. Their strength, density, durability can all be modified to make the material more beneficial. This can help to make electronics smaller, which is almost the holy grail of nanotechnology. The nano-chip. To make computer chips on such a small scale that super computers can be created. There are so many expectations from nanotechnology that it seems like it will redefine the world and its materials as we know it.
So what’s so tough with building from the bottom up? That is from taking the small particles and putting them together to form larger products. I mean after all it can’t be that hard if nature does it on its own. That is how nature builds it’s own molecules.
What we might not realize is that there are specific conditions and exact requirements for certain molecules to be produced. Those conditions are met in nature do not necessarily create the molecules that we want. But that’s how it always is. Something is given and we want it to change. So we must introduce some sort of limit or constricting method on the molecules and processes. This insures that the materials meet the specifications that we want. This is very difficult to do and often times requires creativity to introduce the restraining limit. Creativity is not even the major problem.
Right now a big problem with Botom Up building is that it takes such a long time to build itself up. One material that has been developed is a nano-elevator. It is 2.5 nanometers high and 3.5 nanometers wide. It can build itself in a week and then move up and down one nanometer. Scientists would like to someday have some materials they can mix together and will build walls by themselves. They don’t however want it to take forever for it to build itself.
http://www.azonano.com/details.asp?ArticleID=1079
http://www.nanovip.com/what_is_nanotechnology
http://www.engr.utexas.edu/wep/cool/eng_adv/English/Smarty_Pants/tieto_about.htm
Peter Chang – Week 9
Folly of science?
Whenever I hear of these great breakthroughs and ideas in nanotechnology such as buckyballs, nanotubes, and their possibilities to store medicine or build strong structures I think of how far science in general has progressed. I have always felt that science was always advancing, that it always had a purpose to push our understanding of our world further. I still do think that science does expand our understanding of everything but ever since I heard James Gimzewski speak about science, I have found it funny how scientists often have no idea what they’re doing as scientists (in the general sense).
Gimzewski made it sound like he simply stumbled upon his discovery of the nano-gear, and yet he got an incredible amount of publicity for what he doesn’t seem too surprised to find. He transformed great discoveries like the buckyball and nanotube into useless chunks of carbon when all these years, the media has been praising them. Gimzewski changed my view of today’s scientists from people who are complete experts on the outcomes of any of their experiments and research into more loose ended professionals who deal with discoveries as they come.
Of course I don’t think Gimzewski really means to be negative about such discoveries. After all, with more research, who knows what we can make of all the useless discoveries in nanotech. I think he was spot on when he emphasized how much more important imagination was compared to knowledge. By seeing beyond all the useless stuff we have created so far, we can possibly discover something of a true break through. We may even find something that can make useless discoveries usefull.
I guess we can go full circle here and conclude out quarter with Gimzewski’s statement about imagination. What would science be without imagination? Science would just be the study of what is. Without art, without imagination, without something different, absurd, creative, or whatever, we wouldn’t be here with our tiny laptops, modern medicine, artificial flavoring, hemi cars, ect. ect. Science would be folly without imagination.
Week 9- Nanotechnology and HAARP
What is nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology is currently defined as a field of science that attempts to control matter on the atomic level through the use of devices in that size range (under 100 nanometers). Yet, the nanotechnology in its traditional sense meant to build things from the bottom up with atomic precision. The concepts of nanotechnology were first proposed by Richard Feynman in 1959, but the word nanotechnology was not first popularized until the 1980s by Eric Drexler.
The applications of nanotechnology appear to be virtually endless. Current applications of nanotechnology are currently found in sunscreen, cosmetics, stain resistant clothing, and even food products. Yet much of what people expect to come out of nanotechnology research revolves around small technological devices that do such things as navigate the blood stream or explore other parts of the body. However, much of the current research in the field of nanotechnology is more centered on manipulating substances at the molecular level for a specific purpose such as to make it stronger or more flexible.
I think that there are many positive aspects associated with nanotechnology, but there are many things to fear as well. Many nonmaterials have already been shown to be toxic to humans and the environment. Because the nonmaterials are so small they much more easily taken up by the human body. In addition, they contain greater chemical reactivity which makes them more toxic. Because of the small size of the field of nanotechnology there are many concerns about the damages that further advancements in this field may cause to humans and the environment.
What is HAARP? What is the controversy over the program?
The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) is a project funded by the United States Air Force and Navy. The project claims to be an investigation of ionospheric processes. The purpose is to be able to understand, control, and even stimulate these processes for the benefit of communication and surveillance. To do this, an electrical signal is directed to a specific area in the ionosphere where the effects are then observed by scientists. The stated purpose is to study how the ionosphere naturally affects radio signals and solar interaction. The HAARP project annually has open days in which the public can visit the facility located in Alaska (an attempt to prove to the public that the project is not hiding anything). Nevertheless, many people are skeptical as to the true capabilities and intentions of the project.
There are many different theories of what HAARP is capable of. People have suggested that it could be used to deliver large amounts of energy anywhere on earth (similar to the destructive power of a nuclear bomb), change weather patterns, block global communications, disrupt human mental processes, cause earthquakes, or x-ray the earth. There is no real evidence to support any of these claims. It is simply a fairly new, radical project that is receiving widespread controversy from people who fear the possibilities, for not much is known about what will happen as a result of the project.
Links:
http://www.crnano.org/whatis.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/print/19961
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Frequency_Active_Auroral_Research_Program
Nanotechnology, Molecules, and New Materials
How does nanotechnology affect us?
Nanotechnology is one of the fastest growing sciences of today. Nanotech enables us to manipulate a certain aspect of life such as health and maintain control of the issue. The current nanotechnology advances have been reported to allow people to live longer. Statistics show that with future advances n nanotechnology, a person will be able to live at an average of 85 years of age and older. The lifespan of a person before nanotech is calculated at 65 years. Although nanotechnology seems to be appealing it is not easily accepted by all. Many argue that if nanotechnology does carry through with its plans of enabling longer lifespans the results will not only be seen in the worlds overpopulation but also it will affect the services such as social security and health insurance. If people continue live longer social security and its protection plans for the elderly and retired citizens will be scarce. Not only will funds be insufficient but also the quality of the social security administration will decline. I personally do accept nanotechnology because I see it as an extension as not only of our knowledge but of life. Sustaining a longer lifespan means a person lives a healthier life. Nanotech is able to make the longer lifespans through their robotic creatures that enter the blood stream and are able to combat any malicious cells such as cancer in the body. The robots are named “botz” for their small size. I see the botz to be a representation of bio-mimicry because they resemble the structure and size of real cells. It is the similarities between the cell and the botz that enable the robots to function successfully.
Paradigm Shift
After listening to the lecture given by Professor James Gimzewski, it was interesting to listen to a scientist’s perspective on a project that was introduced to us in class by an artist, professor Vesna. The project that both professors introduced, the blue morph, was very intriguing tome as it incorporated both the science and art elements to introduce a process of every day life, such as the metamorphosis of a butterfly. It was interesting to see how Professor Vesna would refer to the butterfly as being ‘beautiful” and the “amazing” shiny color it contained. When Professor James Gimzewski introduced the product he referred to the butterflies color pigments and illustrated what the blue color was made up of. Although both professors presented the project with different perspectives, none being less important, it is nice to see that both aim to create a Third Culture.
http://www.technologyreview.com/special/living/index.aspx
http://www.organicconsumers.org/nanotech.cfm
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4111499
Nanotechnology
One of this week’s primary topics was nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is directly related to applied science, and applied to create new forms of artistic devices. Nanotechnology controls matter on a molecular/ atomic scale; usually on the basis of 1 to 100 nanometers. Using this theme, devices are created and redefined on a smaller scale. In addition, nanotechnology refers to the processing, separation, consolidation and deformation of materials by one molecule/ atom. Examples of nanotechnology are found in devices with computer chips. Nanotechnology is also found and is being incorporated in society in terms of automobiles, sports products and self-cleaning supplies. Nano-tech is altering the way we look at everyday appliances and technology. We now perceive our world on a smaller, molecular (nanometer) scale.
Within the topic of nanotechnology, I was particularly interested in Robert Buckminster Fuller’s “buckeyballs”. This sixty carbon molecule is a soccer ball shaped configuration. It is based off of Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic domes. These “buckeyballs” can potentially be used to create energy due to its carbon compound. I am interested in the possibility and potential of these molecules, in relation to nanotechnology and nanometers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1200/is_n23_v138/ai_9232352
Space
In the last hundred years, humans’ interest in space has developed. We started to watch many tv shows and movies about space in science fiction genre. As discussed in lecture, some of these were the Jetsons, Lost in Space, Start Trek, and ET. Therefore, we started making space a part of our everyday lives. We also started getting involved in competition with other countries on the topic of space. For example, we were very intensely competing with the Soviet Union in the space race. Many nations were trying to beat each other in the advancement of sending off space shuttles, satellites, etc.
We also started to develop SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Many scientists think that this program is a waste of time. However, I think that it is extremely important that we keep these technologies updated in case of some emergency where we are able to detect aliens of some kind. I think it is arrogant for us to believe we are the only creatures in the universe when the universe is so vast and endless. We need to be prepared for the unexpected when it comes to space, because I think humans still have yet to discover many characteristics about space. Just knowing of the advances that we have on daily basis considering space, I can’t help but think we still have so much more to go.
Out of all the things citizens are required to pay taxes for, I think that scientific research is one of those things where our money is spent for a great cause. I strongly believe, sometime in the future, humans will be able to make a living on another planet. The earth is getting overpopulated, and I think it is about time that we start settling in on other planets. With the advances that are taking place everyday, it is hard to believe that these developments will cease and stop. Therefore, life on another planet=quite possible!
Nanotechnology
Why Nanotechnology is so Intriguing
Each and every day, people are coming up with new innovations that change our culture. However, in most cases, these innovations are based off of extremely large objects, if viewed on a molecular scale. And since molecular science is basically at the root of everything we use, it is only fitting that we eventually utilize the molecule as the base of our innovations and creations. That’s where nanotechnology comes into the equation. It provides an opportunity to utilize an untouched field of thought to solve problems or come up with new ways to do things. Nanotechnology has applications in uncountable subjects, including medicine, waste management, and transportation. All this time we have been looking for big solutions to big problems, when perhaps the answer has been extremely small all along.
Similarities between Outer Space and Nanotechnology
When first compared, the thought that outer space and nanotechnology, apparent opposites, would have anything in common would seem absolutely ludicrous. However, when analyzing the themes that surround these two subjects, the similarities become clearer. For instance, the amount of information we have about each of these subjects is extremely limited. We have not even touched the tip of the iceberg of potential that is associated with these two areas, nor will we ever get to the base of it. And that is a good thing, as it implies that there will always be something more to search for, to strive for, and to constantly lead us into the future of innovation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanorobotics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology
http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/nanotechAndMedicine.html
http://www.crnano.org/whatis.htm
http://www.tipmagazine.com/tip/INPHFA/vol-8/iss-3/p15.pdf
Week 9 – the THREE – by Nathan Hsu
What benefits have come from the combination of Art and Science?
The answer to this question can be observed from anything that one perceives in the world. Burj Al Arab, for example, is the only 7-star hotel and the tallest hotel in the world. Yes, it serves exclusively as a hotel, yet it is not its purpose that makes it so world-renown. It cannot have been built without science: Several features of the hotel required complex engineering feats to achieve. The hotel rests on an artificial island constructed 280 meters offshore. To secure a foundation, the builders drove 230 40-meter long concrete piles into the sand. The foundation is held in place not by bedrock, but by the friction of the sand and silt along the length of the piles. In addition, it is also a beautiful art work: it is an iconic structure, designed to symbolize Dubai’s urban transformation and to mimic the billowing sail of a boat. The building design features a steel exoskeleton wrapped around a reinforced concrete tower. Notably the building is shaped like the sail of a dhow, with two “wings” spread in a V to form a vast “mast”. The space between the wings is enclosed by a Teflon-coated fibreglass sail, curving across the front of the building and creating an atrium inside. The Burj Al Arab features the tallest atrium lobby in the world, at 180 meters (590 ft). It is the combination of art and science that creates beauty and harmony in life.
What examples of movements attempt to destroy one or the other?
It is evident that sometimes either a specific form of art or science inflicts controversies. movies/books like Fahrenheit 451 and Equilibrium have demonstrated some ideas of these sort. In Fahrenheit 451, books, a reflection of science knowledge, are forbidden and to be burned in sight. In Equilibrium, any type of art forms is consider an emotion-inducing drug and is to be destroyed. Of course, by the end of these movies humans have found in their consciousness the importance of the two’s existences. Art, Science, and Technology are to be valued as one.
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:DubAymx.JPG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equilibrium_%28film%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_New_World
Week 9: Nanotechnology
What uses does nanotechnology have in medicine?
Nanotechnology extends technology to the atomic scale. With seemingly unlimited applications, nanotechnology is truly one of the most important scientific fields. However, I believe nanotechnology will prove most beneficial in the field of medicine. Nanotechnology can improve medicine in two important ways: drug transportation and precision. Many medicines are non-soluble, which makes transportation a difficult task. Nanoparticle transporters help drugs reach their target more easily, and can be put in the form of pills. These nanoparticles can also be used to seek out specific diseases. The chemical properties of nanoparticles allow them to attach to disease sites and release the drug that they are carrying at a specific time. As nanotechnology advances, we may be able to develop cures for diseases like cancer.
Are there any risks coupled with using nanotechnology on the human body?
Because of their size, nanoparticles can easily invade the human body by crossing cell membranes and can enter the blood stream (which will transport them to organs). Nanoparticles may be toxic in different parts of the body, increasing stress on cells and eventually causing cell death. Predicting the effect that nanoparticles will have on the human body is very difficult. If nanoparticles got loose and started to break down organs, there would be little that we could do to stop them. Before nanotechnology is used on the human body, we need to be sure that it is completely safe. The enormous potential of nanotechnology on the human body should not blind us to the dangerous risks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology
http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/nanotechAndMedicine.html
http://www.foresight.org/Updates/Update16/Update16.1.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/25/AR2006092501138.html
Nanotechnology!
When Prof. James Gimgiwski (or something like that) talked about nanotech and how he hated chemistry, i wisely decided not to take Chem 20A with him this upcoming quarter. If he teaches something he hates…
However, when he mentioned the buckyballs and carbon nanotubes, I was very intrigued by his research in it and (although we just skimmed right past the topic) it brought back the memory of the times of our midterm, in which i talked about a human transformer and discussed the properties of carbon nanotubes…. which i will be talking about a bit more today.
Carbon nanotubes will soon be a replacement for any conventional steel or metal, given that it is so much stronger and more elastic than any other known metal out there. It is highly conductible to electricity and is many many MANY times stronger than high-density steel. A razor made out of carbon nanotubes would have a blade that remained sharp for three years. think about it.
Also, carbon nanotubes are accepted by the body happily, since it is an organic compound and it has been proven that bones can grow onto the carbon nanotubes and incorporate it into body growth. So carbon nanotubes can be used as a replacement for metal rods in someone’s body.
I am hoping to dig deeper into the topic of carbon nanotubes… maybe even with the prof. but first i’ll need to pass my chem 20a class…
Week 9: Nanotechnology
What are the benefits of nanotechnology?
The ideal concept of nanotechnology was described by the physicist Richard Feynman in 1959, though the term was first used in 1974 by a Japanese professor. This growing science focuses on the control of matter usually of size between 1 and 100 nanometers (hence the name nanotechnology). Nanotechnology mainly encompasses physics, chemistry, and engineering. It seems to remain a very experimental field since
there have been no breakthroughs. However, it has been commercially advantageous to us through improvements in cosmetics – like new “age-defying” makeup, suntan lotion – through the addition of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, protective coatings – ex: self-cleaning windows, stain resistant clothing, and drug delivery (how medicine is put in our bodies). Silver nanoparticles are now used in food packaging and disinfectants as well. There is even a nano-enhanced tennis ball (learn more).
Why would scientists devote their time to develop such things as stain resistant clothing? This particularly was not the original goal – it was an accident. Scientist David Offord was trying to develop an enzyme that would dissolve oil spills. At first, the oil ate up the enzymes before they could do their work, so Offord added a layer of protection made of fluorine around the molecules. The result was that the shell repelled oil, still failing to remove it. But somehow, it was discovered that Offord’s creation could be useful in repelling stains in fabric. With further chemical manipulation, the enzymes were adjusted so that the repelling would be temporarily blocked in the presence of soap – so the fabric could be washed – finally making the products suitable for use in clothing. Eddie Bauer was actually the first company to endorse the scientist, popularizing the product in textile manufacturing. Offord made use of the money by opening up the successful Nano-Tex firm.
Additional Links:
Nano Technology may make cleaning Toilets a thing of the Past
Op-Ed: Nanotechnology Heavily Funded as People Suffer
~ a negative view of nanotech
Nanotechnology
“say no to nano”
