I was able to attend the LASER symposium on May 21st! I enjoyed all the TED-style talks where each presenter had around 5 minutes to showcase their research topics. I heard about Robert Gero's Infinitely Changing space, in which he developed his philosophical idea of creating a constantly changing internal space but stable exterior structure. Many of the computer generated imaged he displayed reminded me of illusion and the movie, Inception.
Ever since childhood, I have always been fascinated by tigers. When I think of a tiger, I think exotic. I imagine this beautifully striped creature prowling through jungles untouched by man. The exoticism of tigers tied well into the artistic ideals of the Romantic period, as demonstrated by Eugène Delacroix’s Royal Tiger. The lithograph certainly evokes strong feeling, though it is difficult for me to ascribe a name for it.
When I think of a rat, I think of experiments. Rats and mice are widely used in scientific research, including in research models, in clinical research for testing new drugs, and in psychology studies for learning and memory tests.
This year I have loved learning most about how artists can help bridge the gap between the scientific world and the public. For example, Kathy High’s exhibit aimed to draw attention to the issues and alternative treatments doe Crohn’s Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Steve Kurtz used his art to involve the public in many environmental issues regarding water and food. From what I have seen and experienced, I believe that the most effective art exhibits are the ones that facilitate public participation in the issue.
Although as a 1994 baby, I was technically born during the year of the dog, for our intents and purposes, I will pretend to be a rabbit!
“When I think of a rabbit, I think of timidness.”
Over the last two weeks, I have been closely watching my jar of fermenting cabbage, radishes, garlic, Asian pear, and carrots. Within a day, the juices from my concoction had already began to spill out from the top. I could even see the air bubbles racing to top of the jar. Surprisingly, the smell hasn’t been overwhelmingly disgusting. It’s noticeable, but subtle.
I realize it’s been a while since the Kathy High event some of us attended, but I think it works out that I am only just now blogging about it. Much of her lecture had focused on genetic manipulation, which ties perfectly into our recent discussion of hox genes.
The art talk by Leila Nadir and Cary Peppermint was a nice supplement to the OS fermentation workshop. It deepened the meaning behind the process of creating our own ferment, while introducing several new ideas and perspectives on food.
www.waterbodies.org/node/299#overlay-context=
The lecture on May 21st introduced the honors students to different animals of the zodiac under various categories. The Hox gene, also known as homeotic genes, was also discussed in class. These genes are a group of genes that control the body plan of an embryo along the anterior-posterior (head-tail) axis. The reason humans have 2 eyes, 10 fingers, and 2 feet is because of the Hox gene. Every living creature on earth, from the pig to the human, have the Hox gene.
It's amazing how little we appreciate water as human beings that are made up of approximately 60% water. We need water on a daily basis and cannot survive without it. Yet we don't appreciate water to the point where we usually don't think twice about how much we use.
It was very interesting to watch the movie on tap and bottled water in last lecture. Which is safer- tap of bottled water? People become more biased on judging water. “Fancy” names or bottled designs can make us easily believe in the safety and purity of the water from those bottles. Water is always an important part in our lives. Water can be applied in many fields from science, art and music. Thus, I am wondering how water can affect to our architecture and vice versa. Water is one of essential landscape designing factors in architecture.
http://waterbodies.org/node/295
I saw this article on my Yahoo news feed this morning and wanted to share it with you all! Looks like we're seeing progress for our little honeybees! :)
http://news.yahoo.com/feds-propose-multi-pronged-plan-bolster-decline-bees-100257811--politics.html
