Week 5: Nanotech + Art

       In the lecture, Dr. Gimzewski talked about a very interesting topic: the different structures of carbon making up totally different substances. This might sounds surprising, but as one knows more about the invisible level of how the world around us is formed, it becomes more reasonable. As Prof. Vesna says, the study of nanoscience is opening a new door for people to view and understand our world. Although interpreting nanoscience is quite counterintuitive, it is inevitable and necessary.

       I think the technology of scanning tunneling microscope introduced in this class is really amazing. First, it can detect the visualize the nano structures that were once unknown to scientists, enabling them to interpret our world at such a small scale, and to look so close at the substance that are either vital to life or scarce in nature. For example, using nano technology, scientists found new life forms in an undersea vent north of Iceland  More amazingly, this technology enables creations on the nano level, which has a important meaning in both science and art. As is said in "The Nanomeme Syndrome", "both nanotechnology and media arts, by their very nature, have a common ground in addressing the issues of manipulation, particularly sensory perception, questioning our reaction, changing the way we think." In other words, the development of nanoscience can not only test the limit of science, but also arts.

       One more important thing nanoscience can achieve is serving medical use. Dr. Gimzewski talked about its contribution in treating cancer. In the Ted Talk "DNA folding, in detail" by Paul Rothemund, he talked about scientists' understanding of the "computation" of the DNA structures and the possible ways to manipulate them. This can also be a promising field of medical study as technology gets more advance. It might become the cure of the genetic diseases one day.

Bibliography

Sources
Vesna, Victoria. "Nanotech + Art | Lectures." Web.
<https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/510391/pages/unit-8-view?module_item_id=9092419>.


Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech + Art | Lectures" Web.
<https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/510391/pages/unit-8-view?module_item_id=9092419>.


Rothemund, Paul . "DNA folding, in detail." Ted2008. Web. <http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_rothemund_details_dna_folding/transcript?language=en#t-20180>.


U.S. National Library of Medicine. "Down syndrome." Web.
<https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/down-syndrome>.




Images


Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech + Art | Lectures" Web.
<https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/510391/pages/unit-8-view?module_item_id=9092419>.


Gimzewski, Jim. "Nanotech + Art | Lectures" Web.
<https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/510391/pages/unit-8-view?module_item_id=9092419>.


U.S. National Library of Medicine. "Down syndrome." Web.
<https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/down-syndrome>.