Skip to main content

DESMA 9 Week 8



The first time I learned about nanotechnology was in Secondary 2, the Grade 8 equivalent in the British system. I was intrigued to learn that elements have different properties at nanoscopic levels. Serendipitously, it also answered my question regarding waterless urinals, since those work due to nanoscopic particles coating the urinal surface which bond to urea. Hence, this week’s lecture served more as a reminder than an introduction into the fascinating world of nanoparticles.
Electron Microscope Image of Carbon Monoxide
Nevertheless, Professor Vesna’s lecture reminded me of pictures from an electron microscope, specifically, the “Quantum Corrals” which, true to its similar namesake, looked like sea corals. The initial image produced from the tunnelling electron microscope is black and white. Color is then added via computer programs to made the image more intuitive. While that fact might be easily glossed over, it also serves as an example of how art coexist and even benefits science. Choosing the right color to represent regions of the image requires a keen understanding of the audience’s perception, which is a common trait among successful artist. Superficially, the colored images can also be passed off as art pieces due to its aesthetically pleasing look. Off tangent, an interesting fact I came across was that small bumps in the image represents heavy objects while large bumps equate to light objects.
Whimsical yet Informative Book by a CERN Scientist
Personally, aside from my teachers, another thing that helped my understanding of the nanoscopic world would be the book “Alice in Quantum Land” by Robert Gilmore. It is a twist on the literary classic, “Alice in Wonderland”, except this time Alice experiences how particles behave when at the quantum state. The book endearingly fuses scientific knowledge with its whimsical cast, making the dense field of nanotechnology more palatable, especially for a child in secondary school. More importantly, it highlighted the differences in thinking between the Newtonian and modern physicist. Another similar teaching tool would be Dr. Quantum, in which quantum mechanics are simplified and explained by an eccentric cartoon professor.
Example of Successful Simplification of Abstract Concepts
Hence, it is clear to see that art in its multitude of forms can help and has when it comes to disseminating scientific information. Dealing with such an abstract and dense topic like nanotechnology is often difficult for most people. Ergo, art is the perfect medium to quantize and present information in more easily understood packages. On a larger scale, given how vast the scientific community is, often it is hard to understand another person’s work without at least rudimentary knowledge in that field. Thus, art can be deployed to better our understanding of the world without familiarity in that field being a pre-requisite. 

Sources:
Fiete, Gregory A., and Eric J. Heller. "Theory of Quantum Corrals and Quantum Mirages." [cond-mat/0211607] Theory of Quantum Corrals and Quantum Mirages. N.p., 28 Apr. 2003. Web. 24 May 2017. <https://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0211607>.
"Quantum corrals." Quantum corrals - ScienceDirect. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017. <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/016727899400254N>.
Popova, Maria. "Alice in Quantumland: A Charming Illustrated Allegory of Quantum Mechanics by a CERN Physicist." Brain Pickings. N.p., 31 Aug. 2016. Web. 24 May 2017. <https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/30/alice-in-quantumland-robert-gilmore/>.
"Waterless Odorless Urinal System." IIPRD. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017. <http://www.iiprd.com/mechanical-green/waterless-odorless-urinal-system/>.
"Fred Alan Wolf, Ph.D." Fred Alan Wolf, Ph.D. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017. <http://www.fredalanwolf.com/>.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DESMA 9 Week 3

Growing up, I developed an interest in robots. To me they were smart, immortal, and efficient beings capable of great feats of strength and intelligence. Movies such as The Iron Giant, and the entire Star Wars franchise further reinforced my perception of robots. This love for robotics lead me to read books written by the great science fiction writer, Arthur C. Clarke. Arthur C. Clarke's Most Iconic Work Hence, I was unsurprised to learn that the modern concept for robots was inspired by a play written by a Czech writer, Karel Capek. In many ways, Sir Clarke had a similar impact on the scientific world as Mr Capek. An apt example would be the artificial intelligence computer named HAL 9000, in Sir Clarke’s book entitled “2001: A Space Odyssey”. In the book and the similarly named movie, HAL 9000 is an on-board computer for a spacecraft, responsible for maintaining ship functions and to act as a companion for human crew. However, due to a series of events, HAL malfunction...
2 comments
Read more

DESMA 9 Week 4

Despite my major not having anything to do with biology, a lot of what I have learnt in classes in UCLA is associated to medical technologies. One such example would be DNA origami, in which DNA strains are manipulated into different shapes. Normally, DNA strains are akin to a dust bunny, in which random strains are mixed together to form a tumbleweed-like mesh. However, by assigning specific alkyl groups to the strain, one can manipulate the shape of the DNA strains. One practical use of this technology is in allowing science to deploy targeted medicine. By creating a DNA box surrounding the medicine and creating a lock that only opens when in the presence of the target, the medicine can be delivered straight to the target without interacting with any other entities. Evidently, this technology holds much promise in helping humanity’s battle against cancer, where most techniques deployed are untargeted, like chemotherapy. Natural Structure of Multiple DNA Strains Examples of DN...
1 comment
Read more

DESMA 9 Week 9

My father has always enjoyed the concept of space travel and was the reason he became an aerospace engineer. Hence, I grew up watching science fiction films like “Star Wars” and “Star Trek”, just to name a popular few. Unsurprisingly, this led me to read books by Arthur C. Clarke and Jules Verne. All the above fuelled my interest in space and technology, in fact one of the reasons I choose mechanical engineering as a major is due to a childish dream to build a lightsabre. Therefore, it is safe to say art plays a huge role in inspiring advancements in science. Movie Poster for R.U.R. In truth, there are many examples of how art propelled science to greater heights, many of which have been mentioned throughout this course. The most prominent example would be robots, which was the subject of the lecture in week 3. The term robot was first coined by a Czech writer, Karel Capek, as the subject of his play entitled R.U.R., which explored what happened when sentinel robots were use...
1 comment
Read more