Week 8 Nanotech + Art

Nano technology is a relatively new concept to us. As Dr. Gimzewski describes in the lecture, the recent advance research in nanotechnology shows its potential to change the world in terms of both social and economic values. 

To be honest, its mechanism is very hard for me to understand as a north campus major. However, I do find its close relationship between arts.

Some samples of Blue Morphos which are an species first discovered in South America.

In the lecture, Dr. Gimzewski mentions that at the nano scale, our traditional physical mechanics does not exist. Instead, there exists the quantum mechanics which means a lot of properties change. For example, at nano scale when we see different colors, we might think that its because of there different materials or molecular structure. However, the truth that even if its the same material, it can show various color due to the new quantum mechanics. Blue morpho is one of the examples.

The structure on blue morphos' wings. 

Blue morphos show a blue color not because of the blue pigment since blue pigment is very rare in the nature, but because of its special structure which is like nanostructure. According to Nipam Patel, "Lepidoptera, the name of the order that encompasses butterflies and moths, translates to “scaly wings”  — as seen here on the wing of Morpho peleides".


Nano technology has the ability of self-assembling to re-generate organs and tissues as well. An example is Belousov Zhabotinsky reaction which is a morphogenesis process. In the video you can see how complex patterns are generated on the nanoscale.




Nanotechnology is a new area which deserves to be explore more. With substance’s unusual properties on the nanoscale, artists are able to create new forms of artwork as well.

Ursula Freer's work NanoMoth, which she "experimented with different effects and found a suggestion of a butterfly or moth in the texture of this organic background. I emphasized that shape and changed its colors to make the moth appear".



Sources:

Oh, Jenny. “What Gives the Morpho Butterfly Its Magnificent Blue?”. KQED Science. 16 Dec. 2014. Web. 25 May 2017.

Patel, Nipam. “Lepidoptera,…”. UC Berkeley. KQED Science. 16 Dec. 2014. Web. 25 May 2017.

“Belousov Zhabotinsky reaction 8 x normal speed”. Youtube, uploaded by Stephen Morris, 23 Jan. 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JAqrRnKFHo

Freer, Ursula. “NanoMoth”. The New York Times. 25 Jan. 2008. Web. 25 May 2017.

“Nanotech Jim pt1”. Youtube, uploaded by uconlineprogram. 21 May 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7jM6-iqzzE




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