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The last and final unit was surely an interesting one. Not only was it about the origin of space and how our understanding of it has developed since the Renaissance, but it also intersects with nanotechnology, robotics, and biotechnology. It all makes sense how everything is all connected in some way just like humans. Our  understanding of space by society was extremely primitive prior to the Renaissance era and only really began to develop within the last 60 years during space and technology race between the United States and the USSR. When American astronauts landed on the moon in 1969 that really set off the international test to explore space and discover something unknown to mankind. Man on Moon This is really where the art comes into play because to this day scientists, astrologists, meteorologists, etc do not even understand the vastness of space let alone the climate or inhabitants on these terrestrial planets and stars.  Thus, artists take space to their own i...

Nanotechnology is an area of research that Professor Vesna has been closely involved with especially the past decade. Gimzewski who is also a professor at UCLA shares the power of nanotechnology and its ability to alter our word. I h onestly had never heard of nanotechnology, but after watching all the lectures I realize how applicable it is in day to day life. There are thousands of nanotech products in the market all with many different uses.  Nanoscience and nanotechnology involve the ability to see and to control individual atoms and molecules. Everything on Earth is made up of atoms—the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the buildings and houses we live in, and our own bodies.  Nanotechnology Nanomedicine as a field is leading to new forms of therapy and treatment which promises to revolutionize medicine such as help discover tumors before they are untreatable or unpreventable Nanotechnology  i­s so new, no one is really sure what will come of it. Even so, predi...

Butterfly Brain Scan This week's topic is one that I have actually been discussing and studying a lot recently. I am also enrolled in a communication class about Media & Mind. Do not be fooled by our common interpretation of media like social media, but instead, it signifies the media of our imagination, consciousness, and dreams. Why has our imagination and ability to dream persisted throughout biological evolution? It is crazy to learn that our brain has only been studied for about a century and that the beginning of these process Aristotle thought all the thinking happened in the heart!! We've come a long way, to say the least. I really enjoyed listening to Professor Vesna talk about all the influential people who made massive contributions and discoveries as to how the brain operates with our bodies. Work included Pierre Broca with the grey and white brain matter discovery, Santiago winning a Nobel peace prize for his neuron transmission and connection of pattern re...

Click the link to view my midterm project! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CK89o0uaZK0LHJVj_g9XV5k6mWQZgk7u/view?usp=sharing

 Biotechnology is a realm I have limited information on, but after watching the lectures, a few Tedtalks, and viewing the multitude of links the professor provided I realize it is a dense sector of science and often viewed as controversial. In one of the lecture videos Steve Kurtz talks about Biotech being about the shock culture from fluorescent mice to altering the wings of living butterflies to synthesizing bacteria into living organisms and shooting them into space, to plant modifications, Biotech seems to accomplish the impossible (and often in a creepy way). Fluorescent Mice While there is a multitude of experiments going on within biotech there also a plethora of opinions. "Meanings of Participation: Outlaw Biology" mentions that  Outlaw biologists love demystifying science," and they "can exist inside as well as outside of science." This statement stands for the George Gessert artistic irises, Orlan's Harlequin's coats, Kathy High's ...

The second event I attended was the Botanical Gardens for Bird Day LA. To be honest I have always wanted to explore the garden as I live extremely close to it and pass it by every day. I am so glad I did because I had no idea actually how VAST and lush the garden was. They really do have plants from all over the world. It was also incredible seeing how spaces within the garden harken climates from across the globe. The garden itself is 90 years old, so some of the plants were here when my parents attended UCLA! Example of one of the climates an area in the garden emulates We temporarily sat in a tour of the garden with tour guide Michelle  The self-guided bird tour was really cool because even though from the outside it just looked like you had your headphone in, it really allowed the viewer to feel as if they were standing in the tropics, dessert, or Mediterranean climate. My favorite bird noise was the Kaua'i 'O'o from the islands of Hawaii. Hawaii has alwa...