Science and art find common ground: the importance of storytelling

0000-0001-8462-0271   Readers of SciCommPLOS undoubtedly know that we are strong advocates of communicating science through storytelling. Over the last several months we have featured pieces on narrative communication to forge citizen-scientist relationships, on connecting

So so so cool: Tangible Interactive Microbiology for Informal Science Education

This is so cool: Tangible Interactive Microbiology for Informal Science Education.

Abstract:
We present an interactive platform that enables human users to interface with microbiological living cells through a touch-screen, thereby generating a tangible interactive experience with the microscopic world that is hidden to most people. Euglena gracilis, single-celled phototactic microorganisms, are imaged and optically stimulated via a microscope setup equipped with a projector and a touch- screen display. Users can directly interact with these organisms by drawing patterns onto the screen, which displays the real-time magnified view of the microfluidic chamber with the motile euglena cells. The drawings are directly projected onto the chamber, thereby influencing the swimming motion of the cells. We discuss the architecture of the system and provide exploratory user testing results in a facilitated setting, which shows engaging nature of our system for children and the general public. In conclusion, our tangible interactive microscope allows artistic expression and scientific exploration with the ease of “child’s play.”
And check out this video.

I would post a picture here but they discourage it.  So you will just have to go look for yourself.  The PDF is free, at least for now.

From io9: Even more microbial art "Bacterial communities swarm into gorgeous works of art"

Another quick post.  There is an article in io9 about art from Eshel Ben-Jacob and his beloved Paenibacillus: Bacterial communities swarm into gorgeous works of art.  Some pretty cool images there of these organisms grown on plates and then artistically enhanced.

Definitely worth a look.

Must read of the week: For Better Science Meetings, Invite an Artist The Finch and Pea

Art by @artologica in my living room
This is just such a good idea: For Better Science Meetings, Invite an Artist | The Finch and Pea.  Michelle Banks, also known as artologica, writing at The Finch and the Pea, goes through a detailed argument, with examples, of why one should invite artists to science meetings.

I have been inspired by Michele at many meetings.  And I have been inspired by her art with a science theme (see for example the posts listed below).


I have written a bit here and there about the mixing of science and art.  See for example


But if you read one thing about science and art - read Michele's new post.  Or, even better, start inviting artists to any science conference you have any role in.




The human microbiome never looked so good

Another week, another microbial art project --- this one is from Erno-Erik Raitanen who is creating self portrait "bacteriograms" using his own microbiome.  See stories at Petapixel: Photographer Erno-Erik Raitanen Creates 'Self-Portraits' Using His Own Bacteria and CoCreate: INSTAGERMS: SEE A PHOTOGRAPHER’S STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL PORTRAITS OF HIS OWN BACTERIA

From CoCreate

“The process itself is pretty much a replication of the processes used in microbiology to cultivate bacteria on agar in petri dishes,” Raitenan says. “Instead of agar, I just used the film gelatin as my growth medium. As the bacteria grows, it consumes the gelatin layers that together make all the colors in a color photograph, and creates all these random patterns and colors.”

The human microbiome never looked so good ...


Microbial art for the holidays from the J. Craig Venter Institute

Saw this Tweet on Christmas Day
It was from Russell Neches, a PhD student in my lab.

Went to the site "La boite verte" and checked out their post "Des champignons de Noël."

Discovered it was based on a post from none other than the J. Craig Venter Institute's blog: Holiday Art" JCVI Blog. The post is by Stephanie Mounaud from December 2010 and it has three wonderful fungal art forms. I am embedding the images of them below:

Fungal Christmas Tree

Fungal Snowman


Fungal Christmas Tree2

Enjoy.

Headline says it all "Opera singer grows algae on her face by feeding it w/ her breath & then the audience eats it"

Wow.  I am always on the lookout for microbe-themed art.  In most cases, when I see such art, I think "wow - that is an interesting way of embedding microbes into a traditional form of art".  You know - painting with microbes or art with microbes in it or such.  Well, in this new case I can say this is the most unusual and most creative use of microbes in art I have ever seen: Opera singer grows algae on her face by feeding it with her breath and then the audience eats it

You see, an opera singer work a "head-mounted, face-clinging device" which contained within in some algae in water.  And then the algae was fed by the opera singer's breath.  This is part of something called the "Algae Opera".  The most amazing part of this is described in the io9 article
"Because the algae's growth is dependant on the amount of CO2 it receives, the singer controlled her pitch and volume to alter various characteristics of the algae, including taste (what they called "sonic enhancement"). Depending on the way she sang, the different pitches and frequencies could make the food taste either bitter or sweet"
And then at the end of the performances the audience was invited to sample some of the algae. Yum.  Certainly a bit weird.  But kudos on the creativity index.