Half Life
Meet the next species. Director David Lea’s wondrous fantasy of remixed biodiversity after nuclear meltdown. Made for Greenpeace.
What is Next Nature?
With our attempts to cultivate nature, humankind causes the rising of a next nature, which is wild and unpredictable as ever. Wild systems, genetic surprises, autonomous machinery and splendidly beautiful black flowers. Nature changes along with us.
Posts Tagged ‘Designed-by-Evolution’
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As smart as mice.
When you think of solving mazes, you think of mice. Mice have been use to do science for ages. In turns out that mice are not the only beings that can solve a maze. In fact you don’t have to be intelligent at all. Even these polymers can do it. By reacting on the difference in pH levels in the fluid the polymers are able to find their way out of the maze (video).
The project was conducted by the Self assembly and addaptive systems group at Nothwestern University.
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真正的自然不是綠色的
This translation of the essay ‘Real Nature is not Green‘ is a special treat from and for our fellow Next Nature explorers in China. We thank the people of the Microwave International New Media Festival, Hong Kong for their translation. Yes, we welcome translations in other languages as well.
沿著高速公路近荷蘭保魯文度城 (Bloemendaal)的森林旁邊，樹立著偽裝成松樹的無線電話塔狀天線杆。
它不是自然景物，極其量只是自然景物的圖象。是一種圖解，就像掛在沙發上方的風景畫一樣；我們還能夠真實地體驗自然嗎？抑或我們是活在自然的圖象當中？在荷蘭，每平方米也是人造土地：自然的本質巳無處可尋。 Oostvaardersplassen自然保護區作為荷蘭自然保育區其中一個最重要的部分，曾被開墾作工業用地，後來才成為自然保育區。在荷蘭人口密度最高的地方，就連綠色核心（GreenHeart）區域事實上也是中世紀的工業用地，起初是被開墾用來剪草皮。「自然保育」其實是由人類活動塑造的「文化保育」。伏爾泰在十八世紀時說過：「神創造世界，但不包括荷蘭。荷蘭人自行創造他們的國土。」由那時開始，我們身體力行地支持他的看法。今時今日，我們甚至不斷在荷蘭設計及建構自然。政府官員選址構造史前森林：自然的形象由我們在休憩性擬態中細心構造（自然構建者稱之為「錯失遺產的重生」[1]）。傳統牛隻更被安排在這所謂的「新自然」中飼養[2]。原來的野牛不幸在1627年絕種，但蘇格蘭高地（ScottishHighlander）牛隻就成為廣為接受的代替品。牠們知道應該做什麼：在山林管理隊安排下吃草。多得他們，景色得以保持明淨而非雜草叢生（我們喜歡這樣子，因為這令我們聯想到著名的十七世紀風景畫）。理論上，動物應該照顧自己，但山林管理隊卻樂意在冬天給予牠們一點額外的食物。這樣更可減少動物死屍，免得遊人看見路上有腐爛的牛隻而生厭。在我們的文化中，自然不斷被展示為一個錯失的國度。它令人聯想到原始性，卻只會在消失後才出現。我們體驗的自然是一種復古效應[3]。
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Favorite explorations of 2009
As we bid farewell to 2009, it’s a good time to look back at our explorations of the year. Here are some of our most popular and peculiar posts, in case you missed them the first time around.
The Comeback of the ‘ugly’ fruits
As of July 2009, the European Commission abolished more than two dozen laws that have stipulated the look of Europe’s fruit and vegetables for the past 20 years. The rules stipulated that only the most perfect-looking produce adorns supermarket shelves and caused international ridicule by stating that all bananas must be “free of abnormal curvature” and at least 14 cm in length. Perhaps in the long run, historians will consider this as the official end of modernity.Children’s dictionary dumps ‘nature’ words
To make way for modern tech terms such as BlackBerry, blog, voicemail and broadband, the latest edition of the Oxford Junior Dictionary has opted to drop terms pertaining to old nature. No longer can a child check this dictionary and learn more about the blackberry, dandelion, acorn, heron, otter or willow. While words like voicemail, MP3 player, attachment, database, and chatroom are added. Nature changes along with us.Boomeranged Metaphors
At the start of the digital era, metaphors from everyday life were used in order to make otherwise incomprehensible technology acceptable – think of the digital highway, windows, folders, buttons and trashcan. Nowadays, the digital environment is accepted almost everywhere and we see how proven concepts from the digital realm are gradually seeping into our physical environment. We call this phenomenon a ‘boomeranged metaphor’.Virtual Money – cows, coins, credit, airtime
Heard the buzz on virtual money in online games? Some years ago the first virtual millionaire was announced, yet there have also been reports on people being practically enslaved to farm virtual gold. The Chinese government recently announced to limit the use of ‘virtual’ currencies. An essay on the virtuality of money.Michael Jacksons appearance in heaven
Our beloved King of Pop, Michael Jackson, who died tragically this year, throughout his career, he underwent countless groundbreaking cosmetic operations. Using childhood photo’s of Michael and knowledge on basic aging trends, forensic artists constructed a portrait of how Michael would have looked at age 50, had he never undergone plastic surgery. The difference between the portraits is striking. But which is the real Michael? The man of flesh and blood, sculpted by plastic surgeons or the highly speculative forensic image? Both Michaels are virtual in their own right.Why are carrots orange? It is political
For ages carrots used be white, yellow, red and purple – and in some regions of the world they still are. Yet, orange has become the dominant color in most countries. Why is that? Its political: in the 17th century, Dutch growers cultivated orange carrots as a tribute to William of Orange – who lead the the struggle for Dutch independence – and the color stuck. Hypervegetables avant la lettre.Plastic Birds
Bird spotting is not a typical activity for us next nature explorers, yet these ‘plastic’ birds spotted by photographer Chris Jordan are the most macabre thus far. One wonders what Darwin would have thought of these Albatross babies fed bellies-full of plastic by their parents. Are we ready for a plastic planet?Designing Bugs that Eat Plastic
With the great pacific garbage patch now twice the size of Texas and over 500 billion plastic bags produced a year – which take about a 1000 years to decompose – plastic is well on its way of becoming a basic material in the Earths ecosystem. Perhaps in the long run microbes would evolve to digest plastics. But why wait for evolution? 16-year old high school student Daniel Burd already developed a microorganism that can rapidly biodegrade plastic.Cavemen impacted environment already
The human environmental impact on our planet is hardly underestimated nowadays. Untouched old nature is almost nowhere to be found anymore besides perhaps some small areas on the South pole, in the deep sea or if one looks up at the stars – although the brighter ones may well be satellites. “We were here”, is written all over. So when did the writing begin? Much earlier than thought.Doggerland – a lost world
So you think climate change is new? So you think the flooding of landmass by the oceans is a new? So you must have not heard of the times when people walked from London to Amsterdam.Modern Fossils
So what happened to that old floppy drive, ipod or tape recorder? Time to dig up some of those modern fossils. -
The Playboy Interview: Marshall McLuhan
A candid conversation with the high priest of popcult and metaphysician of media.
From “The Playboy Interview: Marshall McLuhan”, Playboy Magazine, March 1969. © PlayboyIn 1961, the name of Marshall McLuhan was unknown to everyone but his English students at the University of Toronto — and a coterie of academic admirers who followed his abstruse articles in small-circulation quarterlies. But then came two remarkable books — The Gutenberg Galaxy (1962) and Understanding Media (1964) — and the graying professor from Canada’s western hinterlands soon found himself characterized by the San Francisco Chronicle as “the hottest academic property around.” He has since won a world-wide following for his brilliant — and frequently baffling — theories about the impact of the media on man; and his name has entered the French language as mucluhanisme, a synonym for the world of pop culture.
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Birdfeeders spit Blackcaps in two species
Until now, most people have likely regarded bird-feeders as merely a pleasant addition to their gardens. But scientists have now discovered that bird-feeders in the UK are actually having a serious long term impact on bird life – they’ve found that the feeders have brought about the first evolutionary step in the creation of a brand new species.
Historically, European Blackcap birds migrate to Spain to spend their winters, where they feed on fruit and berries. While in the past the part of the population that accidentally flew to the UK had a hard time surviving, since the rise of bird–feeders in the UK things changed.
The food supplied by animal-loving Brits, along with the luxury of not flying over the Alps, have made Britain an increasingly popular holiday destination for wintering blackcaps. And that has set them down the path towards becoming two separate species, Gregor Rolshausen from the University of Freiborg and colleagues write in the journal Current Biology.
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Designing Bugs that eat Plastic
It is a well known secret that plastic hardly breaks down and almost all of the plastic ever made still floats around somewhere. With the great pacific garbage patch now twice the size of Texas and over 500 billion plastic bags produced a year – which take about a 1000 years to decompose – plastic is well on its way of becoming a basic material in the Earths ecosystem.
Earlier, we’ve discussed some of the dramatic effects of this nextnature material and suggested how a future-evolving microbe able to digest plastic, could thrive on the vast amount of plastic ‘food’ available in the biosphere. It might take a million years, however, for such a plastic eating microbe to evolve.
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How to grow a Sneaker
No silly. Of course sneakers can’t be grown from transforming Koi Karpers. This is merely an fictional piece by Yoske Nishiumi. But then again, do you have any idea where your sneakers where born?
Think about it for a second: How many of the clothes, jewellery or gadgets you are wearing at this very moment, of which you have no idea where and by whom they were made? Contrary to what some shopping malls want you to believe, they certainly didn’t grow on trees. More like this.
Via Hypebeast, via Virtualshoe Museum. Related: Where shoes come from, Flesh Nike, How to grow your own toaster, Shopping Tree, Modern Fossils, Some kids don’t like chicken, but they love dinosaur. Thanks Ehsan.
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Shoulder Pads: Fashion tide back to the 80’s?
Fashion has a natural cycle of its own, which is more dependent on market and media forces than seasons or weather. Trends are predicted, recycled, set and followed. Seasons in fashion have shifted, designs are made and sold ‘unnaturally’ early. You can buy your new winter coat when it’s still warm outside and the leaves have yet to fall from the trees.
Though there are people that have a big influence in the world of fashion, it can never be entirely controlled – certainly for the individual consumer, his or her influence is nil. Styles in fashion each have their own life cycle, they go in and out of fashion. Though when they re-emerge evolution is visible. And so, yes, even shoulder pads come back.
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OOMouse versus Magic Mouse
Recently were introduced, the OOMouse…
…and the Magic Mouse. Both tools are developed to browse the ones and zeros more easily.
It almost seems unfair to compare them, so I won’t. But what I would like to compare instead is both companies’ mission statements:
Open Office: Our mission statement is to create, as a community, the leading international office suite that will run on all major platforms and provide access to all functionality and data through open-component based APIs and an XML-based file format.
Apple: Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.
The first reads in one word: “community” (building and sharing together). The second reads: “ego” (look how good I am). Now look again at their mices.
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Medicine Square Garden
Peculiar image of the week by Martin Denker.
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Wrapping Greenland
The Discovery series ‘Ways to save the planet’ the episode ‘Wrapping Greenland‘ shows how Dr. Jason Box uses reflective blankets to cover glaciers in Greenland. Due to global warming glaciers start melting causing land to flood. Dr. Jason Box argues that it is expensive to use blankets to cover all glaciers, but that it is more expensive to reorganize all coast lines.
Maybe we should make the expenses, as we ourselves have caused global warming. Maybe we should take another leap in evolution, just as our ancestors the Sapiens did to survive in constant changing conditions. But should we then focus on preventing the changes, or should we focus on adapting flexibly to them?
Related: If the implications of global warming were fair, Fight climate change, hack the planet, Doggerland – Mapping a lost world, Artificial ‘trees’ should stop climate change, Diesels global warming ready campaign, Let the Dutch bury the carbon, Humans to blame for global warming.
