S P E C I A L  T O P I C S : B I O T E C H + D E S I G N

Bill Fontana Links

• https://www.museum-joanneum.at/en/kunsthaus-graz/exhibitions/art-projects/events/event/9215/bill-fontana-sonic-projections-2

I started my blog with posting about sourdoughs made form ancient Egyptian yeast cultures. This one was followed by some writing about salt, artificial intelligence and ritual magic. Further along I touched on air quality in an artistic sense and on how to appreciate clouds. I also took a look from the distance onto planet Earth and the human made satellites that are tracking and documenting Earth’s wellbeing. (Let’s stay in space) I mentioned art in space – to be seen with the naked eye. From there I explored how slime mould can hep to map dark matter.

Going over my past blogs, I realized I seemed to focus on understanding the topic and mechanisms embedded into each process. This learning process as well as how learning has changed due to the pandemic are ideas that interest me. Now that everything is online, our notions and way of engaging in this content are very up to us. It is up to us how much to work, in my opinion, because as you are by yourself, you are your only drive in a way. It is hard to hear encouragements over a video or camera and take them to heart. 

       More so than my previous entries, I’m approaching this post as an exercise in neurosis.

             During Thursday's class I sat back and from a 1,000 foot view I looked at all the blogs I had written thus far. In my first blog "The Art of Food Starting With Bread" I discussed how food was an artist's tool to express themselves. I mentioned one Instagram artist in particular, Vineyard Baker, and how her work was certainly inspiring in regards to the extent of detail and imagination that went into her edible pieces.

• Scale of the Universe | The Universe in Perspective | Small to Big Fun! 

CRISPR is a technology for editing genomes by cutting targeted specific regions on the DNA sequences. This technique allows researchers to easily alter DNA sequences and modify gene function such as correcting genetic defects, treating and preventing the spread of diseases. Recently this technique has been used for the Covid19 tests as a possible solution for quicker tests for a wider population.

Here are some of the resources that were talked about last class and today! (CRISPR+) 

• CRISPR-VR: Explore Sickle Cell and Genome Editing 

As we learned in class, CRISPR is a powerful technology that is used to cut and edit genomes. It allows people to be able to easily alter DNA sequences and gene functions. While further researching the topic, I found an interesting article, along with a video that explains how scientists are now able to repaint butterfly wings with CRISPR.

During the discussion, I found CRISPR​ to be really interesting technology on how it can generate and edit genes and how this can change someones life. Before the discussion in class today I had no idea that there was such a thing. So I did more research on my own and found this video that was about CRISPR and thought was helpful. 

    As we discussed last class, technologies such as CRISPR are becoming more and more accessible to the general population. Because of this, gene editing and gene modification will become more and more prominent in the near future. But CRISPR is not the only type of tool in which we use technology to enhance and better our lives.

 In this post, I attempt to consider some of the common fears people have toward human alteration.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18lwcOpOXb1DPcVIS5rkkMc-2I4jFtxbf/view?usp=sharing