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Week 8: NanoTech + Art

This week's topic of "NanoTech + Art" made me realize that art effects science in even the most fundamental of ways. From the lecture videos, I learned that nanotech covers a field that deals with the technology of the smallest degrees. The prefix "nano" is used all the time during the engineering and science classes that I've taken to represent one billionth of a meter. To put that value into perspective, a single atom is about 0.1 nanometers while a piece of paper has a thickness of around 100,000 nanometers (“Nanotechnology: A Simple and Fun Introduction!”).  For scientists and artists to be working with technology this small was mindblowing to me.

Nanometer-scale

One example of why I believe that the relationship between these two fields develops in fundamental ways is shown when Dr. Gimzewski talks about how one can change a particle's color of a common material by using nanotechnology  (Gimzewski). The ability to take one material and change a property such as color is really fascinating as it shows that scientists and artists that have nanotechnology could manipulate things from a molecular level. 

The difference in size affects the color of the nanoparticle

This kind of technology could influence an array of fields. After doing some research on the impact of color-changing nanotechnology, I found that scientists discovered the use of nanoparticles for color-changing paint for cars and clothes for people to wear (LaFrance). When I read this, it reminded me of Tony Stark's armor in Avengers: Infinity War when he used nanotechnology to access his suit on command as it looked like it appeared out of nowhere. Just to make sure it was actually nanotechnology that Stark was using, I found in Time Magazine that Stark's armor "generated and regenerated on his body with the use of nanotech" (Dockterman). This week's topic made the scientists and artist collaboration on this topic clear to me as nanotechnology gives a variety of opportunities for creativity.

Tony Stark with his nanotech generative suit

Citations:

“Avengers: Infinity War, Robert Downey Jr. Di Profilo in Una Scena: 465793.” Movieplayer.it, movieplayer.it/foto/avengers-infinity-war-robert-downey-jr-di-profilo-in-una-scena_465793/.

Dockterman, Eliana. “Avengers: Infinity War: Spider-Man and Iron Man's New Suits.” Time, Time, 27 Apr. 2018, time.com/5256584/avengers-infinity-war-spider-man-iron-man/.

Gimzewski, Jim, and Victoria Vesna. The Nanomeme Syndrome: Blurring of Fact & Fiction in the Construction of a New Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/publications/02-03/JV_nano/JV_nano_artF5VG.htm>.

LaFrance, Adrienne. “Scientists Made Color-Changing Paint Out of Gold Nanoparticles.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 2 May 2014, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/05/scientists-made-paint-out-of-nanoparticles-that-changes-color-when-you-press-on-it/361557/.

“Nanometer-Scale Comparison.” Black Man Looking In Mirror, www.hpssociety.info/news/nanometer-scale-comparison.html.

“Nanotechnology: A Simple and Fun Introduction!” Explain That Stuff, 10 May 2018, www.explainthatstuff.com/nanotechnologyforkids.html.