Week 8 NanoTech and Art

This week's topic shifts to the relationship of Nanotechnology and Art, which is quiet interesting! Professor James K. Gimzewski's lecture brings me to a new world of Nanotechnology. I can never image that nanotechnology can represent us in a new perspective that is actually invisible in reality. By using nanotechnology, scientists uses little balls to represent chemical atoms.

http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/visuals.html
Using Scanning Tunneling Microscope invented by Gerd and Heini, chemical materials can be enlarge in billion times like the picture shown. Isn't that truly art as well?













When I hear the word "nanotechnology", I will classified as very premium technique that used in some advanced scientific product. However, Professor Gimzewski mentions that nanotechnology product is actually very common in our daily life through a long time.
Even in the period of Renaissance, we can see the nano particles in ancient materials in pottery(as mentioned during the lecture.)

http://www.azonano.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=3080
Here I found another Ruby Glass that contains gold nano particles inside. This ruby glass was made in 19th century, and the pigment with nano particles inside create the red color as we see now.
It is a piece of art work also!







Moreover, nano products exist in food and cosmetics.

http://csglobe.com/nanoparticles-in-food-vitamins-could-harm-human-health/
Many food sold in supermarket contains nano particles, which coloring the food and make them become more tasty. However, some of the nano particles can harm human health if manufacturer over use them.

http://www.rodalenews.com/nanoparticles-and-cosmetics
The same issue happened in cosmetics product. The safety check disclosures some products with nano particles inside will not only damage people's skin but also the aquatic ecosystems. When you wash off the products of your skin, and the water goes into the drain, they will damage the microorganisms which normally keep the health watersheds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVBJ61sm7FA

Check this out! A short cartoon clip that talks about the harm that nano particles bring in cosmetics product.
We should make full use of nanotechnology to improve and benefit people's daily but also should avoid to use it improperly to create new problems and increase risk.

Citations:
"Nanoparticles in food, vitamins could harm human health." Mar 22. 2013. Web. Nov 19. 2013. <http://csglobe.com/nanoparticles-in-food-vitamins-could-harm-human-health/>
Leah Zerbe. "Your Makeup Could Have an Ugly Effect on Your Health." May 17. 2010. Web. Nov 19. 2013. <http://www.rodalenews.com/nanoparticles-and-cosmetics>
B2Bwhiteboard. "Nano materials, sunscreens and cosmetics." Feb 10. 2010. Web. Nov 19. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVBJ61sm7FA>
James K. Gimzewski. Unit 8 Lecture NanoTech and Art. Part 2. UCLA. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEp6t0v-v9c>
James K. Gimezewski. Unit 8 Lecture NanoTech and Art. Part 6. UCLA. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKlViSKkPd0&list=PL9DBF43664EAC8BC7>