Blog #2: Is Science Beautiful? Morgan Grimes

Is Science Beautiful? In Short, I think so.


Beauty and science are not concepts that are often intertwined. Beauty is often used to describe art, and decoration. Visual concepts are normally thought of as beautiful, but often times abstract concepts or experimental works in science are not. I think an important distinction is to be made that science is not thought of as ugly, just simply not beautiful. Beauty often differs from person to person, and the concept of beauty is surely individual. This individuality that lies within the concept of beauty I think can greatly influence how we think about and interpret science. Many people separate the two concepts, but in my experience merging them can often times make both easier to understand.
Robert Hooke was a scientist that lived during the 1600s. He was one of the first scientists to observe living things through the microscope. He is most well known for observing cork under the microscope and discovering the presence of cells. This discovery was revolutionary and it lead to the creation of nearly a whole new branch of science. Hooke’s discovery was scientific, but to many it was also beautiful. Just as art does, his discovery opened up the door to a whole new microscopic world of possibilities. Art is meant to open the viewers eyes to more than just their own everyday life. It is often to explain or to expose the viewer to new concepts, new realities, and new ideas. I think that often times, and very much in the case of Robert Hooke, science does the same thing, This aspect of art and science that is shared is beautiful, and in my opinion it is part of the beauty that lies within both fields. 
The beauty in science I think is greatly up to the individual. It takes a certain perspective to see and understand the beauty that is present in any scientific field. In my opinion artists and those in the creative fields are more likely to see beauty in science than those who work in the scientific fields. Those more exacting, and factual often times can overlook the inherent beauty in their own work. In many instances the beauty of both art and science work together to create a new experience for the viewer. Often times this involves a collaboration between scientists and artists to help the general public to understand hard to grasp scientific concepts. There are even institutions that focus on this kind of teamwork between the two fields. One such organization is ASCI, Art Science Inspired. This is an organization that puts on exhibitions showcasing artwork inspired by science. Each year they pick a topic and encourage artists from around the world to make and contribute art to their exhibitions. Taking scientific concepts and ideas and breaking them down to their simplest elements just to rebuild them into art that is universal and unique is just one of the ways that we can make science beautiful. This extraction of beauty from science, I think, goes to show just how beautiful science can truly be.



Robert Hooke's Picture of Cork Through the Microscope

Images from ASCI Exhibitions:

Anatomical No-Body Brain Sculpture by Federico Carbajal, 2010, galvanized wire, stainless steel and acrylic 

Radial Development by Robert Fathauer, 2014, ceramic sculpture

“Liquid Sunset” by Anita Getzler, 1997, photograph

“Channel 1” by Anita Getzler, 2015, photograph



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