Gimzewski and his research team examined the mechano-structural properties of the Morpho Peleides butterfly to provide insight into the developmental process and intrinsic optical properties. The sounds used in this piece were acquired and recorded by detecting nanoscale motions of the pupa surface using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical beam deflection during the developmental stages of metamorphosis. Raw data files of the catepillar membrane "sound" vibrations were sped up and amplified by arbitrary amounts depending on the individual sample.The nanoscale architecture inherent to the butterfly wing produces its brilliant color through photonic crystalline effects. Use of highly sensitive instrumentation provided images of both the surface and internal wing structure by AFM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Publications:
"Local Nanomechanical Motion of the Cell Saccharomyces cerevisiae"
A. Pelling, S. Sehati, E.B. Gralla, J.S. Valentine, and J.K. Gimzewski.
(in press Science, 2004)
"The Nanoneme Syndrome: Blurring of fact and fiction in the construction of a new science"
J. Gimzewski, V. Vesna
Technoetic Arts, 1, 7-24 (2003)