Today’s busy schedule gave everyone a longing for sleep, even without the walking. Just like every other day, we started off with a lecture on Shapes from Rita and Gau. The lecture began with shapes of nanomaterials and their functions; and then moved into shapes in 
art. To start off, despite the common belief, atoms rarely have a spherical shape. In fact, atoms found in nature can take a vast variety of shapes including: dumbbell, cross, or sometimes spherical. The properties of crystal atoms are determined by the structure of the atom. Different structures account for differences in hardness, and other electronic and optical properties. Also the stuctures and the way it diffracts light determines color. Furthermore, shape can determine a molecules’ function. For example, DNA polymerase, a vital enzyme in the nucleus, has a specific structure or shape designed to help copy our genetic material. This same concept applies to protein synthesis, which occurs in the ribosome. Suddenly the lecture began to focus on art and design but shape remained the common constant. I began to see how the most basic properties, in this case shape, applied to concepts both in science and art.
After the lecture we visited the Fowler Museum on the campus where we jumped straight into art in history. We stu
died the paintings of the Australian Aborigines throughout the 20th century. I noticed that the more recent paintings used canvas and better paints. Because the materials were of a higher technological value, I concluded that this was the only connection between the Aborigines and science. Next we visited the special collections are of the library. Again we looked at history but this time it revolved more around science and astronomy. We were shown the ancient writings of Copernicus and his revolutionary idea of a heliocentric universe.
For the final part of
the day, we visited a plasma research lab. This was by far the most interesting even tough I had trouble finding the artistic element of it. We saw the chamber in which plasma was created and even caught a glimpse of the pink flashes that were the plasma. Plasma is made by beaming electrons into a vacuumed chamber of around 1000° centigrade. The electrons then collide with helium atoms producing the fourth phase of matter: plasma. When I climbed the ladder to see into the chamber window, I glimpsed a magnificent orange glow (electron beam) burning through a metal grate and creating a pulsing ring of brilliant pink. All in all, I was happy with today’s course of events, even though it caused extreme exhaustion.
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem03/chem03883.htm
http://www.plasmas.org/
http://www.gap-system.org/~history/Mathematicians/Copernicus.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_polymerase
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aboriginal1.html