From the lectures of this week, the scientist and artists explore beyond the traditional limit and find connections between art and biotechnology.
In the first lecture, Professor Vesna introduced the transgenic rabbit: Alba. Scientists designed mammals to glow by combining them with different genes from other animals. Scientists used the genes from glowing jellyfish and injected the genes into mice and rabbit, then the mice and rabbit receive the glowing ability.
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| Alba |
The glowing animals can be used in the biological process and diseases study, such as detecting cells activities and tracing ability. Later Eduardo Kac called this project a form of genetic art which achieved biodiversity and evolution because they symbolize a future state.
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| Eduardo Kac |
Although the study is controversial, the combination and sharing genetic materials cross species is still a huge development in the transgenic study. Another transgenic study uses rats as the experimental article. While some people criticized the harmfulness to the animals, some supporters argue that the experiment actually turns the harmful pests to beneficial animals to human society.
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| rats |
Besides the transgenic animals, another particularly striking culture in the fourth lecture is the third ear implant on the human arm. It's also called 3-D implant or pocketing. The body parts under the skin become the most special decoration on the arm.
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| The third ear |
This is the result of the transhumanism movement, which people are not satisfied with their body and want to overcome the human limitation. Although it's only an expression of art, from some news, I heard that human organs can be grown on animals and then transplanted back into the body, and they share the same inspiration.
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| Creativity |
In my perspective, the transgenic study is covered with complex emotions: both achieving excitements and horror because there are too much unknowns. I think the ultimate goal of the transgenic study is beneficial because it's improving human and solving problems, but the study is also dangerous, so there still should be limits to human creativity.
Works Cited
Buchanan, Rose Troup. “This Man Is Growing an Ear on His Arm and the Reason Why Is Ridiculous.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 12 Aug. 2015, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/performance-artist-grows-third-ear-on-arm-will-connect-to-internet-and-allow-world-to-listen-in-10451597.html.
Rr. “Centre for Fortean Zoology Australia.” February 2011, 1 Jan. 1970, www.cfzaustralia.com/2011/02/.
Kac, Eduardo. “Natural History of the Enigma.” Ekac. 2009. Web. 3 Nov 2012.http://www.ekac.org/nat.hist.enig.html
Carrie Dierks. “Teaching Site.” Biology News: Glowing Bunny Sparks International Controversy, www.labbench.com/news/genetics/bunny.html.
Vesna, Victoria. Lecture. DESMA 9. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
Putra, Adit. “Deformed, Mutated, Genetically Modified Animals Part 1!” YouTube, YouTube, 8 Aug. 2008, www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2sZelFCyWI.
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