22/01/2017

Let’s take a moment to think about what ‘science’ means to us? What’s our definition of science?

Is it just a subject that we study at school? That’s probably the first thing that comes to mind; a bunch of dry textbook jargon trying to explain convoluted concepts in its own alien language.

For most of us math is graphs, trigonometry and word problems; biology is taxonomy; physics is a collection of mind-numbing variables and equation; and chemistry is memorizing the elements of the periodic table.

It seems dry, flavorless, rigid, and unimaginative, made up of a bunch of terms and theories that have little to no practical value. You can’t express yourself through it as in art or literature, or explore fascinating tales of wars, kingdoms and heroes as in history. All you can do is calculate the speed of a falling rock before it hits the ground.

On the other hand, when we think about a Mela, we imagine all the vibrant colors, the exhilarating rides, the majestic performances, and the great food that can be experienced at a fun fair.

Coupling an event as festive and jubilant as a Mela with something so bland seems incomprehensible. Even the term ‘Science Mela’ feels like an oxymoron. But let’s examine science from a different light.

You might be familiar with a little kid, well actually a boy genius by the name of Dexter that came in a cartoon series called Dexter’s Laboratory.  You may recall how he peered through a telescope into the expansive and mysterious cosmos, how he examined creatures through a microscope, how chemicals changed colors (and sometimes exploded) as he mixed them in test tubes, and that there were talking computers and robots in every nook and cranny of his lab that could perform the most incredible feats, and how he made futuristic gadgets like flying cars.

Isn’t that science? Or are they simply the product of a cartoon artist’s wild imagination?

To what degree is the show rooted in facts, or whether the gadgets are feasible is debatable. However, we can be certain of one thing: Dexter’s lab and similar shows of science fiction, like the widely acclaimed movies ‘Interstellar’ and ‘Jurassic Park’, draw inspiration from different themes of science. And that’s what makes them so exciting to watch.

So why do dinosaurs, space ships and lasers captivate us so much? How do these science fiction movies and series capture our attention?

That’s because they tap into two innate attributes unique to human beings: curiosity and creativity. These works of science fiction allow us to explore places we have never been and stir our imagination.

That’s exactly what the Lahore Science Mela intends to do. It will take us on an adventure through the realms of science and engineering (sort of like a tour of Dexter’s Lab); where chemical equations come to life; where people can observe firsthand the cells that constitute our body; and where magnetism becomes akin to magic.

Each exhibit will ignite your curiosity and inspire you to wonder. Science does not merely encompass knowing the scientific names of organisms, or what the equations of gravity and laws of Newton are. True science is asking questions, exploring the mysteries that surround us, imagining the impossible, and using knowledge in creative ways.

Science is being curious enough to ask questions, like whether there are aliens in outer space or why we get colds in the winter, and trying to find the answers. And the Lahore Science Mela provides individuals a doorway into the wondrous world of science.

This article was originally posted here.

Waleed Ghayas

For most people, hearing the word ‘science’ brings to mind static facts listed in textbooks, scientists observing specimens under the microscope, mechanical engineers working on automobiles, Einstein’s equations and so on. But that is an incomplete picture of science. Science is much more complex yet beautiful. The same irony haunts art and artists. Artists are usually thought to be people employing a paintbrush and aesthetics to translate the hues of their imagination into impressions on a white canvas.

No doubt, the debate regarding convergence of science and art is not new. But the undeniable fact is: the scientists in the laboratory and the artists in the studio both use their creative insights and learn to transform information into something elegant and compelling.

The relation between science and art has a long history that is generally overlooked. For instance, when people hear the name Leonardo da Vinci, the first thought striking their minds is that of the hand behind the famous Mona Lisa. Little do most of them know that Leonardo was also an avid mathematician, keen engineer, vehement anatomist and ardent botanist. It was his inquisitive mind that led him to the invention of flying machine. He was known as the painter of Renaissance, the celebrated period of rebirth in the European history regarding art, literature, science, architecture and politics. At that utopian time, a man was made to study all the subjects of science and art, unlike today, where a child has to choose between the two after his secondary education.

That said, five centuries later, Pablo Picasso, a Spanish painter, experimented with different theories and developed a technique called Cubism, in which he composed his work through disoriented figures, lines and shapes. He created a never-before-seen style of work which was a result of his careful analysis. Even Albert Einstein agrees,

After a certain high level of technical skill is achieved, science and art tend to coalesce in aesthetics, plasticity and form. The greatest scientists are always artists as well.

To reach the epitome of their exploration, artists tend to choose the avenue that is suitable for the questions they are interested in analyzing. Biologists nowadays visualize their molecular hypotheses using animations which prove useful for communicating their ideas. This idea of animation can be traced back to the time when Walt Disney first developed animated films, revolutionizing the illustration industry.

Then again, successful marketing teams are using a mix of both science and art to develop aesthetical techniques for the progress of their company. Developing relationships with your customers is crucial and there is no scientific formula for that. You need to have an artistic approach to it. Sales increase when salesmen step out of the typical mentality of just focusing on the economic growth of their company and genuinely engage with the buyers.

For instance, Sara Chipps, who is a co-founder of Girl Develop it, developed an intriguing way to teach girls about software and web applications. She created a fashion and tech-infused gadget called Jewelbot. Young girls can use basic engineering logic to program this wearable gadget to do just about anything they can think of. This device harnesses the creativity of young women to learn programming languages that will serve them for years to come.

Recently, a wonderful collaboration of science, art and design occurred on August 21, 2017 during a solar eclipse. University students of Alaska and Oregon launched a half-dozen balloons into the earth’s atmosphere to take spectacular views of the eclipse. When the balloons reached their highest altitudes, they burst and brought camera equipment safely back to the ground. In this way, the students actually used their science and creative tactics together to provide people with a spectacular view of the eclipse.

In the light of aforementioned discussion, it would be no exaggeration to say that the collaboration between science and art can indeed lead us to ‘eureka’ moments!  Therefore, it is time to dispel the notion of compartmentalizing science and art. Keeping in view the last renaissance period, there is a strong possibility that we might enter another age of renaissance because both science and art are wedded by the feelings of wonder.

Iqra Naveed

Muhammad Hamza Waseem

The Lahore Science Mela is the first of its kind fair in Pakistan where the prevailing gap between culture and science will be bridged. Hearing the word ‘culture’ takes one to the narrow streets of androon shehr (walled city), the tantalizing cuisine of food streets and the historical places, like the Shahi Qila, the Shalamar Gardens, Chauburji  that have stood the test of time. The modern world encapsulates all this in one word i.e. Lahore, the cultural heart of Pakistan that will host the grand celebration of science.

Rarely, if ever, does it happen in Pakistan when scientists, engineers, doctors, artists etc. gather to engage with and kindle the souls of public with the torch that drives their careers and causes sparkle in their eyes. The science fair will be open to everyone and will bring home the fact that the joy of science, of comprehending what surrounds us, can be shared by all. Indeed, the laws that make the heavens go round stand above race, colour, caste, creed or religion and reveal themselves to those who wonder.

What better occasion can there be to share the charisma of science with everyone than a mela? Melas (festivals) have a rich tradition in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab and symbolize good entertainment for the whole family and build a strong sense of community. The mela at hand will be an opportunity to engage citizens, of all ages and all backgrounds, through events that celebrate science, engineering, medicine, technology and innovation.

Housed at the occasion will be stalls and exhibitions, depicting science and culture, expressing the organic connection between the two realms often considered aloof from each other. Although various technologies are crafted as a result of arduous work of scientists, it is an artist that teaches man the ethics of using technology. Hence, it is imperative that we bring together the two aspects of life.

Giving you a glimpse of the science fair, the attendees will get to witness the glow of lasers accompanied by the brilliance of crystals. Other materials, lesser attractive yet utilitarian cousins of crystals, will be no lesser a cause of wonder and enchantment. Where understanding of the intricate yet beautifully orchestrated human physiology will be imparted to everyone by the medical practitioners, there chemistry will be the apple of everyone’s eye through its fizzy reactions, bubbling and miniature blasts.

 Sports lovers will get to see the mechanics underlying their games and comprehend the adrenaline rush that runs in them while they play. Theoretical physics will invite all to ponder over its grand theories to understand the microcosmos and the macrocosmos. The stargazers will get a bit of their curiosity quenched through live astronomical observations via professional apparatus. Models of satellites and space observation instruments will be reminiscent of the ‘giant leap for mankind.’ Automobile and robotics enthusiasts will also get something to be excited about. Stalls of computer and IT will be placed in neighbourhood of those of animal and plant science, reminding everyone to exercise a balance between the use of the two.

Homemakers, chefs and everybody else as well will be delighted by stalls of kitchen science. Not only the science museums will be invited to present, but also the museums of botany and zoology will be asked to grace the occasion. Adding to the air of wonder and excitement will be the soothing air of aquariums. Gems and minerals will boast of the variety available among them whereas petroleum industry will speak of the long journey mineral oil has to traverse before getting ready for daily use. Stalls of palaeontology and fossils will make everyone realize that they are, in essence, a part of the past.     

In short, the Lahore Science Mela will dispel the notion that science is only meant for the privileged elite. By making the mela open to all, we will demonstrate that science accepts all with open arms and an open heart. A young girl with little means and illiterate parents has just as much to offer, and just as much to gain, as an affluent businessman with deep pockets. We hope that the Lahore Science Mela will celebrate science as a grand equalizer, and as a means that leads to both intellectual and social sustainability, and economic well-being.

This blog was originally posted at http://lsm2017.org/what-is-the-lahore-science-mela/

The writer studies Electrical Engineering at the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore.

Life imitates art, and science imitates life. These premises are fundamental to the principle of Biomimicry.

Biomimicry is the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex problems encountered by human civilisation. Every invention in science can be attributed to a corresponding phenomenon already existing in nature.

Aeroplanes would not have existed had the Wright brothers not drawn inspiration from flying birds; neither would we have high speed bullet trains, nor self-driving cars. This only goes on to re-emphasise on the significant chunk of innovation that technology has managed to give us.

Aeroplanes have undeniably influenced us since their invention in 1914. There are not many who have not sat in an aeroplane, or have dreamt of travelling in one and therein lies one example of the intersection of innovation, art and nature and its influence in our lives.

Artist-polymaths have existed for as long as the subject of science itself has; with every eminent scientist, such as Einstein, Maxwell and Galileo being celebrated for revolutionising human life.

Another example of a subject that has emerged from the arts and sciences combined is economics. It translates qualitative data into quantitative data and uses both mathematical and non-arbitrary factors to analyze situations in the real world. In macroeconomics, we look at the quantitative data in an abstract fashion to understand the philosophy of the world at large, which is itself an art.

Art teaches you to appreciate the senses and feelings nature has gifted us with, whereas science, uses these resources for inspiration and utilises them in search of innovation and expanding our creative horizons. The study of neuroaesthetics has proven that people with an aptitude for art perform better in mathematics because of their ability to visualise the thinking process. When we talk about art, we do not only limit ourselves to paintings and sculptures. One may immediately think of them, and they certainly do play a large role in preserving our history and symbolise our evolution in a broader sense. But drama, prose and poetry have an immense impact on our perceptions of how we view the world and one can tell a lot about a person through their music and literary tastes. The intersection of art and science, to me, is the intersection of the heart and the mind. A verse from Iqbal goes,

صبح ازل یہ مجھ سے کہا جبرئیل نے

‎جو عقل کا غلام ہو، وہ دل نہ کر قبول

Gibriel on Creation’s Early Morn, a piece of useful counsel gave:

He bade me not accept a heart enchained by mind of man like a slave.

We do ourselves a great disservice when we limit ourselves to fact and figures and repress the instinct and dampen the natural desire to dream, to believe, and to feel.

Science follows a rhythm, a pattern that gives our thinking process a form and direction, when our curiosity wreaks havoc and searches for answers. And the equilibrium between the both is what we understand as life.

One of mankind’s greatest philosophical questions has been the persistent need to explain our existence. What are we here for? Where do we come from? These are broadly understood as the existential dilemma—a philosophical question that religion answers by lending us purpose, a moral framework, a code of conduct and raising us to be more than just animals to conscientious sentient self-aware people with soul, emotion and rationale. Without the driving forces of emotions and passions, many inventions may never have come into existence.

Social and scientific theories both arise when we think of concepts beyond what is considered as rational. The notion of infinity, now widely accepted and put into practice is itself a testimony of how even science cannot escape the abstract principles of the universe. In philosophy, the idea of infinitude is a metaphysical concept that is linked to transcendence, beyond the limits of all possible experience and knowledge. Infinity stretches the boundaries of all disciplines across all frontiers. ‘Black holes’ are another scientific theory that toys with the limits of rationality and makes us realize that there are some things bigger than anything our limited human comprehension can ever perceive.

Epigenetics tells us that our experiences become a part of our genetic encoding, that an experience can translate itself into the chemical arrangement of our molecular biology. Art influences these experiences. One cannot separate the two disciplines; indeed, the wall between art and science exists only in our mind.

In reality, none could have survived without the other.

Holistically, both disciplines teach us one very crucial thing; everything that exists in this world operates on the idea of codependence — regardless of how minimal — to progress and that isolation and creating divisions between things does not lead to the best possible outcomes. Our power lies in codependence and coexistence and the purpose of knowledge is to open your mind to new thoughts and possibilities through the intersection of ideas.

A person looking at a giant multicoloured cube will always think that it is entirely the same colour he sees from his perspective, until he is informed of the other sides to view the cube from as well.

Noor Ussahar