“As a researcher, I think THIS is the real challenge for talking about “code is law” or the power of algorithms in the year 2013: To describe, capture, measure the effects of such a complex interlocking set of features from which systemic affordances emerge that make use of social impression formation as much as perceived effort. Interesting times.”
Disunion - The guillotine simulator for Oculus Rift. (by André Berlemont)
Listen to Bitcoin is a realtime trade visualizer by Maximilian Laumeister, turning each transaction into a bubble and audible tone.
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Can computer games help to solve the problems of the world? Alex Butterworth finds that some so-called “serious” games are generating new intelligence in the fields of science, politics and other areas.
He talks to games designers, commentators, scientists and other experts to ask how computer games like these are helping to impact on society. What implications might these discoveries have for policy-makers in the future? How does change through gaming actually occur- and how can it be measured?
Alex talks to Ken Eklund, whose game “World Without Oil” encouraged players to imagine their responses to an oil shortage.
He also explores the process of making games with a message with designer Tomas Rawlings, whose creations include a game about the conflict in Syria.
He hears how the game “Evoke” from the World Bank encouraged players to engage with problems in the developing world and win funding for some of their schemes.
And he hears how the scientific research of folding proteins has been turned into a game where players have solved problems which had defeated biochemists.
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(via The guy who sustained permanent brain damage tells his story)
‘Flow’, levitating brain by Tamas Szvet
(via Art and Levitation)
Brain Island Map
These pretty looking baubles are actually colonies of the green algae (phylum Chlorophyta) Volvox. Each colony is only the size of a pin and consists of a hollow ball one cell thick containing an amazing 50-60,000 cells. It’s a shame they are so small since they could light up any Christmas tree.
Credit Spike Walker, Wellcome Images
Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons by-nc-nd 2.0 UK: England & Wales, see http://images.wellcome.ac.uk/indexplus/page/Prices.html
Departmental Christmas Tree in all its glory.
