WEIRD SCIENCE...

according to Nicolas Kirk

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Thank you for visiting my ACTlab webpage. Here you can view, listen, touch, taste, smell and critique my three projects that I have created for my Spring 2006 Weird Science ACTlab class here at the University of Texas at Austin. Feel free to email me questions, comments, criticism, etc. at nickirk84@yahoo.com.

 

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PROJECT ONE: "It's Always Warm In Brazil"

My first project was inpsired by the Terry Gilliam film Brazil in which the protagonist frequently daydreams to escape the mechanical, hypermodern world in which he resides. Daydreaming as a form of escape has become common in modern, and now postmodern society. Mankind is always trying to break the bonds he has forged to the society he has created. Included below are a few links to websites that explore daydreaming further:

Technology Plusses and Minuses

Daydreaming in Humans and Computers

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PROJECT TWO: How To Build A Simple Electric Motor

For my second project, I wanted to try my hand at building something manually, which has never been a talent of mine. The motor simply demonstrates the power of electric current. Since building the motor was simple, I included the class in the hands-on experience of constructing it. The project was also nostalgic since I had not done a science experiment since high school. Other projects I considered for this "high school science" project are linked below. If you get a chance, you should try them yourself:

Ball-Bearing Motor

Heron's Magic Fountain

The Lifter

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PROJECT THREE: A Fear Montage

My final project is rather cynical as it is a film/photo montage showing various fears of mankind (war, disease, poverty) juxtaposed with footage of everyday life. These fears bring up questions of human psychology and sociology, both fields I consider to be "weird science". Why do humans treat others the way they do? Are we predisposed to violence and apathy or peace and sympathy? In essence, what exactly (biologically and psychologically) makes mankind act the way they do? I hope these questions are pondered, asked, and debated after viewing my "Fear Montage".

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Website by: Nicolas Kirk, 2006.