Event 3: Replica Praesens

For my third event, I chose to attend “Replica Praesens: A Lecture on Synthetic Life by Sam Wolk”.  In this lecture, Sam discussed a project he had been working on regarding organisms and how they interact with their surroundings and resources.

I was completely fascinated by his intelligence and how he was capable of manipulating a computer through coding to create digital artwork that serves a scientific purpose. His studies incorporated coding, biology, ecology, digital art, and mathematics. Sam is an example of how art and science live in a mutually beneficial relationship.

Simulation: Animal Ecology

I was excited to witness a perfect example of how a person can embody so many cultures of various subjects yet bring them altogether to represent one amazing program.  Sam Wolk created a biological simulation based on interaction habits of digital “animals”.  This kind of program involves tedious pages of coding, the understanding of animal ecology, and the knowledge of digital art and how to combine all three to create the artistic and informative presentation.

Sam Wolk’s Synthetic Life simulation shows how the combination of several cultures allows scientists to predict behavioral patterns of animals when studying ecology. Not only does he predict animal behavior but also he is able to analyze different organisms in a species displaying various genotypes and which genes show conversion to a particular majority overtime based on external conditions.

Simulation: Genotype Occurrences Overtime

This type technology can be beneficial in many different fields of study. Not only did this program’s art present information on ecology, but it also created an appealing, artistic atmosphere. I enjoyed this lecture and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in digital art and it’s capability of advancing the knowledge of science.