This week’s readings looked at three different kinds of visualization, which I will discuss separately below: visualization in scientific research, visualization in the communication of science within the “public sphere,” and the “real-time,” interactive visualization in VJ-ing. In general, visualizations are beneficial in that they can re-assemble complex, confusing, or otherwise inaccessible information/data into visual representations, usually done so in a clear, colorful, and engaging way. In this sense, visualizations make information–that otherwise may not be–easy to understand. Today we see the frequent use of ‘real-time’ data visualizations, in which the interactive visualizations are constantly updated to provide the viewer with relevant, of-the-moment data that responds to the constant change. Instead of data or information being collected and then published in scholarly or academic journals/textbooks, in the case of scientific data on climate change, for example, we are seeing visualizations created that take that information and re-assemble it in a way that is visually appealing and easy to access for the average person.
VISUALIZATION IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH:
On the Information is Beautiful website, the image comparing global warming skeptics to the scientific consensus, serves as a visualization in scientific research (as well as a visualization of the skeptics’ side of the argument) in an easy-to-understand, simplified fashion. Creating visualizations of scientific research is important, because it allows the public to access information that might otherwise only be published in scientific journals/textbooks or circulated in scientific academia circles. This visualization was assembled using publicly available web sources, to provide simple, easily accessible graphs and other types of visualization, accompanied by words to further enhance the viewer’s understanding. In fact, the author notes that he “deliberately chose not speak directly to any climate experts or leading scientists in the field…[and] used only publicly available web sources…because [he] wanted to simulate what it’s like for people trying to learn about climate change online. [His] conclusion is ‘what a nightmare’…the majority of the writing on [most websites] is so scientific and so technical, it makes the website nigh on useless to the casual, curious reader” (McCandless). Here, the author makes a point of saying that he knows how difficult it can be for the average person to access scientific research, which is why visualization of scientific research has such merit and importance for our society in terms of acquiring knowledge.
NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio serves as another example of visualization in scientific research, as it makes information that we might not normally be able to access, visible. The “Excerpt from Dynamic Earth” visualization shows the direction and number of ocean currents in the Gulf Stream through several visuals, as a way of showing us how the radiation energy from the sun “feeds swirling wind and ocean currents as cold air and surface waters move toward the equator and warm air and water moves toward the poles – all in an attempt to equalize temperatures around the world” (“NASA”). This is a phenomenon we might only learn about in textbooks, but by being able to see actual visualizations of this process, NASA’s technology has allowed us a greater, more comprehensive understanding of Earth’s activities.
VISUALIZATION IN THE COMMUNICATION OF SCIENCE WITHIN THE ‘PUBLIC SPHERE':
In the article “Struggling Polar Bears put on the Endangered List,” we immediately see a visualization of a scientific concept, adapted for a public audience in the polar bear photo. The photo depicts a polar bear clinging to a rapidly melting chunk of ice, and is meant to represent the effects of climate change on the Arctic. Even a simple search of “polar bears + climate change” on Google will produce images meant to tug at the heart strings of viewers, with depictions of forlorn polar bears surrounded by lots of water and very little ice, to show that their natural habitat is being destroyed by human effects on climate change. This visualization affects how the reader interprets the article, as words can only do so much to incite an emotional response; hearing that “two thirds of the species – 16,000 animals – could disappear by 2050 as global warming melts the Arctic sea ice” sounds bad but has much less profound an effect than actually seeing a poor polar bear clinging desperately to an ice chunk (Metro News). As the article mentions, “polar bears have become the poster boys of the climate change campaign,” because it has become clear that in this day and age, the public is more highly influenced by visual media than simple text, and physically seeing the effects, aka visualization, is far more powerful than reading about the effect (Metro News). Therefore, this photo serves as a scientific visualization adapted for the public sphere, as it shows the effects of climate change–much like a graph or pie chart might be able to–but in a way that is tailored to inciting public reaction/emotion, rather than focused on conveying scientific data.
Another favorite visualization of mine that is tailored to the communication of science in the ‘public sphere’ is the pie chart from Popperfont that “pretty much says it all,” found here: https://www.diigo.com/bookmark/http%3A%2F%2Fpopperfont.net%2F2012%2F11%2F25%2Fthis-pie-chart-pretty-much-says-it-all%2F?tab=people&uname=andersand.
It shows how out of 13,950 peer-reviewed articles, only 24 reject climate change, compiled in an alarming pie chart. This visualization makes scientific information (the number and content of scientific journal articles) accessible and striking in this very memorable and profound visualization, meant to sway the audience into believing that climate change is real, while discrediting the very minute number of skeptics.
THE ‘REAL-TIME,’ INTERACTIVE VISUALIZATION IN VJ-ING
VJ-ing, as discussed in last week’s blog post, involves putting images to sound, effectively making music ‘come alive’ by turning something that is invisible (sound waves) into something visible (image projections). VJ-ing employs the concept of ‘cross signal processing,’ in which one signal is turned into another—aka the music being played in real-time is converted into a visual form, synchronized to play along with it. In this way, the audience is able to interact with and appreciate both the music, as well as the visual landscapes created in response to it. Creating visualizations of music only enhances the experience of listening, by engaging another one of our senses—sight. In fact, VJ-ing has become so popular that almost all DJs—whether playing in small clubs or massive music festivals—use visuals along with their music, illustrating how big and influential VJ-ing has become.
Another new way of working with visual media can be found in the rise of mobile-mentaries, or mobile filmmaking. This has in fact become so popular that there are entire film festivals dedicated to filmmaking done from a simple camera phone. Max Schleser, co founder of Mobile Innovation Network Aotearoa and a mobile filmmaker himself, is a fan of how mobile-mentaries can serve as a new form of visual media. He encourages everyone to support this new form of visual media because it makes you “think about what makes mobile-mentaries different from traditional docs – your mobile can go anywhere (and can be attached to wheels, weather-balloons or wherever you like to go)” (Scott-Stevenson). Ultimately, he says that mobile filmmaking is so revolutionary and special because it “creates new opportunities and challenges for visual communication design. Mobile devices enable us to see the world from new viewpoints and angles” (MINA). This is interesting to think about with regards to interactive visualization and VJ-ing, because both forms of visual media cause us to see and interact with the world in new, revolutionary ways.
In conclusion, visualizations affect the general social body and individual bodily interaction with the media, by assembling information in an easily understood, interactive, and effective manner. Publishing has evolved to include other forms of expression/content besides words, print, and text; now, with different types of constantly changing and evolving forms of visual media/visualizations, there is a shift in visual perception, as well as in publishing and publics. Visualizations help the public understand complex and sometimes otherwise inaccessible information, so that we can come together and form an assemblage, under which we have a common understanding of various topics.
secret word: real-time
Resources:
McCandless, David. “The Global Warming Skeptics vs. The Scientific Consensus.”Information Is Beautiful. N.p., Dec. 2009. <http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/climate-change-deniers-vs-the-consensus/>.
“NASA: Excerpt from “Dynamic Earth”” Scientific Visualization Studio. NASA, 14 June 2012. Web. 07 May 2013. <http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a011000/a011003/index.html>.
“Struggling Polar Bears Put on Endangered list.” Metro News. N.p., 15 May 2008. <http://metro.co.uk/2008/05/15/struggling-polar-bears-put-on-endangered-list-137306/>.
Scott-Stevenson, Julia. “Mobile-mentaries across the Ditch.” Speical Broadcasting Service. N.p., 31 Oct. 2012. . <http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/127025/t/Mobile-mentaires-across-the-ditch>.
“2nd Mobile Creativity and Mobile Innovation Symposium.” MINA. N.p., 2013. Web. <http://mina.pro/2nd-mobile-creativity-and-innovation-symposium/>.
https://www.diigo.com/bookmark/http%3A%2F%2Fpopperfont.net%2F2012%2F11%2F25%2Fthis-pie-chart-pretty-much-says-it-all%2F?tab=people&uname=andersand
VISUALIZATION IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH:
On the Information is Beautiful website, the image comparing global warming skeptics to the scientific consensus, serves as a visualization in scientific research (as well as a visualization of the skeptics’ side of the argument) in an easy-to-understand, simplified fashion. Creating visualizations of scientific research is important, because it allows the public to access information that might otherwise only be published in scientific journals/textbooks or circulated in scientific academia circles. This visualization was assembled using publicly available web sources, to provide simple, easily accessible graphs and other types of visualization, accompanied by words to further enhance the viewer’s understanding. In fact, the author notes that he “deliberately chose not speak directly to any climate experts or leading scientists in the field…[and] used only publicly available web sources…because [he] wanted to simulate what it’s like for people trying to learn about climate change online. [His] conclusion is ‘what a nightmare’…the majority of the writing on [most websites] is so scientific and so technical, it makes the website nigh on useless to the casual, curious reader” (McCandless). Here, the author makes a point of saying that he knows how difficult it can be for the average person to access scientific research, which is why visualization of scientific research has such merit and importance for our society in terms of acquiring knowledge.
NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio serves as another example of visualization in scientific research, as it makes information that we might not normally be able to access, visible. The “Excerpt from Dynamic Earth” visualization shows the direction and number of ocean currents in the Gulf Stream through several visuals, as a way of showing us how the radiation energy from the sun “feeds swirling wind and ocean currents as cold air and surface waters move toward the equator and warm air and water moves toward the poles – all in an attempt to equalize temperatures around the world” (“NASA”). This is a phenomenon we might only learn about in textbooks, but by being able to see actual visualizations of this process, NASA’s technology has allowed us a greater, more comprehensive understanding of Earth’s activities.
VISUALIZATION IN THE COMMUNICATION OF SCIENCE WITHIN THE ‘PUBLIC SPHERE':
In the article “Struggling Polar Bears put on the Endangered List,” we immediately see a visualization of a scientific concept, adapted for a public audience in the polar bear photo. The photo depicts a polar bear clinging to a rapidly melting chunk of ice, and is meant to represent the effects of climate change on the Arctic. Even a simple search of “polar bears + climate change” on Google will produce images meant to tug at the heart strings of viewers, with depictions of forlorn polar bears surrounded by lots of water and very little ice, to show that their natural habitat is being destroyed by human effects on climate change. This visualization affects how the reader interprets the article, as words can only do so much to incite an emotional response; hearing that “two thirds of the species – 16,000 animals – could disappear by 2050 as global warming melts the Arctic sea ice” sounds bad but has much less profound an effect than actually seeing a poor polar bear clinging desperately to an ice chunk (Metro News). As the article mentions, “polar bears have become the poster boys of the climate change campaign,” because it has become clear that in this day and age, the public is more highly influenced by visual media than simple text, and physically seeing the effects, aka visualization, is far more powerful than reading about the effect (Metro News). Therefore, this photo serves as a scientific visualization adapted for the public sphere, as it shows the effects of climate change–much like a graph or pie chart might be able to–but in a way that is tailored to inciting public reaction/emotion, rather than focused on conveying scientific data.
Another favorite visualization of mine that is tailored to the communication of science in the ‘public sphere’ is the pie chart from Popperfont that “pretty much says it all,” found here: https://www.diigo.com/bookmark/http%3A%2F%2Fpopperfont.net%2F2012%2F11%2F25%2Fthis-pie-chart-pretty-much-says-it-all%2F?tab=people&uname=andersand.
It shows how out of 13,950 peer-reviewed articles, only 24 reject climate change, compiled in an alarming pie chart. This visualization makes scientific information (the number and content of scientific journal articles) accessible and striking in this very memorable and profound visualization, meant to sway the audience into believing that climate change is real, while discrediting the very minute number of skeptics.
THE ‘REAL-TIME,’ INTERACTIVE VISUALIZATION IN VJ-ING
VJ-ing, as discussed in last week’s blog post, involves putting images to sound, effectively making music ‘come alive’ by turning something that is invisible (sound waves) into something visible (image projections). VJ-ing employs the concept of ‘cross signal processing,’ in which one signal is turned into another—aka the music being played in real-time is converted into a visual form, synchronized to play along with it. In this way, the audience is able to interact with and appreciate both the music, as well as the visual landscapes created in response to it. Creating visualizations of music only enhances the experience of listening, by engaging another one of our senses—sight. In fact, VJ-ing has become so popular that almost all DJs—whether playing in small clubs or massive music festivals—use visuals along with their music, illustrating how big and influential VJ-ing has become.
Another new way of working with visual media can be found in the rise of mobile-mentaries, or mobile filmmaking. This has in fact become so popular that there are entire film festivals dedicated to filmmaking done from a simple camera phone. Max Schleser, co founder of Mobile Innovation Network Aotearoa and a mobile filmmaker himself, is a fan of how mobile-mentaries can serve as a new form of visual media. He encourages everyone to support this new form of visual media because it makes you “think about what makes mobile-mentaries different from traditional docs – your mobile can go anywhere (and can be attached to wheels, weather-balloons or wherever you like to go)” (Scott-Stevenson). Ultimately, he says that mobile filmmaking is so revolutionary and special because it “creates new opportunities and challenges for visual communication design. Mobile devices enable us to see the world from new viewpoints and angles” (MINA). This is interesting to think about with regards to interactive visualization and VJ-ing, because both forms of visual media cause us to see and interact with the world in new, revolutionary ways.
In conclusion, visualizations affect the general social body and individual bodily interaction with the media, by assembling information in an easily understood, interactive, and effective manner. Publishing has evolved to include other forms of expression/content besides words, print, and text; now, with different types of constantly changing and evolving forms of visual media/visualizations, there is a shift in visual perception, as well as in publishing and publics. Visualizations help the public understand complex and sometimes otherwise inaccessible information, so that we can come together and form an assemblage, under which we have a common understanding of various topics.
secret word: real-time
Resources:
McCandless, David. “The Global Warming Skeptics vs. The Scientific Consensus.”Information Is Beautiful. N.p., Dec. 2009. <http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/climate-change-deniers-vs-the-consensus/>.
“NASA: Excerpt from “Dynamic Earth”” Scientific Visualization Studio. NASA, 14 June 2012. Web. 07 May 2013. <http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a011000/a011003/index.html>.
“Struggling Polar Bears Put on Endangered list.” Metro News. N.p., 15 May 2008. <http://metro.co.uk/2008/05/15/struggling-polar-bears-put-on-endangered-list-137306/>.
Scott-Stevenson, Julia. “Mobile-mentaries across the Ditch.” Speical Broadcasting Service. N.p., 31 Oct. 2012. . <http://www.sbs.com.au/documentary/blogs/view/id/127025/t/Mobile-mentaires-across-the-ditch>.
“2nd Mobile Creativity and Mobile Innovation Symposium.” MINA. N.p., 2013. Web. <http://mina.pro/2nd-mobile-creativity-and-innovation-symposium/>.
https://www.diigo.com/bookmark/http%3A%2F%2Fpopperfont.net%2F2012%2F11%2F25%2Fthis-pie-chart-pretty-much-says-it-all%2F?tab=people&uname=andersand
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