Microbiome Variation Across Scales
My name is Alexa Young
I am a visual and hands-on learner, and while I would not say I understand the world through art, I know that art has helped me understand it more deeply. But I also know it is not just me. Art has helped many people grasp the world beyond the bounds of books and conversations. What if we could do the same with science? From that perspective, I’ve begun shaping an idea I call Art–Science Mutualism. It is a vision for how art and science can grow together, each enriching the other and creating something neither could achieve alone.I This project highlights artists, both known and unknown, whose work embodies this mutualism. I am participating in ongoing projects in how art can be used as part of basic science questions. Also, the role of art in motivating change. Finally, I will use this page to highlight artists in the Art-Science space. Their practices show how creativity and knowledge can move in step, opening new paths for cultural conservation and reimagining how we share and protect the living world.
Projects In this Space
Artifacts as recorders of history
​Utilizing next-generation sequencing, we have characterized DNA from diverse artifacts, including gloves and paintings, to capture information about their owners and the environments they inhabited. This work is particularly fascinating because it requires reconstructing signals from degraded DNA, much like the approaches used in ancient DNA research.
Can art really motivate people to help save the planet?
As part of the non-profit Creature Conserve, we ask how far art can go in motivating change, particularly in the conservation of species. Put simply: Can art save species from extinction? It is a complicated question, since it is difficult to translate feelings into numbers or turn art into measurable outcomes. Yet the challenge is precisely what makes the effort worthwhile — and we will try.
Art-Science Blogs
