Public Choice and Astrobiology; A case study: The life, The sea and The Space Viking; a digital app and open debate to biological selection and spatial colonization.
- Paper number
IAC-15,E1,9,11,x29854
- Author
Ms. Nelly Ben Hayoun, Royal Holloway, University of London, United Kingdom
- Year
2015
- Abstract
The Life, The Sea and The Space Viking(2015-2017) is a space odyssey, a viking saga 11 km under the sea, documenting a submersible expedition and an encounter with our own biological archaeology. From the Icelandic earth fissure crust to the deep gold mines of South Africa, the deep sea abyss to the giant Universe, board a Viking boat and meet the new Vikings of the sea, pioneer scientists at NASA and SETI Institute who are considering how to colonize and build a habitable future far away from earth. In the deep sea abyss lie incredibly resistant biological species, named sulfur eating Bacterias or Extremophiles. Living inside hydrothermal vents in the core of the earth fissures, these organisms have made us reassess our knowledge of living mechanisms and the origins of life on earth. A developing field of research, Astrobiology, biology in outer space and The NASA Kepler Mission revealed a thousand potentially habitable planets (exoplanets) in the universe. The Life, The Sea and The Space Viking is a multi media cross platform project consisting of a documentary feature film, live events and exhibitions with selected short films, public presentations and website. An app connects real moving images taken from the field to an archiving system of each bacterial species. Members of the public are asked to select a species to implant on a habitable planet. Will species be implemented for their aesthetic value or their function? The public can make their own choices based on the scientific data provided by leading experts on the App. The Life, The Sea and The Space Viking is currently being developed as part of Nelly Ben Hayoun's Wired Innovation fellowship and unique position as Designer of Experiences at the SETI institute. A position she held since 2012 in the Education and Public Outreach program. Her work at the SETI Institute focuses on extending outreach activities in terms of scope, and methods of engagement towards architecture, environments, experiences and narratives, as events. Both creative and tangible, this project acts as a critical and learning tool for discovery, a jumping into our future miles away from our planet. This Paper will explore the development of the project(currently at Research and Development stage)and focus on the app development, the findings and process,and the innovative digital platform and partners used to connect and engage with the public. Why and how shall we think of colonizing other planets biologically?
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)