By taking three different images of the Eagle Nebula and layering them over one another, I was able to manipulate different aspects of the photo separately. By assigning a single color (red, green and blue) to one of the three layers, changing how the colors interact with each other became much easier. Because the colors react with each other through the different levels, changing the saturation of one color in one layer can drastically alter how the photo looks.
The Nebula itself is about 7000 light years away, and is known primarily for the “Pillars of Creation”, a photo taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995. The image, of which one rendition can be seen here, have been enhanced by a multitude of people to show color.

Directed by Stanley Kubrik, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a suspenseful sci-fi movie about the contact between humans and extraterrestrial life.  Although no form of poor CGI or foam-rubber suit are used to represent the aliens, a black monolithic object is used to represent the extraterrestrial life.

DIvided into four distinct sections, the film begins by showing the purpose of the monoliths, as a group of early primates are influenced by it’s presence.  From there, the movie skips forward to modern times, wherein a business type man must deal with the discovery of another monolith on the moon.  The third sequence follows two astronauts onboard a ship to Jupiter, in search of a strange signal emanating from somewhere around the planet.  Becoming the villain of the film, the ships ominous and monotone computer attempts to take the lives of the crew, only just being stopped in time by one of the scientists.  The final act plays out in a way that can only be truly described as psychedelic, as the scientist from the last sequence, Dr. Bowman, is thrust through space and time, and forced to interact with future versions of himself.

Slow paced to the point of boredom sometimes, 2001: A Space Odyssey relies heavily upon its creeping and ominous soundtrack to illicit a reaction from the viewers.  With symbolism apparent throughout, including a quick transition shot of a bone-tool being thrown in the air to a cylindrical space craft, the film is mesmerizing in its portrayal of man’s rise, and first contact with alien life.  

Topped off with a long sequence of bright lights and moving colors, the visuals and special effects of the movie work beautifully, especially when put in context of when it was made.  The soundtrack and place settings set the tone of the atmosphere, however, with every scene tense and seemingly endless.

As for the believability of the entire movie, very few things seem out of place, when put in context with the rest of the film.  The space station and ships are plausible in how they present they’re inner workings, while the presence of the mechanical villain, the sinister HAL 9000, add a chilling sense of realism to the bulk of the film.

Personally, I believe the most interesting facet of the film is in how the extraterrestrial beings are portrayed.  Or, actually, not portrayed.  By using large, black stone monoliths as the only representation of the aliens, how they actually look is left up to the viewer.  Besides that, the alien aren’t portrayed as evil or villains, but to better mankind, and expedite it’s evolution.  In the most absent way possible, the aliens are responsible for the plot of the film without ever making an appearance on camera.

Question 3

The Article Does Science Matter remarks upon the changing public opinion and newfound criticism of science and its practical purposes in a way that refers to both the good and bad wrought from research and discovery.  It seems that the main point of the article is to weigh the pros and cons of scientific discovery in current times, when the question of morality has only recently been introduced.  Aside from that, it seems we live in a time when certain fields of research have finally reached a point wherein the product of human ingenuity can be used to harm mankind, as opposed to benefit it.  Even in biotechnology, a field which should be used specifically to help people, there is the fear of someone abusing the knowledge and technology capable in that line of research for destructive purposes.  As said by Dr. Philip Kitcher, “As this becomes ever easier and cheaper, it’s only a matter of time before some misguided people decide to infect the world.”  With an ever-increasing expanse of knowledge open to the public for manipulation, it only seems natural by now that some group of people will take advantage of these resources.

However, that is not to say that the article does not also speak of the great leaps science has taken in the actual betterment of mankind.  As stated at one point in the article, “Advances in food, public health and medicine helped raise life expectancy in the United States in the past century from roughly 50 to 80 years.”  The benefits mankind has received in terms of energy efficiency, human survival rates and the understanding of the universe as a whole argues the necessity of science.  With all the opposition these fields have begun to receive, it comes to no surprise that many scientists fear for how their jobs and research will be perceived.  With large portions of the population resisting the scientific method, and instead using religion as a guide, there is a clear divide in the population.

It seems to me that the excitement for scientific discovery among the population has stagnated, with fear and limits replacing what once was free and enthusiastic.  As said in the article, “Without the space race and the cold war, and perhaps facing intrinsic limits as well as declining budgets, they are slightly adrift.”  It seems to me that the United States as become so gripped with fear at how far science has come, and without a clear motive for necessary advancement, certain sciences have hit a point of fear to improve.

My name is Christian Bladon, currently a freshman at Colorado College with fairly limited experience in the field of physics, and even less in astronomy.  For the most part, my experiences involving the stars mainly revolve around laying on the beaches of Rhode Island after 12 AM and watching the milky way.  Other than that, I can vaguely recognize and distinguish certain constellations.  However, any knowledge of how these constellations and celestial bodies work is completely foreign to me as of right now.

On a more personal note, I was born in Wayland, Massachusetts, where my family still lives today.  

While growing up, I was never much into doing nature related activities such as hiking or climbing.  However, after spending a 10 day period camping and hiking in the woods of New Hampshire my senior year of high school, and rock climbing with a group of friends everyday for about three months, that changed.  It may have taken longer for my love of the natural world to take hold, but being outside has always been something I’ve loved.  It just took some extra time before I realized how walking through the woods or up a mountain can be just as calming and fun and sitting on the grass in a large field with some friends.

Since around the age of 14, or whenever my first freshman year ended, I’ve lived away from this home.  The reason is that after freshman year of High school, I transferred over to a boarding school in New Hampshire called Holderness.  I switched primarily for the schools strong snowboarding program.  I entertained a dream of becoming a professional snowboard racer for the first two years there, until I heard of special program that allowed travel for high school students while still giving credits.Through this program, I spent my junior year living in Spain with a host family, going to class, and learning how to speak spanish somewhat fluently.  I finished senior year at Holderness.

From the class itself, I hope to attain a higher understanding of the physics of the universe, and a better idea of what I actually believe about alien life and it’s influence on human culture.  The pervasiveness of extraterrestrial life in pop culture blurs the lines between what is actually feasible, and what is absolutely impossible.  Hopefully this class will help me better sift through the blatantly fictional, and appreciate the truly possible in works of literature and other forms of media.  Besides that, I remember taking a physics class in high school that kept me interested throughout most of the units taught.  I hope to gain an understanding of a higher level of physics, on a grander scale than simple projectile motion.

What really draws me to the class is the study of the celestial bodies and planets on a much grander scale, in relation to a planets potential for new life.  The physics behind a planets ability to house life seems radically different than the smaller things that actually take place on a planet.  I look forward to understanding some of the math involved with a planet’s function, and how it affects the potential for life.