The Art of Data Visualization

Courtesy Of PBS

Humans have a powerful capacity to process visual information, skills that date far back in our evolutionary lineage. And since the advent of science, we have employed intricate visual strategies to communicate data, often utilizing design principles that draw on these basic cognitive skills. In a modern world where we have far more data than we can process, the practice of data visualization has gained even more importance. From scientific visualization to pop infographics, designers are increasingly tasked with incorporating data into the media experience. Data has emerged as such a critical part of modern life that it has entered into the realm of art, where data-driven visual experiences challenge viewers to find personal meaning from a sea of information, a task that is increasingly present in every aspect of our information-infused lives.

Featuring:
Edward Tufte, Yale University
Julie Steele, O'Reilly Media
Josh Smith, Hyperakt
Jer Thorp, Office for Creative Research

Office of Creative Research:
"Gate Change" by Ben Rubin w/ Mark Hansen & Jer Thorp
"And That's The Way It Is" by Ben Rubin w/ Mark Hansen & Jer Thorp
"Shakespeare Machine" by Ben Rubin w/ Mark Hansen & Jer Thorp
"Moveable Type" by Ben Rubin & Mark Hansen
"Listening Post" by Ben Rubin & Mark Hansen

Sources:
Facebook World Map - Produced by Facebook intern, Paul Butler.http://gigaom.com/2010/12/14/facebook...
Paris Subway Activity - Eric Fisher -http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkingsf/
Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks - http://www.richblockspoorblocks.com/
"Hurricanes since 1851" - by John Nelson,http://uxblog.idvsolutions.com/
"Flight Patterns" by Aaron Koblin -http://www.aaronkoblin.com/work/fligh...
"We Feel Fine Project" by Jonathan Harris and Sep Kamvar -http://wefeelfine.org/
"Every McDonald's in the US" by Stephen Von Worley -http://www.datapointed.net/2009/09/di... 
"Colours in Culture" by informationisbeautiful.net -http://www.informationisbeautiful.net...

Music:
"The Blue Cathedral" by Talvihorros -http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tal...
"Sad Cyclops" by Podington Bear -http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Pod...
"Between Stations" by Rescue - http://archive.org/details/one026
"Tomie's Bubbles" by Candlegravity
"Earth Breath" by Human Terminal -http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Hum...
"Unreal (Album Version)" by Garmisch -http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Gar...

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Produced by Kornhaber Brown: http://www.kornhaberbrown.com

Discovered: A New State Of Matter, A New Kind Of Magnetism

Researchers at MIT have discovered a new state of matter with a new kind of magnetism. This new state, called a quantum spin liquid (QSL), could lead to significant advances in data storage. QSLs also exhibit a quantum phenomenon called long-range entanglement, which could lead to new types of communications systems, and more.

Generally, when we talk about magnetism’s role in the realm of technology, there are just two types: Ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism. Ferromagnetism has been known about for centuries, and is the underlying force behind your compass’s spinning needle or the permanent bar magnets you played with at school. In ferromagnets, the spin (i.e. charge) of every electron is aligned in the same direction, causing two distinct poles. In antiferromagnets, neighboring electrons point in the opposite direction, causing the object to have zero net magnetism (pictured below). In combination with ferromagnets, antiferromagnets are used to create spin valves: the magnetic sensors used in hard drive heads.

In the case of quantum spin liquids, the material is a solid crystal — but the internal magnetic state is constantly in flux. The magnetic orientations of the electrons (their magnetic moment) fluctuate as they interact with other nearby electrons. “But there is a strong interaction between them, and due to quantum effects, they don’t lock in place,” says Young Lee, senior author of the research. It is these strong interactions that apparently allow for long-range quantum entanglement.

The existence of QSLs has been theorized since 1987, but until now no one has succeeded in actually finding one. In MIT’s case, the researchers spent 10 months growing a tiny sliver of herbertsmithite (pictured above) — a material that was suspected to be a QSL, but which had never been properly investigated. (Bonus points if you can guess who herbertsmithite is named after.) Using neutron scattering — firing a beam of neutrons at a material to analyze its structure — the researchers found that the herbertsmithite was indeed a QSL.

Moving forward, Lee says that the discovery of QSLs could lead to advances in data storage (new forms of magnetic storage) and communications (long-range entanglement). Lee also seems to think that QSLs could lead us towards higher-temperature superconductors — i.e. materials that superconduct under relatively normal conditions, rather than -200C.

Via: "Extreme Tech"