Nyx
Nyx is a scientific visualization of the close environment of a Schwarzschild black hole and an accretion disk surrounding it. General relativity showed that space is curved and therefore the trajectories of light are equally curved. This leads to innumerable consequences for the visual perception of cosmic phenomena; the most striking of which is the appearance of black holes.
Nyx – greek for darkness and the name of the goddess of the night – is a virtual reality experience that bridges our understanding of science and art. The Eikonaut can observe a black hole from near vicinity and the beauty it conveys is only perceivable through a medium like Virutal Reality.
But in the center is not this cosmic phenomenon but questioning our perception of space and time. Black Holes are a perfect example to understand that space is a concept rooted in our perception but not an absolute entity. Modern physics and mathematics showed that our understanding of space and time is an illusion.
The nature of space and geometry is very different from what we are generally taught at school. The geometry of space is curved. Mass is curving space and at the center of a black hole space and time is curved and to infinity. Our perception is only used to perceive flat space and therefore looking at of a black hole seems weird, it is the image of a distorted sky, an illogical image in front of a starry sky. The mind cannot make sense of it. But actually it is our limited capabilities to perceive the true nature of space and time.
Singularities
It is by acknowledging the singularities of life that we grow beyond our current understanding.
Both art and science continually question society, what we know, what we think we understand, norms and our perception. Art questions the societal and science the physical. It is through this constant questioning and rethinking that our society and technology can evolve.
There are singularities in spacetime as well as in our minds. We do not understand the universe nor do we understand our mind. By introducing categories, by building walls within our thinking, by believing we know – we prove our ignorance. It is by acknowledging the singularities of life that we grow beyond our current understanding.
Avenues
Cosmic Hive – immersive und interaktive Science Experience über schwarze Löcher in Raum und Zeit
Pathos
May/June 2021