Hasta La Ideas

Designer Ariele Faber has carved an innovative path in the field of pattern design. Her brainchild, Cerebella Design, brings to life the beautiful details of specimens as viewed under the microscope that are often invisible to the naked eye—until now. Each of the items you see here were inspired by biological samples that made their way from the science lab to the art studio. This Valentine’s Day get a chance to WIN neckwear of your choice by simply answering the question below!

To WIN a Cerebella Design for you (or your Valentine), simply answer this question:

• What is the next biological specimen you would like to see on Cerebella scarves, neckties and bow ties?

So far Cerebella has developed nine unique patterns, including Pollen, Obelia, Moon Jellyfish, Tapeworm, Starfish Eggs, Pseudoscorpion, Frog Skin, Whale Skin, and Trachea. Tell us what should come next!

Contest Rules

• Standard Contest Rules Apply
• Contest Closes on 29th Jan midnight PST

More About Cerebella Design

• Cerebella Design recently launched a biology-inspired neckwear line and currently has a bank of nine unique patterns that exhibit specimens in a wide array of color combinations.
• Patterns are applied to bow ties, neckties, and scarves, each individually crafted in the USA.
• The process uses cutting-edge photomicroscopy imaging techniques and digital textile design technology.
• Cerebella promotes science education through art by introducing this innovative design process to students in K-12 schools
• All products are currently available for purchase at http://www.cerebelladesign.com.

You can follow Cerebella Design on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, and/or sign up for the monthly newsletter to get the latest updates and contest information!

 

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(Valentine’s Day Giveaway: Win a Biology-Inspired Scarf, Bow Tie, or Necktie by Cerebella Design was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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Biomimicry spawns edible packaging for food and cocktails

In an innovative approach to consuming with minimal waste, Harvard Professor David Edwards and his team have developed WikiCells, self-contained, edible packaging for liquids, mousses and emulsions. The membrane that houses the various WikiCells flavors is made from vegetal elements, with a taste deliberately paired to match its contents. What started as an experiment to reduce the waste from packaging on food delivered to impoverished areas in Africa has expanded to focus on the significant impact of food packaging on pollution caused by mass consumption. With such far-reaching ideas in mind, the company launches today with the announcement of the newly introduced WikiCocktail and Wiki IceCream.

The gelatinous skin of the WikiCell, while for the most part created from natural particles, does have some hard science in the form of biochemical polymer chitosan and alginate, or algae extract. The hard shell of the WikiCells, which protects the form and prevents breakage, is made either from bagasse, a fibrous residue from sugar cane, or from isomalt, a sweetener. WikiCells can be washed like a piece of fruit, eliminating the need for extraneous packaging. Edwards began his work with yogurts and mousses, and has now produced his first alcoholic product in the form of the WikiCocktail, which suspends cointreau in a skin made from orange zest.

While the notion of incorporating this technology into mass food production remains pretty far in the future, the WikiCells team have realized their aim of bringing this technology to life and, if their work continues to grow, the implications for its impact on waste reduction could be quite significant. Some will find it ironic that advanced molecular gastronomy is required to fulfill this kind of biomimicry, but skeptics should note that the WikiCell system has no limits in terms of contents, potentially hosting anything from nutrition packs for developing countries to high-end desserts (for the latter market, Wiki IceCream is a creamy delight protected by a hard chocolate shell). The notion that foods should be self-contained may seem like an obvious one, and the company points to the grape as a perfect example of what WikiCells is attempting to be.

WikiCells are also available in WikiCheese, WikiYogurt and WikiFruit as part of the ever-evolving project from Paris-based Le Laboratoire, which under Edwards’ direction has produced other innovative designs such as CellBag, Le Whif and Aeroshot.

Wiki Cocktails and other WikiCells creations will be available at the Lab Store Paris this Fall, and from there will make their stateside debut in Boston in 2013.

A philosopher’s reductive approach to wine challenges the palate and the industry

The idea of switching careers in mid-life may seem far-fetched for most, but for philosophy professor Abe Schoener this aspiration became a reality when he decided to turn the tables in 1998 and become a student of viticulture. Taking sabbatical from St. John’s College, Schoener headed west where he enrolled as an intern at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in Napa to gain some insight on the biology behind grape growing. Under the tutelage of Napa native and prolific winemaker John Kongsgaard, Schoener soon created his own varietal and has been experimenting with the non-intervention approach to making wine ever since, naming his small-batch operation the Scholium Project. (Scholium means a marginal note or explanatory comment made by a scholar.)

Rather than manipulate the juice with additional nutrients, bacteria or enzymes, Schoener simply lets the liquid ferment to become his wine. This Taoist-like tack to producing wine is rooted in Schoener’s background in ancient philosophy. He tells us, “There’s no doubt about it that my wine-making has been influenced by the philosophies that I study, and to the degree that I am a non-interventionist, that is for sure a philosophical position, and one that I enjoy very much.” Schoener’s theoretical stance may be to let nature take its course, but this technique is also warranted through several years of trial and error where he saw that problems occurring during the process typically corrected themselves. “Once you learn that wine is self-regulating, you learn to stay out of the way.”

Schoener likens the more traditional method of controlling the wine fermentation process to simply a culture fixated on minimizing losses. While he admittedly lost an incredible amount of wine in the beginning, like any good scholar, his relentless research and experimentation has led to a real understanding of wine’s microbial components and a greater ability to control loss. Schoener’s approach is like a surfer who pushes the limits of every wave to get the most out of the ride, but understands that, no matter how skilled you become, Mother Nature is deeply complex and there is always a degree of chance.

While Schoener recognizes that winemaking is actually a simplified process—he’s far from a beaker-toting chemist—he is aiming to put a little artistry back into it, creating vintages and blends that “make you sit up a little bit, but at the same time give you pleasure.” The philosopher’s position is ostensibly to challenge an industry that tends to unconsciously run on a flavor treadmill powered by controlled consistency on a grand scale. Schoener aims to put a delicate poetry back into the bottle by creating good wine that has evolved out of an accumulation of knowledge on the fundamentals of biology and reduction.

Finding a harmonious intersection between pure science and sheer artistry, Schoener’s philosophical mind for oenology leads to controversial wines that—whether “right” or “wrong”—have a distinct flavor personality that awakes your senses. Scholium Project wines sell from the online emporium (or can be tasted at San Francisco’s Press Club, where we enjoyed a glass). Bottles typically span $20-$85.