Everyone,
In a message dated 98-06-19 12:08:23 EDT, marshall@ennex.com writes:
> Dear RP-List,
>
> This month's Discover magazine has an excellent article on the work
> of Mike Bailey at the University of California at San Diego using an LOM
> fabricator to make scientific models of anything from a protein molecule
> to a mountain range.
>
> One fantastic story in the article tells of a researcher who studied
> the structure of a particular virus protein for 15 years. He thought he
> really understood this molecule, and who wouldn't after 15 years? But
> then he gave some data to Bailey who made a few LOM models of the
> molecule and the scientist immediately discovered geometrical linkages
> in the molecule that had never occurred to him from studying computer
> visualizations or data analyses. Imagine that: One set of fabbed models
> were better than 15 years of study for understanding this complex
> geometry! It's a beautiful case study.
>
> Marshall Burns
> Marshall@Ennex.com
Thanks for the info, Marshall.
Thought this would generate more immediate discussion and enthusiasm. Hope
it's just the time it takes to run out and get the magazine. It's exciting to
see evidence of people discovering the power of real solid models!
For those who haven't read it, I'd like to offer one more quote:
"There was a time when Michael Bailey, an expert in computer graphics
development, toed the party line: he told people that a two-dimensional image
of an object on a computer screen could convey as much detail and
enlightenment as the real thing. But over the past few years he's become
something of a heretic. ' Now I have to tell those people that I was wrong, '
he says. ' It's embarrassing, but GRAPHICS ARE JUST NOT AS GOOD AS HAVING AN
OBJECT TO TOUCH AND HOLD.' " (emphasis added)
Please give those "Discover" folks your $3.99, have some fun, and help spread
the word. We've only seen the beginning of some amazing tools for discovery
and communication.
Norm Kinzie
(781) 444-6910
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
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