Dispatches from the edge of innovation

Tuesday: Cloud Computing and Managed Services at the Intersection of Art & Science

Today was another great day at the Fast Company Innovation Festival. At first glance the day seemed to be a study in contrasts. This was exemplified by one talk I attended in which science educator Bill Nye and electro DJ Steve Aoki were interviewed about their work. Bill Nye is best known for his 90’s TV show Bill Nye The Science Guy, in which he explained scientific concepts to children using comedy. His new book Unstoppable: Harnessing Science to Change the World has just been published. Steve Aoki has two albums called Neon Future I and Neon Future II, and he talked about his lifelong interest in science and in the element neon. As these two men discussed their work, it became clear that art and science are complementary, not contradictory. Bill Nye said that science typically requires observing something, and then explaining it using creativity. In fact, he argued that all children starting at preschool should be introduced to both art and science, as many times people’s passion in their chosen subjects starts in childhood.