What is Bridge8?

Bridge8 is a foresight, industry development and science communications consultancy based in Australia. We offer insights into emerging technologies and how they interact with social, economic and environmental factors in the creation of possible futures.

This blog is an output from our research practices. We look for weak signals & trends that may affect those we work with – manufacturing, mining, biomedicine, water, energy, agriculture & wine. We’re interested in how emerging technologies like nano, bio & info technologies may influence future possibilities. And how social & environmental needs may reveal more long-term, sustainable practices. Finally we’re interested in how we learn, through education & communication, to put creative and innovative approaches into practice. Contact us to know more.

Filed under: Innovation

On writing a novel

Kristin: It’s the end of the first week of November. As such, I have a confession to make: I’ve just passed the 10,000 word milestone for my NaNoWriMo novel. I’m sure you have some questions, so I’ll do my best to answer them.

What is a NaNoWriMo novel?

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month which takes place in November each year. The goal is to write 50,000 words of a novel during November. You can find out more about the insanity at www.nanowrimo.org. This arbitrary deadline is designed to help prospective authors overcome procrastination by getting them to commit.

But you’re not an author. Why write a novel?

Why engage in the arts? I’ve been mulling over the purpose of “the arts” for the last few months, from both a professional perspective and a personal perspective. And for me it’s about expression and the act of being creative. I find few chances to practice at being creative without a purpose. For example, we’ve just written a set of energy and resource scenarios. Creative? Yes. Challenging? Yes. But delivered for a specification. The opportunity to write a novel, even a very bad one, is an opportunity to be creative with no purpose. From the NaNoWriMo FAQs:

“…we do NaNoWriMo … because the glow from making big, messy art, and watching others make big, messy art, lasts for a long, long time. The act of sustained creation does bizarre, wonderful things to you. It changes the way you read. And changes, a little bit, your sense of self. We like that.”

How are you finding it?

Exhilarating! My characters are far more interesting than anything on TV, and I can’t wait to finish the days’ work to return to them. Interestingly, I’m finding positive flow-on effects for work as well. Trying to fit this in (around Jury Service, home refurbishments, children and an exciting suite of consulting and commercialisation projects) has made me more focused and I’m finding it easier to start and structure those long reports. Ancillary IP! (Thanks Gavin Artz at ANAT). I’m also enjoying the camaraderie that comes from knowing there are about 100 (maybe 400?) people in Adelaide (and over 100,000 around the world) all doing the same, all with varying levels of success.

Well, what happens at the end of November?

If everything goes to plan I’ll have at least 50,000 words of varying quality. And the satisfaction of knowing I was able to reach that goal. I might write more,  I might edit what I’ve got, or I might print it out and burn it. But feel free to send your encouragement my way!

Filed under: Art, Books , Art, nanowrimo

GM Canola Trials Begin in WA

Jennifer: Over the last few weeks, country towns throughout Western Australia have been celebrating the onset of Spring. I have enjoyed heading out to Quairading, Mukinbudin, Narrogin and Tambellup to attend the annual Agricultural Society Shows in these towns. Making the long hours behind the wheel much more enjoyable were the picturesque golden canola crops, visible as far as the eye could see. Interestingly, as I found out today, the crops I was admiring could well have been genetically modified.

GM canola trials began recently in Western Australia at twenty different locations across the State. This includes seventeen farmer trials and three research trials, which aim to establish whether the GM canola can be successfully segregated from non-GM canola throughout the supply chain. One research site is located in Geraldton, 430 kilometres north of Perth; another is located at Esperance, on the south-west coast.

The GM herbicide-tolerant canola to be trialled in WA is called “Roundup Ready”, and is tolerant to the “Roundup” herbicide and glyphosate. Two genes from a soil bacterium have been introduced into “Roundup Ready” to render the canola plant herbicide-tolerant. Four herbicide-tolerant canola varieties have been available to Australian farmers since 1993. Two of these varieties are non-genetically modified.

The GM canola harvested at the WA trial sites will most likely be sold overseas, however a moratorium in Western Australia prevents its commercial production. GM canola has been commercially cultivated in the USA and Canada since 1996, and its hybrid varieties make up 60 percent of all the canola grown in these countries.

In 2008, the New South Wales and Victorian governments approved the cultivation of 10 000 hectares of GM canola. Moratoriums were subsequently lifted in these states. However, major Australian canola consumers, including Flora, ETA and Meadow Lea, have since declared a boycott of GM-canola.

Filed under: Awareness, Genomics

Meeting a real live science writer

Jennifer: Last week, Western Australian science communicators had the opportunity to get to know real live science writer Peter McAllister. The meeting took place at one of my favourite local pubs, providing a relaxed atmosphere for Peter to regale his audience with stories of life as a freelance science writer.

Peter is a qualified archaeologist and palaeoanthropologist, with degrees from the Universities of Queensland and New England. His third degree will be a PhD in science communication. Peter is also the author of “Cosmonaut” and “Manthropology”.

“Manthropology”, his most recent publication, he draws on archaeology, anthropology and evolutionary psychology to explain the modern male. The book provides evidence to suggest that every man in history was quicker, smarter and stronger than men today. Peter’s biochemical analysis proves that Arnold Schwarzenegger would be no match for a Neanderthal woman in an arm wrestle, and we find out that poet Homer would be a far better rapper than 50 Cent. The modern male’s parenting skills are also shown to be lacking, when compared with the traditions of the Congo Pygmy. Pygmy men carry their offspring 47 percent of the time, and have also been known to develop the necessary bodily features to help out with the breast-feeding.

Peter’s writing has also been adapted to the silver screen. His award-winning sci-fi novel “Cosmonaut” was produced by Warner Brothers and Village Roadshow. “Manthropology” is set to screen on the National Geographic Channel, so keep an eye out.

Filed under: People, Science

Free Range Nano

Kristin: As Jenna blogged a week or so ago, The RiAus has now officially opened and their program of activities has commenced. One of the first event is Free Range Science in Ballarat where you can go to the George Hotel and find out more about nanotechnology.

Two of our favourite nanotech people will be speaking: Francesca Calati who we’ve long had the pleasure of working with on AccessNano, and Prof Erol Harvey, previous chair of the Australian Nano Business Forum and CEO of MiniFab. The event is being coordinated by previous Bridge8-er and now Senior Program Manager at the RiAus, Lisa Bailey. Lisa is on the Conversation Hour with Jon Faine on ABC 774 Melbourne explaining the event at 10:30am today – you can stream this here.

Another Free Range event on science fiction vs science fact is being held in Natimuk Victoria. Are there more “Free Range” events to come? We’d love to see a regional nano event in South Australia!

Filed under: AccessNano, Events, Nanotechnology , AccessNano, nanotech, public nano

Ask Why at Singapore’s Science.09 Festival

Jennifer: The main aim of Singapore’s biggest science festival was to encourage enquiring young minds. With its central theme of “Ask Why”, Science.09 was a celebration of inquisitiveness and curiosity.

The festival kicked off on August 14 with X-Periment!- a three-day science carnival boasting a full programme of demonstrations and hands-on activities. The UK’s Dr Bunhead (aka Tom Pringle) was a hit with children and adults alike. Pringle is a free-lance science communicator and performs science shows all over the world. In 2006 he established himself as Spud-Cannon Extraordinaire, achieving the world record for the most potatoes fired in three minutes. For Science.09, Dr Bunhead performed live at Singapore’s Marina Square Central Atrium and answered audience questions about scientific curiosities.

The festival continued until the end of September with participation by Science Centre Singapore. Interactive presentations included an investigation of the Pepsi-Mentos Fountain- a phenomenon which never fails to excite an audience. The instructions are incredibly simple: add a handful of Mentos mints to a bottle of Pepsi Max, and enjoy the resulting spectacle of the liquid bursting out of the bottle neck.

Since the festival I have been inspired to carry out my own scientific investigation into this phenomenon. I believe I have finally perfected my technique- today I succeeded in launching my Pepsi-Mentos Fountain to the ceiling!

Filed under: Events, Science