Author Archives: Anna-Katharina von Krauland

Some Things Stay the Same

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Last Wednesday I attended the talk given by Gregory Sloan, whose focus is in space research. Sloan presented his ideas about how the trial of Galileo was more than an issue of innovative scientific ideas being repressed by the traditional thinkings of the church. Rather, he argued that this controversy was far more complex and stems from the natural human instinct to work in one’s best interest, which is a theme that is as relevant today as it was in Galileo’s time, though it tends to manifest itself in other forms.

It’s a well-known fact that Galileo pushed the limitations of contemporary science to a controversial extent with his creative use of the newly-invented telescope, meticulous observations, and audacity to publicize his views despite the dangers in doing so. It is also known that the Pope was enraged by Galileo’s radical theories that directly contradicted scripture. However, Sloan proposed the idea that religion was merely the backdrop to the issue. More central was the fact that Galileo was trying to undermine a centuries-old perception of ourselves in regard to the universe. Despite the evidence in favor of Galileo’s findings, people stubbornly wanted to hold on to the comfort to what they had believed in their whole lives.

This same concept is seen everywhere, from the initial backlash on the topic of climate change, to the denial that cigarette smoking is detrimental to one’s health. Whether the context is religious or financial, the motivation is the same. Namely, a strong interest to protect the status quo.

I think that this talk provoked several interesting questions that I had never before considered. I would have liked to hear more about Sloan’s own research, but overall the talk was quite enjoyable.

Spaceships and Life Rafts: The Differing Perspectives on Syrian Refugees

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At the last Cafe, Professor Holly Case gave a talk about the current political situation in Hungary pertaining to differing viewpoints on the refugees from Syria and her own experiences from her travels there in the summer. It was fascinating to hear a first-hand account about many of the people involved in the migration of refugees, from the volunteers who worked long hours to provide food for the travelers, to the random, kind-hearted people who took the initiative of traveling from their own European countries to transport supplies and aid to those they saw as fellow human-beings in need of support, to the refugees themselves, who pass through Hungary in droves in search of a more promising future, bringing little of their past along.

What people often hear about in the media is a story of pity. It’s certainly true that these people are leaving everything they know behind and that they need as much help as possible to rebuild their lives. But what people often don’t recognize is how much of a burden these new-comers can be for the host country. The two perspectives Case shared encompasses two broad views. The “spaceship earth theory” states that, succeed or fail, the entire human race is in this together, ultimately sharing limited resources and hurtling through space towards the same fate. The “life raft theory,” on the other hand, postulates that certain segments of the population must perish for others to survive. Not everyone will fit on the life raft. Inevitably, some will drown. Though brutal, this theory was adopted by the ruling political party in Hungary who thinks that their hard-earned resources and achievements are not necessarily to be shared. One must consider this point of view not as inhumane, but logical. This is especially the case when one realizes that refugees come to a new country empty-handed, demanding housing, food, jobs, heath care, and every other amenity that citizens worked hard to earn. All of a sudden, thousands of people show up asking for the same rights and privileges, though they have done nothing but burden the people native to the country by forcing them to share their resources. Furthermore, it becomes difficult to take pity on the refugees when one hears accounts of blatant sexism and violence towards natives. These aren’t usually reported in our news, but having family in Europe, it’s interesting to hear the other side of the argument, which can definitely be justified.

It was intriguing to gain insight into this very relevant topic. I think it’s important to remember that issues are rarely black-and-white, and that when differing viewpoints are strongly defended, there’s usually a good reason behind both arguments. Yes, Syrian refugees are in need of help, but perhaps other perspectives should be remembered too.

A Mix of Old and New: An Interesting Take on Hamlet

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The new version of Hamlet starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which is a filmed version of a live play performed recently in London, was far from what I expected. There were certain aspects that I definitely enjoyed, such as the elegant prose and the artful stage set, but there were other aspects that I was not overly fond of.

Sticking to the original lines and plot, the play seemed to suggest a traditional reenactment. However, perhaps for the purpose of appearing to be timeless, the characters were dressed in an array of seemingly random clothes from different time periods. The props, too, from guns to cameras to electric lights, betrayed the traditional setting. While some in the audience enjoyed this artistic bravery, I found it distasteful and distracting. It was outright strange to see Benedict Cumberbatch dressed in golden sneakers, a band T-shirt, a gaudy coat, and mis-matched pants while eloquently delivering Elizabethan lines with utmost formality and expressiveness. The inconsistency seemed to undermine the authenticity and the feel that should accompany a classic. There are many ways to bring new life to an age-old story that in themselves remind us that certain themes are as relevant today as they have ever been, but I think that jumbling time periods as was done in this rendering of the play was not a wise choice, and will perhaps render Cumberbatch’s interpretation obsolete very quickly.

In other ways the play was excellent, such as the way it was choreographed. The transition scenes, particularly, were visually appealing and were accompanied by great music that was very dramatic. The use of the stage was impressive, as it created an illusion of depth and dynamic complexity that changed from scene to scene. At one part, the stage seemed to stretch back endlessly, as Ophelia resolutely marched to her suicide. The use of lightning, too, made a huge impact in the way emotions were conveyed and particular characters were brought to prominence. There were certain scenes where Hamlet would begin a soliloquy and all would fade into the shadows except for him, to bring full attention to his thoughts. Meanwhile, in the background, the actor would continue to move in slow motion so that when the full lightning returned, there was a seamless transition into the next scene.

Watching Hamlet was certainly an interesting experience. The play succeeded in making itself very understandable despite the complex language. It was also ambitious in its attempt to appeal to the people of today. Though long (probably the only movie I’ve ever watched that had an intermission), the story was intriguing and was well-acted.

The Fragile Sea

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The topic of last night’s Cafe was as intriguing as it was unexpected. Thinking that I was going to hear about the conservation of the marine environment, I was surprised when we were introduced to the beautiful glass art pieces that were made to imitate the ornate intricacies of their living counterparts. The majority of the talk consisted of a screening of the short documentary, Fragile Legacy, which outlines the art’s history and impact it’s currently making in the world.

The glass art, depicting all sorts of marine invertebrates such as flatworms, jellyfish, starfish, and octopuses, dates back early in Cornell’s history to when A.D. White purchased a large number of these sculptures for the use in instructing marine biology. Since then, the art was long forgotten and stored away until Professor Harvell discovered the collection and revitalized it. Harvell talked about her work restoring the art, as well as using it as a tool to draw attention to changing ecosystems of the real world which the art is meant to portray. This project evolved into the making of a film that documents the species represented by the glass pieces. It was fascinating to see how Harvell traveled around the world, from Hawaii to Indonesia, to dive at the few locations where certain species still exist.

Particularly interesting was the story of the starfish that have been dying out rapidly along the west coast of the U.S. since 2013. I remember reading many articles about this tragedy, as thousands of star fish were mysteriously dying and washing up on shore. As a keystone species, the starfish death is especially devastating to the balance of the underwater ecosystem. It was interesting to realize that it was a Cornell professor who identified the virus that is causing this massive devastation ranging from Alaska to Mexico. Unfortunately, according to Harvell, there is nothing to be done. The last two years have brought a worsening of the virus as it has now spread to China, and most recently, Australia. It’s depressing to think about the damage we are unintentionally inflicting upon the balance of the natural world, even down to the smallest marine invertebrates. Although it was gratifying to follow-up with a story I had read about two years ago and hear first-hand about the research being done, it was discouraging to learn that there is no strategy in place for dealing with such misfortunes. I hope that Harvell’s work, both in showcasing the glass art and creating a film about conserving the marine environment, as well as the efforts of others, will have some impact in saving that which deserves to be protected.

The Complexities of Environmental Terrorism

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If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, a documentary that focuses on one man’s experience with extreme environmental activism and the subsequent legal proceedings that occurred as a result of his acts of “eco-terrorism,” is a brilliant film that raises multiple thought-provoking questions about the way we interact with the environment, the extent to which we are willing to stand by our values, and the way the same action can be viewed in so many ways by different people who admit that events are much more complex than they sometimes initially seem.

Besides being adeptly crafted to tell an intriguing history, this film really goes beyond the realm of story-telling in successfully making the audience think about how we, as a society, define terrorism, and how the current legal system seems to punish those who arguably least deserve to be punished, while letting others off free in exchange for information. It makes people think about how there isn’t one right approach to a problem, and that even individuals that seem to be clearly on one side of an issue have the capacity to sympathize to a surprising extent with others who hold conflicting beliefs. One striking example of this was a brief interview with a lumberjack in the Northwest, who openly acknowledged that he has no issue with cutting down trees. Though this seems crass, he goes on to explain that ninety-five percent of Old Growth forests have been cut down in the United States, and that when activists try to protect the remaining five percent, he doesn’t see this as being extreme. Extreme is cutting down all the trees. This really puts into perspective the extent and severity of the damage that we’ve inflicted on the natural environment. It forces us to think about our priorities and suddenly turns “radical environmentalists” into benign humanitarians. Equally as shocking were the scenes that showed peaceful protests wherein hundreds gathered to voice their political opinions, only to be met with police brutality. One scene showed a woman being held down by a police officer as he forced pepper spray into her eyes while she begged him to stop hurting her and told him that all she wanted was to protect the trees. These scenes were extremely powerful as they illustrated an aspect of the story that elucidated the way in which the lines between “good and evil” are really a matter of perspective and can be seen as blurry at best.

Walking into the theater, I was hopeful that I would enjoy this movie and perhaps learn a few new things. I didn’t expect to be blown away by all the intricate and fascinating questions raised by this film. Being able to ask the filmmaker, Marshall Curry, himself about the film afterwards was an added perk that added depth to my understanding of some aspects of the movie. If you didn’t have the opportunity to attend this screening, I would absolutely recommend that you find this movie to watch on your own-it’s definitely worth the time!

The Economics of the Environment

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Climate change and other environmental issues can be viewed from more than just a scientific lens. This is something I learned at the Environmental Panel that included Professors Shanjun Li, Greg Poe, and David Wolfe, two of whom are Economics professors. The talk was heavily focused on the different forms of renewable energy and their many drawbacks, as well as the tradeoffs faced by countries and corporations when dealing with environmental issues such as air pollution and waste disposal. Many of the threads of conversation seemed to be tied by a common theme: that efforts and benefits are relative to their scope. For instance, fracking is largely seen as a negative practice, and was largely opposed in New York State. However, compared to other methods of obtaining sources of energy, such as mountaintop removal, fracking (especially using modern technology such as horizontal fracking) is much less harmful, though the full effects of breaking up shale rock deep underground are still being studied. Likewise, though the U.S. is trying to make progress in capping the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by factories throughout the country, if China, who is by far the world’s greatest polluter, continues at current levels or increases their CO2 output, the world is not better off due to the effects of such “externalities” discussed in great detail during the talk. Essentially, the world has to agree on a plan to reduce greenhouse gases and actually stick to it in order to make a consequential difference. This, however, poses a major economic and political challenge that is yet nowhere close to being resolved.

Although the panelists each offered interesting points and ideas, I think that the discussion lacked cohesion and direction. As an audience member, I don’t have a clear take away besides the fact that no one can agree on what needs to be done, which I suppose accurately reflects reality. However, I would have appreciated a more impassioned and focused discussion on what I consider to be an extremely important topic.

Not-so-jazzy Jazz

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Last night I attended Made in Chicago, a concert in Bailey Hall featuring prominent performers in the jazz world. Much to everyone’s surprise, the music was what would be considered “avant-garde jazz” instead of the mainstream variety. At least in my opinion, this was a great disappointment. It’s typically good to try new things, but in this case, the experience was less than enjoyable. Avant-garde jazz consists of long stretches of monotonous sounds punctured by frenzied noise in a blur of overpowering instrumentals. It also uses an experimental approach in creatively applying traditional instruments to make sounds that sound not-so-melodic. There were only brief moments when the band, comprised of a pianist, drummer, cellist, saxophonist, flute player, and others, resembled the upbeat tunes of a band that one could envision Swing dancing to. Perhaps avant-garde jazz, with its strange combination of tediousness and chaos, is an acquired taste, but it seems highly unlikely that I’ll ever catch on.

Here’s a sample:

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Layers of Cornell’s History

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On a beautiful morning last weekend I got to hike along one of my favorite places on campus, but this time I gained a new layer of appreciation. Todd Bittner, who is part of the Cornell Plantations, took us on a detailed tour of the Cascadilla Gorge and told us all about its early significance to Cornell, its geological history, and its lasting impact on students and outdoor learning.

From the time that the gorge was first used as a quarry to build Cascadilla Hall, the first residence hall on Cornell’s campus, the gorge has served multiple important functions to the Cornell community. In the early days when most students lived in the town of Ithaca rather than on campus, it was a popular route to travel along in order to get to class. For the past several years, however, the gorge was closed due to unsafe conditions, but only recently reopened after being majorly renovated.

Despite the changes though, many things look the same as they did 150 years ago. Todd Bittner showed us the view of the waterfall (depicted below) in an old photograph that features nearly the same sight. Of course, nature’s powerful and dynamic forces changed the landscape perhaps more than humans have. The waterfall is more staircase-like nowadays, versus being more vertical as recently as when the original photograph was taken. On a geological timescale, however, the changes are vast. The entire landmass of New York State moved slowly from near the equator, causing the land beneath the moving faults to warp, and during the last ice age thousands of years ago, the gorge was further carved by receding glaciers. The natural history shows in the clear, angular layers of different kinds of rock that are exposed on all faces of the gorge, an evident stratification of events through time.

On top of being a lovely walk, Cascadilla Gorge is an important landmark in Cornell’s history, and continues to be a fascinating place for outdoor learning.

Waterfall in Cascadilla Gorge

Waterfall in Cascadilla Gorge

The Roots of an Apple

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Last Friday I finally made the long trek to the Cornell Orchards and it was well worth the journey. We were given a tour of the Orchards, which functions primarily as a research area and outdoor classroom, in addition to providing a venue for the public to visit and purchase apples and other local products.

It was fascinating to learn so much about the creation of new types of apples and all the work that goes into genetically evolving current varieties to design an apple with several favorable qualities. Apparently it’s necessary to graft, or attach, a specific branch to an existing one in order to ensure the production of a desired apple. These grafted stems grow to be about 12 feet tall and are supported by wiring, each tree being selectively pruned to promote a harvest with the most amount of apples possible per branch, achievable only by spacing each row correctly to allow sunlight to reach even the lowest branches. Traditional apple trees are no longer grown in these farms due to their inefficient production and space constraints. It was especially interesting to learn that when an apple seed is planted from a particular apple, the same type of apple won’t grow on the new tree. Rather, an entirely novel kind of apple will grow on that tree. The only way to perpetuate the strand is to graft it.

As someone who finds the topic of genetics captivating, it was great to have the opportunity to learn about genetics in such a new context where the ideas are actually put into practical use. It was also interesting to learn that Cornell has another off-campus apple research farm in which new apples are designed and marketed. The Empire apple, which is said to be very popular in the state of New York, was originally made by Cornell. Other varieties, such as the SnapDragon apple, which we got to pick and sample, was also a Cornell original.

Rows of SnapDragon apples

Rows of SnapDragon apples

I really enjoyed seeing a different aspect of Cornell and appreciating it from a new perspective. I also liked learning about a topic that superficially seems rather mundane, but actually is quite intricate and heavily planned. It makes it possible to be more aware of and marvel at the complex path that food takes to get to the average consumer, even if it’s something as simple as an apple.