Let’s Blend Science and Art

Vilnius artists and researchers recently pulled their resources together and presented several inspiring art installations promoting science and encouraging public engagement.

The capital  has unveiled an original project where live microorganisms in Petri dishes spell out the word “MOMENT” capturing an instant where the invisible side of everyday life is laid out in plain sight. The synthetic biology-inspired installation was designed by promising Lithuanian talents and future life sciences researchers from the Vilnius-Lithuania iGEM team, together with recognised artist Jolita Vaitkutė, to help the public visualise the role of life sciences in everyday life.

The Vilnius-based biotechnology company Genomika, which develops innovative DNA scanning methods, has encoded Lithuania’s national anthem into DNA. Presented in a capsule, the company offered this exclusive gift to Lithuania on State and National Anthem Day. The data storage technology is based on the conversion of digital information, turning a computer binary code into a genetic code. Many predict that DNA encoding technology is the future solution for data storage, as it requires less energy and offers superior endurance and capacity.