Apart from the artificial artistic approach, both micro and macrocosm of fauna and nature are to be made experienceable from a scientific point of view by offering sensually perceptible supplementary exhibitions.

The presentation of scientific findings in the shape of supplementary exhibitions, contextualized by art work, enables an enhanced level of aesthetic perception of the auditive and visual research materials.

Nature's beauty and diversity are made perceptible by the presentation of new dimensions of perception usually unaccessible to the human being.
Thus, for instance, the visitor is offered the aesthetical experience of looking at the purely scientific SEM image of a microorganism, a purely documentary macrofilm on insects, or listening to a pure sound recording of a cicada's vibrating body.

The respective exhibition concepts are developed in cooperation with scientists and scientific institutions.

Thus, a fascinating photo gallery composed of scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of microorganisms was conceived in the context of the exhibition "MicroSonical Shining Biospheres No.1" at the Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe.

Laboratories for electron microscopy localized at the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT) and at the Institute for Transurane (ITU) of the European Union's Joint Research Center (JRC) produced the SEM recordings in agreement with the artists. more

The respective topics of the supplementary scientific exhibitions are selected with a view to the human beings' perception of the natural world beyond his/her own perceptive capacities.

The focus rests on the gaining of new insights through sensual contemplation of the variety, complexity and the consistencies of fauna and nature in general.

Cooperations:

Satellite records of the solar system

Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS)

The Institute, which has existed since 1957 under the name Max Planck Institute for Aeronomy, has seen a number of transformations in its lifetime. During the 50's and 60's, the scientific emphasis was on the exploration of the Earth's upper atmosphere, but in the following decades this was extended to include new areas involving the solar system. The current thrust of research now concentrates on the exploration of the Sun, Heliosphere, planets, and comets, that is, on all the essential parts of the solar system.

Website: www.mps.mpg.de; Kick-off project: SolarSonical Insects

Sound recordings of animal voices

Prof. Dr. Hannelore Hoch, Professor of systematic zoology at the Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research in Evolution- and Biodiversity at the Humboldt University of Berlin; her research interest is the taxonomy and systematics of leaf- and planthoppers as well as their intraspecific communication. / Hemiptera research group, bioacoustics laboratory: Dr. Roland Mühlethaler (Post-Doc), Dr. Jürgen Deckert (Curator, Hemiptera), Ph.D. students: Dipl. Biol. Susanne Grube, Dipl. Biol. Viktor Hartung, Dipl. Biol. Mathias Zilch, M.Sc. student: Juliane Gaestel, B.Sc., Research Associates: Dr. Manfred Asche, Dr. Ursula Göllner-Scheiding, Prof. Ekkehard Wachmann.

“... Planthoppers are small insects (body length usually less than a quarter of an inch) which produce low frequency vibrational signals in attract mating partners. Each species has its own sometimes spectacular – sound pattern or “tune” to make sure mating occurs only between conspecific individuals. Amplified 1.000 times, the songs are audible to the human ear. ...” (Dr.H. Hoch / Dr.M. Asche)
The scientists Hannelore Hoch and Manfred Asche, from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, recorded songs of native Hawaiian planthopper species endemic to the islands (i.e. occurring nowhere else) and those of a few immigrant species. Hoch and Asche are Research Associates in Entomology at Bishop Museum, Honolulu.

Homepages: www.naturkundemuseum-berlin.de and www.bishopmuseum.org

Walter Tilgner, a biologist who has been a specialist for "Natur-Hörbilder" for twenty years; his work is recognized worldwide.
Homepage: www.natur-tilgner.de

Macro video films on small insects and mites

Prof. Dr. Urs Wyss, Institute of Phytopathology at the Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel

At least 80 per cent of all known animal species belong to the class Arthropoda. However, although members of this class are able to colonise all parts of our planet, only a relatively small proportion of insects and mites is clearly visible to the naked eye. A few years ago Professor Dr. Urs Wyss of the University of Kiel, Germany initiated the production of video films that provide an insight into the behavior and development of these arthropods in their natural habitat. The films, assisted by modern camera technology, are especially useful for teaching purposes and focus on those insects and mites that play an important role as natural enemies in biological control systems and as pests in agricultural and horticultural crop cultivation.
Among others, currently Urs Wyss is working on the TV movie “Living and dying in the apple tree”, a commission by the SWR and arte.
Homepage: www.entofilm.com

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) recordings of microorganisms, insects and mites

Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT)
Laboratory for Electronmicroscopy, Jaques Hawecker
Homepage: www.kit.edu

Institute for Transurane (ITU), Joint Research Center (JRC) of the European Union
Materialresearch / Electronmicroscopy, Hartmut Thiele
Homepage: http://itu.jrc.ec.europa.eu