In the early years of the history of modern physics the great researchers and scientists, funded by the elite of society, revealed and announced their findings in small publications for their own colleagues. In these publications it was a common practice to encrypt discoveries or conclusions, making the text incomplete and generally useless until the author decided to reveal the hidden message.
On the given topic of elasticity, the text chosen to work with was a treatise on the physics of elasticity by Robert Hooke, well known for being the first appearance of his famous elasticity law. Surprisingly in this treatise, Hooke explains nothing but how Mr. Hugens (Christiaan Huygens) tried to take credit for many advances in this field, creating some inventions arising from these developments and how they subsequently failed. Only at the end of his treatise does Hooke reveal his discoveries and developments that confirm him as a discoverer/owner, but he encrypts the conclusions so that, paradoxically, no-one could read them.
On the given topic of elasticity, the text chosen to work with was a treatise on the physics of elasticity by Robert Hooke, well known for being the first appearance of his famous elasticity law. Surprisingly in this treatise, Hooke explains nothing but how Mr. Hugens (Christiaan Huygens) tried to take credit for many advances in this field, creating some inventions arising from these developments and how they subsequently failed. Only at the end of his treatise does Hooke reveal his discoveries and developments that confirm him as a discoverer/owner, but he encrypts the conclusions so that, paradoxically, no-one could read them.
For this project, and because of this paradox, the complete text written by Hooke was coded using the same procedure as he used, leaving in only those genuine pieces of information that actually help to prove his authorship. As the text progresses, superfluous information is constantly deleted leading to Hooke’s final conclusion.
This parody of the self-centered attitude, proud and suspicious displayed by most of the great figures of science of that time could be compared to the lack of pride and fighting spirit of today's scientists, who have been ostracized by society or sold to scientific companies accepting the fact that they will never be famous figures.
Along with the criticism/parody Elasticity publication, an experimental poster was produced inspired by the concept of elasticity itself.
This parody of the self-centered attitude, proud and suspicious displayed by most of the great figures of science of that time could be compared to the lack of pride and fighting spirit of today's scientists, who have been ostracized by society or sold to scientific companies accepting the fact that they will never be famous figures.
Along with the criticism/parody Elasticity publication, an experimental poster was produced inspired by the concept of elasticity itself.
