LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
@ TRITONEDITOR
NO SMALL PERSPECTIVE
I BROUGHT MY KIDS TO THE PARK the other day and while they played I stood by somewhat absently as my mind reeled over the everyday particulars of life : the to-dos , the due dates , the drop-offs , the pick-ups , the missed calls , the car repair , the grocery list … and what in the world was I going to put in this letter ?
But in recalling the stories of this issue — especially our cover story on nanomedicine — I realized that even in such a moment of trivial fixation , there was an entire tiny universe at work inside of me , inside every one of us . A thought like that is enough to give a serious moment of pause , and a serious shift in perspective . The nanoscale is perfect foil to that classic “ smallness ” you feel while reflecting on our familiar universe of planets and galaxies . Because between those two worlds , here we are . And to occupy a place between two equally vast frontiers , you can ’ t help but feel incredibly relevant — so simply , distinctively human — that it ’ s not so much our existence that seems small , but rather the minutiae that so often consumes our lives .
Yet from another perspective , being human is hardly so simple . This becomes clear when you consider the many scholars working to understand us — socially , cognitively , not to mention mechanically — and bringing that understanding into the world of robotics . Artificial intelligence was just the beginning ; now we ’ re talking algorithmic empathy , even synthetic emotions . This technology is not only astounding , but brings into sharp relief the complexity of all that we do every day without a second thought . I guess sometimes it takes a robot to show us the natural miracle that is humanity .
GET MORE TRITON ONLINE
See UC San Diego ’ s robots ( p . 32 ) in action , not just falling asleep on me like RUBI here .
Watch PLACAS ( p . 26 ) performed live and hear Paul Flores , ’ 95 , in his own ( spoken ) words .
Watch microrockets bubble their way through stomach acid ( p . 20 )— which isn ’ t as gross as it sounds .
Catch the Muir College pumpkin drop , shake it out on the shake table , and more !
Visit : TRITONMAG . COM / WINTER16
That ’ s why now more than ever , when it ’ s all too easy to be sucked into the black hole of life ’ s laundry list , a fresh perspective is a thing of incredible value . I hope this issue likewise lends a novel perspective that you can , in turn , pass on to others as well .
Truly ,
Jarrett Haley @ TritonEditor
6 TRITON | WINTER 2016