Giants of the Infinitesimal

Giants of the Infinitesimal, a new exhibition at Magna Science Centre, Rotherham, does what it says on the tin: artists Tom Grimsey and Theo Kaccoufa have taken the idea of magnifying the nanoworld literally. They have created kinetic sculptures on a large scale, abundantly visible to the eye, that mimic some of the astonishing things that happen in the nanoworld. Although a key thing to grasp about the nanoworld is that they do things differently down there (gravity for instance which weighs so heavily on us, has no bearing, whereas viscosity, the drag of fluids, and the incessant restless motion of atoms, are all important), in fact much of the restless energy and creativity of that world can be recreated on a large scale. Much of the fascination of the project stems from wrestling with magnets, electric currents and turbulent water to create a balance of forces similar to that in the nanoworld and hence to make visible the astonishing creativity of matter that can self-assemble under its own tug of attractions and repulsions.

Giants of the Infinitesimal start at Magna Science on Saturday, May 5. You can read about it in my article in the Times Eureka section, Thursday, May 3.