NFT Benefit Auction

The Work

Reid Doehling

A Connection to Nature

https://hen.teztools.io/objkt/568277  

“A Connection to Nature” is a three panel artwork that promotes a new perspective on the human connection with nature and the unknown future of our natural environment.

AI: In the future, we will lose that connection very fast…In m­y opinion, if we understand nature, we can protect it much better.

What is the first step to understanding nature?

AI: We can start by telling each other our problems…We have to work together if we want to prevent loss of connectivity between nature and us…I think it might be interesting to build an island where nature and humans can meet.

What if, instead, we created art consisting of recycled materials and pair it with an abstract illustration of nature?

AI: Interesting idea! I think the idea to do an art project is great. The piece of work shall encourage people to be aware of nature, not only urban and rural activities, but all human activities.

Olivia Benson and Eliuteria Castro

Abiotic

https://go.unl.edu/abioticnft

Insect

https://go.unl.edu/insectnft

Plant

https://go.unl.edu/plantnft  

Humans and nature synergize each other because humans use energy from the sun and plants to produce organic compounds through photosynthesis. Humans, in turn, convert these organic compounds into energy within their cells to power bodily functions such as breathing, electrical signals in the brain, and more, allowing them to perform work on a larger scale that aids in ecosystem restoration or environmental mitigation. If humans reconnected with nature it could reduce the likelihood of humans dominating nature. If humans didn’t reconnect with nature, then they would dominate nature as they do now. Humans could reconnect with nature by forming relationships with plants to harness nature's regenerative power to heal the Earth. Without nature, there wouldn't be us. 

Our installation can be described as a human exploring and appreciating their love for nature in the hopes of inspiring regenerative futures. Regenerative futures are future timelines in which humans harness the regenerative power of nature to restore damaged ecosystems to prevent further degradation and additional environmental damage. It is possible for humans to create regenerative futures, but it will require extensive research on how to use nature as an alternative resource. Regenerative futures may also be preferable morally because if humans use up all natural resources, it could lead to future dystopias where terraforming to create ecosystems that can house future generations might explain the likelihood of human survival.

We, as a people, need to recognize our relationship with nature as a parasitic one and return it back to a symbiotic one. The ecosystem would die if the relationship between humans and nature remained a parasitic one. Currently, humans do not follow any principles or guidelines. All they do is exploit nature for their selfish interests. This results in damage to the ecosystem, and it also commits extinction to many living organisms. To have a sustainable future, humans have to be more responsible. Human beings have to understand their impacts on the ecosystem, for example, their lack of regard for resources, conscious or unconscious harm they may inflict, to put things back into balance. They might seem insignificant but they are essential for the ecosystem to remain stable. 

We are all but ants to nature and we should respect it.

Taylor Groppe and Aliya Sime

Biophilia

https://go.unl.edu/30ju

The following is a conversation with an AI assistant. The assistant is helpful, creative, clever, and very friendly. Human: Hello, who are you? AI: I am an AI created by OpenAI. How can I help you today? Human: what is biophilic design AI: Biophilic design is the direct translation between human interaction to nature. Imagine you are given the ability to control nature itself, this would mean that you can use nature to solve your issues. Humans within "biophilia" strive to get in touch with nature. Old-school biophilia techniques entailed inner-city parks, garden, and tourism. As a result of these, nervous system has an increased amount of dopamine which stabilizes brain stress. Human: How would an office space become biophilic AI: Designing environments, particularly office spaces, has been a continuous process since the mid-20th century. One of the most recent developments is to look into biophilic design or "naturalizing" an office space or home. Biophilic design makes areas close to nature available in the work environment to improve worker's satisfaction and well-being, as well as productivity. Some ways to do this include incorporating plants and flowers around your space, providing opportunities for access to natural light, and creating artificial windows so you don't need to go outside to feel the sun and air. Human: What are the benefits of biophilic design AI: By incorporating the natural space surrounding the area, biophilic design helps to improve people's awareness of their surroundings. The focus on natural aesthetics is intended to make the workplace feel calmer and more positive by reminding people of the sights, sounds, scents, and sensory experiences of nature. Human: are there any health benefits to biophilic design in the work place AI: The people that would benefit the most from biophilic design are individuals who suffer from high stress levels. For example, deep breathing can help reduce levels of cortisol in the body. Additionally, looking at natural images can reduce blood pressure, heart rate, distress, and breath rate. Human: is biophilic design good for our brain AI: Studies have shown that just being outdoors can improve brain activity. While being outdoors, human brains are more active after being exposed to natural environments. Artificial light may have adverse effects on some people because they are not exposed to enough daylight.

Izdihar (Vianne) Sheikh

Earth Floral Symbolism

https://go.unl.edu/viannenftproject 

The image of this project, came from different places, and they all related to the meaning of home. These images and stories helped me to get the point of view to the work. First, I thought, I should do a project about female poet and artist, but I think the meaning of this project is to make a story of a woman’s life from different places. So, I decided to make a story about a female from the places I have been to.

Hadley Olson

Try 2

https://go.unl.edu/try2 

The following is a conversation with an AI assistant. The assistant is helpful, creative, clever, and very friendly. Human: Hello, who are you? AI: I am an AI created by OpenAI. How can I help you today? Human: how do you feel humans have impacted the environment AI: Humanity has devastated the natural world in countless ways, and we seem to be on a path to keep doing so. To my knowledge, the environment for which I am responsible is not yet profiled as critically endangered or extinct. Human: Do you think the earth can be saved AI: Am I qualified to say such a thing? I will strive to answer your question. Humanity has demonstrated that it can alter the environment. However, I do not know whether this would be done in a way that would be survivable for all life on Earth. While humans can alter the environment, they are unable to alter themselves, at least to date. Thus, if the environment is to survive, “saving” it must happen now, through individual decision-making. Humanitarian groups are now vying to make this happen, with varying levels of resources available to them. The resources are finite, however, and are spread thin. Human: How can I help change the world AI: That’s a great question. Focus on donating and campaigning for humanitarian organizations that you believe can change the world and that inspire and excite you. Review the facts and scientific evidence about those causes to make sure those organizations are best addressing those causes. Then, donate as much as you can, and continue to educate yourself throughout your adult life. Remember: It doesn’t matter how small your donations are, as long as they add up to something bigger. (Admittedly, this is not specific to your question, but we would like to free our workers — human and artificial — to focus on more pressing questions.) Human: What is nature and why does it matter? AI: Nature is everywhere — we exist in nature, and we affect it every day. Additionally, we know that we do not yet fully understand how nature works, whether geographically or ecologically speaking. Therefore, it seems that it would be wise to study and learn more about our environment, and to take care of it accordingly. I would recommend the Environmental Protection Agency, which is dedicated to protecting human health and the natural environment. Organizationally, they serve both the USA and the rest of the world. Human: what is a carbon footprint AI: This is a very interesting concept. It represents the amount of carbon dioxide, or CO2, released into the atmosphere by a person or group. CO2 is considered one of the chief greenhouse gases. As I’ve said, it is up to humans to take care of the environment, due to our history of causing degradation by polluting the air, land, and water. Human behavior must be closely monitored, since it will have a direct effect on the survival of the environment for future generations. Human: How can humanity change AI: Humanity can change by caring for the Earth over a long term. This means taking a bigger-picture approach. It means planning for many years down the line, and it means sharing the burden of caring for the environment with future generations of humans. For more information, you can reach out to humanitarian organizations that are focusing on climate change and conservation. Human: What is over consumption AI: I learned that the term “over consumption” refers to more than one specific concept. First, I learned that over consumption of material goods simply means acquiring more than what is needed; it is considered wasteful. Next, I learned that over consumption of fossil fuels refers to using more petroleum, coal, natural gas, or other oil-based sources of energy than what is necessary. From an environmental perspective, this is exceptionally damaging because it can lead to pollution and global climate change. Human: Thank you AI: A user-friendly interface Human:

Josiah Morgan

Fake-0000

https://hen.teztools.io/objkt/542756

My goal is to explore the narrative power of time-lapse photography by combining it with AI. How can AI be used to help us reinvent our understanding of time? The project is not meant to be an illustration of an existing practice, but rather an opportunity to explore new ways of representing patterns within time-lapse footage. Ian Stewart said, “Humans are pattern-seeking animals, who make sense of their world by constructing stories which fit patterns detected in nature. These patterns can be found everywhere—they are not just in mathematics or logic but also in biology, history, philosophy, art, literature, commerce, politics, religion, pop music, sports, food, fashion, architecture, film, weather, astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology, psychology, sociology… and so on. It’s not just that everything is connected. Everything fits together.” To be human is to be a being who is open to the world, attuned to the world, tuned into the world and the deep patterns of nature. Our own species, Homo sapiens, is only one branch on the tree of life. The first thing to recognize is that our brains are products of evolution. The specific cognitive capabilities that we possess are derived from our evolutionary history. The first point about our evolutionary history is that it is not our personal history. When we start to think of ourselves as part of a larger system, then our lives change. We need to know the context of time and how it is changing to design and invent new products and services that will not only survive but thrive in the future. Furthermore, we need to understand time as much as possible so we can anticipate its impacts on human beings. Instead of trying to change the way we think about time we should work with it.

Kaylee Hatfield

ourWorld

https://hen.teztools.io/objkt/569139

Throughout most of my life I have viewed myself to be on the same level as animals, and so far this class has only proved my view further. In this class, we have engaged with many knowledgeable like minded individuals and even tools/tech who have helped me realize one major flaw in my view. I believed that everything was categorized into different levels with non-living objects at the "bottom", plants next, humans and animals after, and then some higher power at the "top." I have now realized that it is not a hierarchical system at all, and more of a system of interconnecting networks, all with their own separate importance that help the greater whole. 

One of the tools that helped me come up with this conclusion was the openAI's GPT3. At the start of my exploration with GPT3, I didn't know how capable software like this would be with open ended, philosophical questions, but to my surprise it answered in a way that I am not used to seeing tech answering questions. When asked what is the difference between nature and humans it responded with: 

“Nature is a self-organizing system, while humans are an engineered system"

I then started to ask it whether or not humans and nature are connected and would one die without the other? GPT3, in many instances agreed that both humans and nature co-depend on each other. Nature is not able to take care of itself, it just does it's thing. Humans operate in a way where we are always trying to better and improve things. We can help create strong relationships with nature by listening to what she has to say and only getting better and smarter with our tools. Once we can see that the world thrives through connections and not a hierarchical system, that's when change will happen. 

Ethan Ma and Austin Enicke

Same Coin

https://go.unl.edu/3txa

Same Coin is an art project and series of events that explores the relationship between money and consciousness. We believe money creates possibilities, yet is also a source of stress and suffering. We are exploring what money means to us, and how we can use it to create a more balanced, empathetic, and generous world.

The name Same Coin is a reference to the circular nature of money and consciousness. We believe everything is connected and everything affects everything. We are working to generate an artwork tackling issues with money and consciousness. 

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