Science of the Time, formally known as Signs of the Time

The Morro da Providência (Providence Hill) is the oldest and most dangerous Favela in Rio. Today, however, it is also home to “Women are Heroes”, a completely independent project by French photographic graffiti artist; JR. For many of the women whose portraits were taken, repression is a part of their day-to-day life, and the memory of losing a loved one due to violence and crime is fresh in their minds. JR’s objective was to convey, through their eyes and expressions, the resilience and strength of these women who span all ages and backgrounds.  Also JR makes telling eye graffiti murals that look from the favela to the rest of the city, saying: hello you in your well to do neighborhoods might overlook us, but we have eyes that stare at you.
Learn more about this project and J.R. here.

Tongue-in-cheek games using forms of street theater and happening organized by and for people who recently became unemployed as a result of recession (recently in NYC).

This work of art is developed by Eno Setiawan of Yanko Design and named Sony Vaio Zoom. It’s 100% holographic, both the monitor and the keyboard. When the PC is off the monitor becomes a glass screen and the keyboard a flat plate ceramic glass.

Internet, peer-to-peer networking, the co-creative social Web (2.0, 3.0 etcetera,) they all point into the same direction: Knowledge moves more freely than ever to anyone who wants to work with it. Think the hackers of the virtual world. Think all the iPhone applications we create. But also think: Do It Yourself Garage Biologists. They are new right now. But maybe future progress in bio-sciences and genetics will come from students spending nights in their garages, enabled by home-labs and bio-tools bought at E-bay. Do it yourself biotechnology is now happening and encouraged by organizations like DIY Bio, like Gingko, specialised in affordable science toolkits. And by contests like i09 Mad Science. Of course You Tube is into this as well.

Jorge Colombo is an artist from New York. He uses the world’s favorite cell phone – the iPhone - to create wonderful pieces of art. When you see his artwork, they look like real sophisticated paintings. But, they are made on the iPhone itself using just one finger on the screen and Brushes, a simple $4 application. On his website Jorge shares in short movies the complete painting process – this is total transparency. The movies and the artwork in digital form are available for free on the web. If you want a limited edition print, these are available for just $20.

Samsung’s Haptic Beam is the first full touch mobile projector phone. The device is a revolutionary concept as it moves the mobile phone from a personal to a group domain in providing multi media entertaiment such as live television, internet surfing and stored movies for a long length of time. In addition, the Haptic Beam can be used to display presentations during business meetings. The projected image can be enlarged to a good resolution size of 50 inches. The external sound capabilities are sufficient to share the multi media experience with a considerable group. 

So it’s Sunday and shops are closed. You’re out to have some fun but you only have one coin. Go to the nearest mall and make yourself a shopping cart circle on the empty parking lot. Guess what. When you’re done closing the circle, you’ll even get your coin back.

The Repair Manifesto by Platform 21 is making worldwide waves with its convincing and practical appeal to all designers to take position against overconsumption. Whatever fashionable and lucrative overconsumption might be, the world need something else. Repair above recycling! Some quotes from the manifesto: Things should be designed so that they can be repaired. Repair is not replacement. Repair survives fashion. To repair is to discover. Repaired things are unique. Repairing is about independence. Repair – also in good times! For the whole manifesto and Marco Bevolo’s longer comment click here.

Kogi is probably the best-known Twitter-based business in Los Angeles. It is a mobile restaurant serving Korean BBQ tacos. Kogi broadcasts its upcoming stops via Twitter and regularly draws crowds of up to an hour to sample the day’s featured morsels, from standards like spicy pork and short ribs to octopus and — of course, we’re in LA — tofu.

A website that sells cool fashion and accessories for babies. The most successful one is the BabyGroo which helps any child to acquire an iPod look with the recognizable Click-Wheel. Here in Portugal it is a complete madness.

Reflect is a luminous board embedded in a table. It monitors conversations via microphones and shows a visualisation of the current state of the conversation using arrays of colour LEDs. Reflect registers conversation’s moods and turns. Its display is visible for all participants. It functions as a mirror of the conversation, without suggestion the next turn. Reflect also intends to act as a public shared memory that describes recent and past moves in the conversation.

By Maria Cristina Pavarini, Milan & Patricia Mereilles, Sao Paulo
In many parts of the world a modern father generation is on the rise: happy to go to the park with the kids, interested in school meetings, working parttime or working from home, to be in the best position to spend more time with their kids. Maria Cristina Pavarini observes that this trend is also on the rise in Japan, one of the most traditional masculine modern cultures. Have a look at www.fathering.jp where the Japanese cool dads meet. Patrica Meirelles ads to this observation, that these cool daddies need their cool gear, of course. KidKustoms (Pinstripe Prep) created a new design for baby toddlers, the Rodler, providing the possibility to include Bluetooth, ID caller, DVD player, iPod dock and baby bottle warmer. Cool for mum, of course. But also excellent toys for dad.

By Maria Cristina Pavarini, Milan & Eduardo Garcia, Kazakhstan
Maria Cristina Pavarini is one of Italy’s most experted fashion watchers - and she is new to Science of the time’s network of Trend Filters. In the latest Western fashion shows Pavarini spots a new back-to-the-basis innovative approach regarding the use of textiles: paper, cellulose and superthin rubber leaflets are ‘in’. These are all simple materials, used in a thoroughly innovative manner. For the whole of MariaCristina’s story click here. Confront this with Eduardo Garcia’s remarks on the coolest of fashion in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is one the most ethnic diverse countries in the world. When the Sovjet administration dispeared there, the general idea was that Western influences would roll over the country. Not so! - as fashion designer Baurzhan convincingly shows. Baurshan’s fashion combines the cultures and styles of the very diverse people that now define and move Kazakhstan.  For the whole story of Eduardo Garcia click here.