Not Possible in Real Life

Bettina Tizzy is better than almost anyone at turning up the most creative uses of the virtual world, Second Life. Though her focus is specifically upon the arts, we think that many of her comments touch upon two other topics that we are exploring, namely, science and spirituality. Check out the latest from Bettina Tizzy.

Condos in Heaven!

Second Life artist Bryn Oh's works are artifacts from an alternate future, an apocalyptic universe where desperate mothers upload their dying children into cyborg bodies only to be beset by righteous mobs, children's rhymes warn against impending robot attack and tiny gear-driven insects engage in the ancient and universal struggle to survive. But Bryn and her work are never what they seem. The surface is worth seeing, but a closer look rewards the curious and the patient.

Now Bryn presents Condos In Heaven at the University of Kentucky's island in Second Life. The project is about what we might do should we find a physical way to get to Heaven and questions the boundary between the virtual and the real. For a thought provoking ride, replete with humor, artistry and imagination, check it out now!

Wave of the Future?

While there has been much ink spilled and many pages printed about how teenagers communicate in the digital age, one thing is clear: an entire generation will soon be graduating from high school and college with a habit of building friendships, seeking entertainment, buying products and services in ways that circumvent the communications technologies of the past. It is also likely that this wave of young adults will seek out opportunities for education and enlightenment within their virtual worlds. The implications of these trends for the institutions that adults inhabit are profound.

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Second Life Growth Stats

There has been much discussion of late about whether earlier, rapid growth of the virtual world, Second Life, will continue. Many residents have the impression that growth has slowed, and there are some statistics to support that. Still, Pathfinder Linden has drawn up a chart showing a steady upward increase in what the company refers to as "daily maximum concurrency," that is, the maximum number of avatars on line simultaneously on the same day. Last week, the network topped 80,000 avatars onlne for the first time ever. Also of interst is the relatively steady increase in this metric since March 2007.

So Small

Second Life avatar, PatriciaAnne Daviau is goddess of the small, building tiny houses, and even whole cities on a micro scale in the virtual world. Her builds are delightful and thought provoking. Read more.