Daily Giz Wiz 591: Telectroscope
Episode 591 of the podcast
| Subject: | Review of Telectroscope |
| Released: | Monday 16 June 2008 |
| Length: | about 16 minutes |
| Download file: | dgw0591.mp3 (7.3 MB) |
Listen to the episode
Detailed information
Link: Telectroscope
Picking up a Victorian idea of a giant tunnel connecting London with New York, the Telectroscope is just such a thing, a giant powerful undersea telescope stretching all the way from London's Tower Bridge to New York's Brooklyn Bridge. People standing in front of either end of the giant telescope can then see and make funny faces at one another. Project Manager Paul St George has collected some old drawings (available at http://www.tiscali.co.uk/telectroscope/cn/gallery/files.php) which have inspired the present installation.As one can see from the illustration above, the idea was to start drilling from an island on the Atlantic. They even had a drawing for it.
And here's the geotechnical stuff.
It's taken well over a century for the tunnel to complete. Here are pictures of the two ends of the tunnel, on land.
Here's the spoiler. Apparently it's just 2 giant lenses/screens (about 6 ft in diameter) which display visual images of either end via fibre optic cables. It's a public art installation by British artist Paul St George. The exhibition lasts from 22 May to 15 June 2008, and its whimsicality has absolutely won the public over.
Meeting Up with James Levine in the Metropolis
Dick met up with New York-based James Levine to see the Telectroscope, from whom Dick first learned about it. Not long-time Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, but long-time DGW listener Brooklyn resident James (or Jim) Levine. For Jim's previous contributions, see Episodes 339, 519.
More Public Art to Come
4 Giant Waterfalls will be installed in New York City at 4 different locations soon, starting from around the end of June till October. Here's an artist's impression of what it might look like.
Seriously ...
Listener Tritha from Chicago went on the road with his brother for a family gathering. He had lots of DGWs ready which he played in the car. After 3 minutes into the first DGW, he asked, "What is this crap?" All right, it happened to be a TTTT. However, after 90 minutes of GizWiz genius, his brother asked, "Seriously, what is this crap?"
We fully expect Tritha's brother to write in with his retraction and apology, failing which we fully expect Tritha to disown his brother. Seriously.
We fully expect Tritha's brother to write in with his retraction and apology, failing which we fully expect Tritha to disown his brother. Seriously.
(source: insidedgw.vox.com)
