The Invisible Observer is a newsletter created by Scale Free Network, art-science collaborative.

Issue No.6 — August 2015

The Invisible Observer is a newsletter created by Scale Free Network.
It focuses on our exploration of invisible microscopic worlds and collaborative adventures in the world of art, science and publishing.

Zobi and the Zoox wins the Puggle Award!

We are honoured that our second book, Zobi and the Zoox, has won in the new children's choice category (Picture Fiction) of the Environmental Award for Children's Literature (EACL).

Hosts of the award - The Wilderness Society state (and we wholeheartedly agree) - that "children’s books have a profound effect in shaping who we become as grown ups. The stories we read and enjoy as kids impact the adventures we take, the way we see and experience our landscapes, and sometimes our outlook on life...Promoting a love of nature in children is one of the fundamental elements to building a society that respects and protects our unique landscapes."

Thank you to everyone who read Zobi and voted for us!
We would also like to acknowledge the ongoing support of Creative Victoria and our small
army of crowd-funders, without whom we would not have made it this far!
Cooperation makes it happen.

THE INVISIBLE TORRENS

Taking a closer look into Adelaide's watery artery...

Every two years, Adelaide hosts the Come Out Festival – one of Australia’s longest-running arts festivals for children.

Curated this year by Susannah Sweeney, Scale Free Network was invited to create a series of art-science workshops which focused on the River Torrens and its micro-inhabitants.

Over five days, Briony, Gregory and Jacqui ran ten ‘Invisible Torrens’ workshops for primary school students, creating a large range of individual and collaborative drawings.

Thank you to our hosts – the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), known locally as the “Cheese Grater” building.

NAIDOC WEEK:
SFN in NSW

SFN slowly taking over Australia...

SFN’s core collaborator Jacqueline Smith recently expanded the Scale Free Network empire into Northern NSW and SE QLD!

On July 8^th, Jacqui ran an art-science lab at this year’s NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Family Fun Day at the Mullumbimby Neighbourhood Centre.

The theme, ‘We all Stand on Sacred Ground: Learn, Respect and Celebrate’, was considered through the lens of the microscope as children found specimens from the bush-tucker garden to view more closely. Some great drawings were made and the chorus of “Wow!” demonstrated the activity was a success.

SYMBIOSIS CONGRESS: LISBON

We are not Individuals...

Each day of the 8^th Congress of the International Symbiosis Society (ISS) featured scientists presenting their recent research into symbiotic relationships, between creatures – great and small. We met people from every continent, & across many scientific disciplines – a mirror the diversity of symbiotic partnerships on Earth.

Highlights included:
- presenting our books at the Teaching Symbiosis Session;
- Dorion Sagan on Sex, Aging and Evolution;
- Jan Sapp on the controversial histories of Symbiosis & Evolution;
- Marc-Andrè Selosse on Symbiotic Inter-dependencies;
- viewing live symbioses under the microscope;

- and more...

'Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution', Theodosius Dobzansky, 1973.
'Nothing in evolution makes sense except in the light of symbiosis', Jan Sapp, 2003.