Glossary of the exhibition Here Comes the Sun

Biomimicry

An approach that draws inspiration from the forms, structures, and processes of living organisms to design tech­nolo­gies or solve technical problems. James Bridle’s Solar Panels (Radiolaria Series) illustrate this approach by etching patterns of marine microor­gan­isms onto solar panels.

Intel­li­gence 

The capacity to perceive information, process it, learn from experience, and adapt behavior accordingly. Rather than being a uniquely human trait, intel­li­gence manifests across multiple scales and forms: from the problem-solving abilities of individual organisms to the collective intel­li­gence of ecosystems, from the com­pu­ta­tion­al power of machines to the evo­lu­tion­ary wisdom encoded in biological structures over millions of years. The exhibition explores how different forms of intel­li­gence — artificial, natural, human — approach fundamental challenges like energy capture and resource management, questioning which models might offer more sustainable pathways forward.

Artificial intel­li­gence (AI) 

Computer systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intel­li­gence, such as image recognition or data prediction. Climate models use AI to process enormous amounts of data and simulate complex scenarios. However, these systems require substantial energy resources to function: training a single large AI model can consume as much electricity as several hundred households in a year. The exhibition contrasts this energy-intensive artificial intel­li­gence with the ​“natural intel­li­gence” of living systems that have developed over millions of years.

Natural intel­li­gence 

The capacity for adaptation and orga­ni­za­tion present in natural systems — from solar cycles to living ecosystems. Solar Protocol uses this expression to designate logic based on envi­ron­men­tal dynamics rather than artificial algorithms.

Climate simulation 

Computer modeling of Earth’s climate systems enabling prediction of climate evolution and testing the impact of different inter­ven­tions, natural or artificial.

Digital twin 

A virtual replica of a physical system (object, process, or in the case of geo­engi­neer­ing, the entire planet) allowing simulations to be conducted and scenarios tested without inter­ven­tion in the real world.

Pho­to­volta­ic 

Technology that directly transforms sunlight into electricity through cells composed of semi­con­duc­tor materials, typically silicon.

Radi­o­lar­i­ans 

Unicellular marine microor­gan­isms with mineral skeletons displaying complex geometric forms. Present in all oceans for over 500 million years, they perfected structures optimizing light capture long before the appearance of the first terrestrial plants. Their fossilized skeletons constitute an essential part of ocean sediments. The naturalist Ernst Haeckel, who described and illustrated them in the 19^th century, was also among the first to use the term ​“ecology.” Radi­o­lar­i­ans embody a form of natural intel­li­gence: solutions developed over millions of years through evolution.

Server 

A computer that hosts websites and data, making them accessible to users via the internet. Servers con­tin­u­ous­ly consume energy to function and cool themselves. Globally, data centers represent approx­i­mate­ly 1 – 2% of total electricity consumption, a proportion constantly increasing with the development of artificial intel­li­gence and cloud computing. Solar Protocol proposes an alternative by accepting the natural limits of solar energy rather than seeking constant availability.

Solar computing 

A computer system powered exclusively by solar energy, which accepts natural variations in sunlight and adapts its functioning accordingly, rather than seeking constant availability.

Solar geo­engi­neer­ing 

A set of tech­nolo­gies aimed at delib­er­ate­ly modifying Earth’s climate by manip­u­lat­ing the sun’s influence. These projects, still largely exper­i­men­tal, raise significant scientific, ethical, and political debates.