„KIPPPPPPPPUNKTE“ (German for „TIPPPPPPPPING POINTS“) is an interactive adventure that playfully explores complex systems and their tipping points. Users accompany the bubbly character SYS into her world. On their way, they find out what keeps SYS stable, and how (easily) her equilibrium state can be disrupted.
We are | We live in | We are surrounded by and part of | complex systems. Complex systems have many properties — an important one is that they all can „tip.“
A Tipping Point can be defined as „critical point after which the system shifts radically and potentially irreversibly into a different equilibrium state.“ We can use this for good: For example, if we as a society can change social norms about mobility or what we think makes a good life. In many cases, however, we should not be messing around with them – especially those that sustain life(s), such as ecosystems or a stable climate. Here we are well advised to avoid crossing tipping points at all costs.
KIPPPPPPPPUNKTE is an innovative science journalism project developed by Verena Ahne in cooperation with MIP.labor.
Credits
Author (concept, texts): Verena Ahne
Illustration: Marco Baccioli
Technical implementation: Stefan Auerbach (MIP.lab)
MIP.labor is an ideas lab for science journalism based at Freie Universität Berlin and funded by the Klaus Tschira Foundation