New Portal That Connects Dublin to People in NYC Is Downright Futuristic
Imagine using a teleportation device to traverse from one side of the globe to another in a single step, or beam from a starship down to the planet's surface within a split second. At this point in time, teleportation devices are a technology that exists only within the realms of science fiction. Still, it's a lot of fun to imagine the possibilities of instantanous transportation, even if we're a long way off from realizing this technology in reality.
We may not yet be able to cross over from North America to Europe within the blink of an eye, but thanks to a very innovative artist, we've got the next best thing. On May 8, a pair of portals in NYC and Dublin, Ireland, activated for the very first time, connecting the two intercontinental cities in real time!
Dublin travel vlog @discoverdublin was at the grand opening of "The Portal," with throngs of crowds gathered in the Irish capital to witness the spectacle. At the same time, thousands of miles away, New Yorkers gathered around the other end of The Portal in Manhattan, waving to their fellow spectactors across the pond in real time!
Observers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean took to the state-of-the-art sculptures like wildfire. Though The Portal doesn't stream audio, people have been able to communicate through hand waves, gestures, and written signs. A heartwarming picture taken for the Daily Mail showed participants sending welcome messages through The Portal. In NYC, observers held up signs reading "Hello from New York!" and "We Love Dublin," while over in Dublin, a man flashed a sign reading "Fáilte go dtí Baile Átha Cliath"- Irish for "Welcome to Dublin."
The Mastermind Behind "The Portal"
As futuristic as these "portal" devices are, they weren't just dropped off in Dublin and New York City by friendly extraterrestrials (how very 2001: A Space Odyssey that would be). No, the brainchild behind "The Portal" is a man named Benediktas Gylys, a Lithuanian artist and fellow earthling.
The technology behind The Portal is nothing new: it's two concurrent 24/7 livestreams creating a real-time interactive visual link between Dubliners and New Yorkers. But while the tech itself is not quite as cutting-edge as it appears, Gylys has futuristic and humanitarian ambitions for his space-age sculptures.
"Portals are an invitation to meet people above borders and differences and to experience our world as it really is- united and one," said Gylys, quoted in Ireland's RTE News. "The livestream provides a window between distant locations, allowing people to meet outside of their social circles and cultures, transcend geographical boundaries, and embrace the beauty of global interconnectedness."
Currently, Dublin and NYC are the only two cities connected. However, RTE News claims that Gylys aims to add connections to other global cities in Poland, Lithuania, and Brazil by July. In the meantime, you can either peer through The Portal on Fifth Ave and 23rd Street near Manhattan's famous Flatiron Building, or through the Dublin portal on O'Connell Street.
We may not have Star Trek-era transportation technology yet. However, the spirit of global interconnectivity that Gylys has harnessed so perfectly with his unique artwork is integral if we ever hope to achieve that coveted Star Trek-esque utopia someday.
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