The Best Science Visualizations of the Year
Browse through the winning images that turn scientific exploration into art
- By Laura Helmuth and Sarah Zielinski
- Smithsonian.com, February 15, 2012
(Image courtesy of Bryan William Jones, PhD)
“Retinas are like little parallel super computers,” says Bryan Jones, a neuroscientist at the Moran Eye center in Salt Lake City. As part of his research into the eye’s circuitry, he created this image of a mouse eye, titled Metabolomic Eye, the first prize winner in the photography category. The mammalian eye has about 70 different types of cells—goldfish and turtles have even more complex retinas with about 200 kinds of cells—and “every cell has its own place in the world,” he says. Jones sliced a mouse eye with a diamond knife, stained the various cells according to their metabolic activity, then digitally reconstructed the back of the eye. “It's kind of like a gobstopper. If you take a gobstopper and lick, lick, lick, lick, lick one spot on it, you can sort of get through and see all the layers. That's sort of what I did, a few nanometers at a time.” -- additional reporting by Sarah Zielinski
Comments (8)
Regarding The Best Science Visualizations of the Year: I have an idea for these educational images. I have two kids, ages 3 and 5. We visit the National Museum of Natural History quite often. They removed the Titanoboa exhibit about two months ago and there was empty space. I went there again this past weekend and it was still empty! They filled the space with benches and houseplants. What a waste. These images are amazing and could be a temporary exhibit. Print huge images of the best science visualizations and display them. That is much better than benches and houseplant, and probably cheaper too. I love Smithsonian. You guys are awesome.
Posted by Dan Suchoski on April 1,2013 | 09:36 PM
my late husband did fractals on the computer that looled alot like this!
Posted by mary on April 18,2012 | 12:31 PM
What is this? Green antibodies attacking a tentacled breast cancer cell.
Posted by Andy on March 2,2012 | 01:36 PM
Typo: Instead of "Ti2ALc2", I think you mean "Ti2AlC2". [That's titanium aluminum carbide, described elsewhere as "Advanced Damage-Tolerant Ceramics: Candidates for Nuclear Structural Applications". References:
(1) E. N. Hoffman, M. W. Barsoum, R. L. Sindelar, D. Tallman. 2010, “MAX Phases and Their Potential for Nuclear Reactor Applications,” American Nuclear Society: 2010 Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA June 13-17, 2010
(2) E. N. Hoffman, D. W. Vinson, R. L. Sindelar, D. J. Tallman, G. Kohse and M. W. Barsoum, “MAX Phase Carbides and Nitrides: Properties for Future Nuclear Power Plant Applications,” submitted for publication in Journal of Nuclear Materials.
Posted by Paul Walsh on February 20,2012 | 05:22 PM
Based on flakes of titanium-aluminium-carbide (Ti3AlC2). When the researchers removed aluminium a new two-dimensional material remained. In the two-dimensional structure, the electrons travel 100 times faster than in silicon, today’s dominant semiconductor.
Posted by Jer on February 19,2012 | 01:21 PM
Very cool. Sounds weird, but is it possible to purchase this image for hanging in my house?
Posted by Larry on February 18,2012 | 12:39 PM
Wait, what is this? And what is the scale?
Posted by Amanda on February 17,2012 | 09:46 PM
This is very interesting.i would love to see Android read more.
Posted by therese abdali on February 17,2012 | 12:36 PM