Tech & Innovation

Photos: Science captured as beautiful works of art

A map of pathways inside a person’s brain.
A map of pathways inside a person’s brain.
Image: Alfred Anwander, MPI-CBS
By
Akshat Rathi
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Science and art are much closer than most people think. Every year, the world’s biggest charity for biomedical research, the Wellcome Trust, awards those who can visually display science as art.

Here is a list of Quartz’s favorite images from the 2016 winners of the Wellcome Image Awards.

The inanimate meets the animate

Nanographene oxide interacting with bacteria.
Nanographene oxide interacting with bacteria.
Image: Izzat Suffian, Kuo-Ching Mei, Houmam Kafa & Khuloud T. Al-Jamal

Butterfly beauty

A close-up of the head of a swallowtail butterfly.
A close-up of the head of a swallowtail butterfly.
Image: Daniel Saftner, Macroscopic Solutions

The sunset moth

A close-up look at scales on a Madagascan sunset moth.
A close-up look at scales on a Madagascan sunset moth.
Image: Mark R Smith, Macroscopic Solutions

Sorry for the cold hand

This picture shows the temperature of two people’s hands. The hand on the left is from a healthy person and is much hotter than the hand on the right, which is from someone with Raynaud’s disease.
This picture shows the temperature of two people’s hands. The hand on the left is from a healthy person and is much hotter than the hand on the right, which is from someone with Raynaud’s disease.
Image: Matthew Clavey, Thermal Vision Research

Stem cells in action

This circle of pictures shows different stages of a stem cell splitting in two inside the brain of a zebrafish before it hatches.
This circle of pictures shows different stages of a stem cell splitting in two inside the brain of a zebrafish before it hatches.
Image: Paula Alexandre, UCL

Allergic reaction

This girl has blisters on her arm because she is allergic to the Henna dye. The blisters will heal but they may leave marks on her skin.
This girl has blisters on her arm because she is allergic to the Henna dye. The blisters will heal but they may leave marks on her skin.
Image: Nicola Kelley, Cardiff and Vale University Hospital NHS Trust

Cow’s heart

A preserved heart from a cow. It is 27 cm from top to bottom and is about four times the size of a human heart.
A preserved heart from a cow. It is 27 cm from top to bottom and is about four times the size of a human heart.
Image: Michael Frank, Royal Veterinary College

You can see the other winning entries in the Wellcome Image Awards here.