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Last week we talked a little bit about science as art; or at least, I claimed that the certain scientific imagery could be classed as art, and it is in any event very pretty. A commenter reminded me of the DNA 11 (‘From life comes art’) website, which is actually set up to commercialize scientific data—your own DNA, no less—and sell it back to you as art.

I just wish I’d thought of making money from it first. In a similar vein, Nikon are running their (36^th!) annual ‘Small World‘ competition. This is a photomicrography competition, showcasing ‘the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope’. Some of these images are truly stunning, and wouldn’t look out of place on the wall of my study.

Last year’s winner is a confocal section of an anther (the bit containing the pollen) of thale cress, better known in the trade as Arabidopsis thaliana:

You can submit up to three entries of your own at the Nikon Small World website (they’re also on Twitter and Facebook). First prize winners get a vacation trip valued at US$3000 or the equivalent amount of photographic, scientific, or industrial equipment and accessories, not to mention good publicity for their lab—and you don’t have to use a Nikon microscope!

One of my favourite companies, when I was doing cell biology for a living, is Molecular Probes, Inc. They produced a beautiful catalogue showcasing their cellular markers, and I retain fond memories of Texas Red phalloidin (their coumarin was never much cop, though). Molecular Probes now on Flickr, so people like me can still get some vicarious confocal satisfaction:

That’s about it from me. Oh, if you want to see how Geek Pop went last Thursday, check out this review from Jenny at LabLit.com. I’m saying nothing about the head-banging.