A couple of weeks ago, I opened up an old textbook on microbial biology. It was published in 2003 and has ‘$1.50’ written in pencil on the inside of the cover. I read through the opening chapter and it’s summary of what is meant by a ‘cell’. It is a thing with a nucleoid, where information is kept; a membrane, a barrier isolating it from it’s environment; and a cytoplasm, the gooey space that stores the important machinery. A cell is an open system that is constantly acquiring new materials and incorporating them into itself while also discarding byproducts. Somehow, I found myself identifying with this simple description. In many ways, we are all our own little ideas and important machines and walls to keep us safe. We trade things in and out of our lives. So with that realization, I made the above painting of a cell. I also painted brief depictions of the six traits that scientists use to identify something as alive. I related to these, too. I had lots of fun.
Recent Daily Drawings:
Science Communication I’ve Been Admiring:
Kristian Brevik - incredible sculptural artist, science educator, illustrator, and PhD in insect ecology
The Joy of Science - a conversation between journalists and physicist Jim Al-Khalili on the ways that science is culturally represented and understood (hard facts, clean-cut answers) compared with how it actually is (guided by curiosity, openness to being wrong, ongoing revision)
Artists I’ve Been Loving:
Have a great day!
Love this, your passion!