The design for the La Trobe University Institute for Molecular Science building by Lyons Architects is meant to echo the structure of the molecules that will be studied inside it.
Posts marked molecules
Prim and Plush molecules. Click on the images to identify these adorable little guys.
Mike Tyka makes beautifully crafted molecule sculptures out of copper and steel. As a scientist who studies the structure and dynamics of protein molecules, he hopes to “capture some of the hidden beauty of these amazing molecules, make it accessible to the general public, and maybe act as inspiration for those who want to learn more about these fascinating molecules that make life possible.”
About Bacterial Porin:
Porins are beta-barrel proteins that are situated in the outer membranes of cells or organelles (cellular compartments) and act as pores through which molecules can diffuse. They are present in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and some Gram-positive bacteria. They are also present in the mitochondria of humans and other animals as well as in the chloroplast of plants…
A special thanks to Mike for alerting me to his recent work.
Chlorophyll and haemoglobin molecules by Lydia Kasumi Shirreff
Artist Mia Brownell’s still-life paintings of fruit reference Dutch Old Master paintings while incorporating a very modern understanding of DNA, amino acids, and protein chains.
She has long been interested in the biotechnology industry and ways in which plants are genetically modified to thrive in the marketplace. “Food is the most profound relationship we have with nature.” says Brownell. “It’s the interaction of our bodies and agriculture.”
Eric J. Heller aims to make the unseen world of quantum physics visible through his art.
Heller on his work:
My digital abstract art is inspired by a world we cannot directly see; the quantum realm of electrons, atoms, and molecules. The strange, often chaotic quantum domain yields forms, which I use as a medium, creating images which convey the mystery of quantum physics.
His philosophy on a new medium:
When a water colorist puts a wet brush to paper, physics rules the result: wetting and fluid flow on paper, scattering and absorption of light by pigment on fibers, evaporation and drying hold sway. These physical phenomena mimic other aspects of the natural world and with experience can be harnessed to wonderful effect. Similar statements hold for pastels, egg tempera, oils, photographs, etc. To date, digital painting tools have tried to emulate traditional media and effects.
Digital artists need no longer emulate traditional media only! The computer allows us to create new media, with new rules, more naturally suited to the new tool. But such rules are best when they too follow physical phenomena, instead of arbitrary mathematical constructs. I have learned to paint with electrons moving over a potential landscape, quantum waves trapped between walls, chaotic dynamics, and with colliding molecules. Nature often mimics herself, and so these new media, exposing the beauty and mystery of the atomic world, yield a variety of effects that recall familiar aspects of our macroscopic experience.
Find out more about his method and what each of these images represent here
Whatever your molecular weakness, there’s a decal for it in the SissyLittle Etsy shop.
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