“Superheroes” bacteria art made with Streptomycetes (bacteria spores that live in the dirt)
All “ewww’s” aside, I must say that the first (and I’m sure not the last) “Agar Art” contest held by The American Society for Microbiology (whose guidelines specified that entrants create art using only bacteria), has yielded some incredible results.
A segment of the massive “NYC Biome Map” made with bacterial microbes (by microbiologist, Christine Marizzi)
According to the rules, all creations must be made using only microbes instead of paint (or other materials) and agar as their canvas. There were 85 entries submitted by various microbiologists across the country for this art meets biology mashup. Of the ones I’ve seen so far, I was blown away (and a bit grossed out I must admit) by the NYC Biome Map submitted by Christine Marizzi of New York City’s Community Biolab (above). Just read the description of the piece and you’ll likely feel the same way:
Microorganisms reside everywhere, yet they are too small to be seen with the human eye. New York City is a melting pot of cultures - both human and microbial - and every citizen has a personalized microbiome. Collectively, we shape NYC’s microbiome by our lifestyle choices, and this unseen microbial world significantly impacts us
I say grossed out because probably like many of you, I’ve ridden the NY subway system (as well as the equally skanky Boston “T”) hundreds of times before and learned pretty quickly to never touch ANYTHING with your hands. That said, Marizzi’s piece is nothing short of a marvel to look at considering how it was created.
Pop bacteria art in the image of Divine!
More strange and trippy looking biological pieces of art from the contest (that might also bring out the obsessive/compulsive hand-washer in you) can be seen after the jump. Nearly all of the entries can be viewed on The American Society for Microbiology Facebook page.
“Mushrooms” made with yellow Nesterenkonia, orange Deinococcus and Sphingomonas bacteria
“The Brain” drawn with orange Deinococcus and Sphingomonas and yellow Nesterenkonia and Bacillus bacteria
“Jellyfish” made with yellow Nesterenkonia, orange Deinococcus and Sphingomonas bacteria along with white Bacillus spots, by Maria Penil
“The Violet Louis Pasteur” drawn with Chromobacterium violaceum bacteria on Muller Hinton agar
A microbiologist “Selfie”
“Neurons” yellow Nesterenkonia, orange Deinococcus and Sphingomonas bacteria
Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
This is what the bacteria that lives on your cell phone looks like