Bees in the DNA

March 5, 2009 by myrmecos

specimen2b This photo was ultimately rejected for a journal cover (it was the wrong shape!) but I shot it to accompany a research article that used museum specimens of midwestern bumblebees to compare current levels of genetic diversity with previous decades. Since this image won’t appear in print anytime soon, I thought I’d share it here instead.

photo details: Canon 35mm f2.0 prime lens on a Canon EOS 20D
ISO 200, 1/125 sec, f/5, indirect strobe

Posted in fun, Science | Tagged art, Bees, bombus, bumblebees, dna, double helix, entomology, genetics, Insects, Photography | 8 Comments

8 Responses

on March 5, 2009 at 10:24 pm jewishscientist

How so, the wrong shape?
on March 5, 2009 at 10:28 pm myrmecos

Yeah, too long. They were looking for something more square.
on March 6, 2009 at 3:26 am Roberto Keller

That’s the problem with some publisher out there, they’re too square.
on March 6, 2009 at 7:02 am Zorro

Nice concept though, shame about the shape!
on March 6, 2009 at 7:51 am ihateaphids

I’ll still use it in 157 talks! don’t worry!
on March 6, 2009 at 10:35 am Rick Lieder

Nice conceptual illustration, Alex.
on March 6, 2009 at 5:17 pm Carol Kaesuk Yoon

Hi –
I’m just visiting your blog for the first time today and the images are drop-dead gorgeous. Just a note of appreciation –
Carol
on March 11, 2009 at 3:54 pm Mendel’s Garden: Frankenpeople!

[…] care that the picture was the wrong dimensions – you got the DNA coiling the right way so you deserve a little buzz. Bumblebee […]