"Every Breath is Beautiful" Lung surfactant photo by Benjamin Stottrup
2nd Place at the Biophysical Society's annual Art of Science competition in 2024 went to Benjamin Stottrup for this stunning image - "Every breath you take is possible because of lung surfactant. Lung surfactant makes these intricate and beautiful patterns that vary with composition and surface pressure. This image was taken by confocal fluorescence microscopy. Sample composition is 9:1 (4:1 r:racDPPC):hexadecanol with 1.5 mol% dehydrocholesterol."
4 replies
Wait, this is a photo? It isn't a drawing?
How is this a photo, what am I looking at, a lipid membrane? Oh I see, it's cholesterol, sort of? Interesting.
Mesmerizing!
Reminds me of this movie vivarium I just saw