Agar art

Agar plates changed the way scientists cultivate tiny life in labs. Now agar is the canvas for a growing school of art.

Agar plates changed the way scientists cultivate tiny life in labs. Now agar is the canvas for a growing school of art.

#salmonella #ecoli #microbiology #microbiologyart #microorganism #bacterium #bacteriology #bacteria #art by @tovic #world_microbiologists #worldofmicrobiology #worldofmicrobes #microbe #microbiologia #microbiologist #bacteriologist #culturemedia #culture #petridish #bacteriaart #microbeart #art_in_petridish #culture_artists #culture_arts #lepidoptera #butterfly by @world_microbiologists

Where art meets science

Balaram Khamari has been spending a lot of time in his lab in Puttaparthi, India, culturing colorful bacteria and artfully arranging it on a jelly like substance called agar.

Think of the coolest, most unique way to create art that you can. Got it? Now think about creating that art out of living things. The American Society For Microbiology (ASM) holds an annual art contest, but it's no ordinary art they look for. The ASM looks for agar art, which results in, essentially, creating a painting with bacteria.

Agar plates changed the way scientists cultivate tiny life in labs. Now agar is the canvas for a growing school of art.

The AmericanSociety for Microbiologists has hosted its first international 'Agar Art' challenge, in which microbiologists from around the world used various microbes and germs to create beautiful works of art in petri dishes. The submissions included recognizable paintings like Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' as well as original microbe paintings.

Think of the coolest, most unique way to create art that you can. Got it? Now think about creating that art out of living things. The American Society For Microbiology (ASM) holds an annual art contest, but it's no ordinary art they look for. The ASM looks for agar art, which results in, essentially, creating a painting with bacteria.