Our understanding of disease and the powers of medicine today are
unparalleled, and their documentation has increased signficantly.
Science is Beautiful collects the most fascinating microscopic
photographs of our diseases along with the medicines we use to treat
them. These photographs are profoundly fascinating - and also beautiful.
Featured are some of the most illuminating microscopic images of
bacteria, viruses and cancers ever captured, now made possible by
electron micrograph technology. Potentially fatal diseases such as
cancer and Ebola are included, and minor complaints such as
Staphylococcus bacteria and dental plaque are shown for their surprising
beauty. Other photographs reveal what human cells look like when
suffering from Alzheimer's, from osteoporosis, or from HIV. It also
uncovers some diseases specific to animals. But there are also dazzling
images of the crystals, powders and potions that we take to cure
ourselves, including magnified versions of aspirin, insulin, morphine
and caffeine.
This collection of images, as beautiful as any artwork, can be enjoyed
purely as a visual voyage but also as a way to understand more of the
science behind the image, whether it's the work of a meningitis virus,
our chromosomes in a cancer cell or the breakdown of painkillers. Each
image includes the scale of the photography as well as the scientific
details in layman's terms.
