Art

Van Gogh’s Starry Night Made of Bacteria

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The American Society for Microbiology challenged microbiologists to create art using the materials they know best and the results included this amazing recreation of Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night.

“The brown color is Proteus mirabilis, a bacterium known for its swarming motility that is a common cause of urinary tract infections. The white color is Acinetobacter baumanii, an opportunistic bacterium that can cause infection in people with weakened immune systems. It is often resistant to multiple antibiotics and can be spread around hospital environments. The blue-green color is Enterococcus faecalis, a bacterium that colonizes the GI tract and is a common cause of lower urinary tract infections as well as more invasive infections in immunocompromised hosts. It is a hardy organism that can acquire resistance to multiple antibiotics and spread around the hospital environment. The dark blue color is Klebsiella pneumonia, a bacterium found in the normal flora of the mouth, skin and intestines. It can cause different types of healthcare-associated infections including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, wound or surgical site infections and meningitis.”
 
Out of 85 submissions, 3 winners were selected. Check out a few images from this unique mix of art and science below!

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American Society of Microbiology

Via Upworthy

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