Coalescent Thoughts: Art, Storytelling and Science

By Matthew Howard

Isn’t it a joy to know that realms exist that we cannot see? Our eyes provide images of dangerous circumstances, potential life partners and so much more. Our brains tell us what is moving around. It shuts down any stimulus that the mind decrees is benign. 

Both the minuscule and immense are abstractions to our consciousness. To visualize the impossible on a day-to-day basis, we require costly instruments that are hardly available. This is where art, photography, and storytelling come together and play an important role. They provide the scientific community an avenue to educate its people on new and exciting findings.

Journey with me as we build relationships and understanding through art.

However, forming this connection may be difficult. There is such division inside us, millions every day. You’ve got to look closer than the eye can see, yet how can we without technological aids? This is where illustration can give perspective.

We can start with an average human male (see example here). Their height is 70 inches with 206-213 bones fused after birth. Add then the other 76 organs. Within these organs are tiny cells that vary in size. Yes, even your bones are teeming with life. A human red blood cell, created in bone marrow, is 7.5 micrometers or μm. One thousand micrometers equals 1 millimeter or mm. Using mathematics, we can find one square millimeter will hold 17,777 blood cells.

One millimeter squared – (1000/7.5)^2 = 17,777.7 … repeating.
One inch squared – ((1000/7.5)25.4)^2 = 11,469,511.1 … repeating

Kurt Thomas Hunt, the holy grail?, photograph

Cells are in a state of constant division, constantly restoring an organism’s body. It takes time for moving parts of a mother cell to split into daughter cells, near-perfect copies of the parent cell, and exact copies of each other. This is because every time a cell divides, a small segment of DNA end is lost.

Each cell replication transitions from a circle into a Vesica Piscis, also known as a Venn diagram. The Vesica Piscis is a known symbolic representation of fertility depicted in many works of art. These artistic illustrations, along with the established naming scheme of mother and daughter cells, help us to interpret cell division as a means of continual birth. Those who know what a Vesica Piscis is will understand that the mother cell is the womb and shared space between the daughters.

Artists can use various known and widespread forms of symbolism to connect to their audience. Historically, secular and religious symbols have been used to enhance the understanding of these subjects.  This type of art can help someone immediately understand a concept without being told, but by being shown. Imagery may include people, places, and things.

Matthew Howard, telophase & cytokinesis, digital painting

Here is a fantastic representation of Spindles of telekinetic power, also known as Telophase. Notice how the hands representing the centrosomes seem to pull away from the two cells without touching. 

This merger of thought brings both Telophase and Cytokinesis into a unified string. Bound by the word telekinesis, one could infer the logical chronological order of Telophase and Cytokinesis through wordplay. This, in itself, is imaginative.

To extend this further, people can recite many verses, songs, and pledges word for word. Practical uses of poetry’s devices, such as rhyme and alliteration, can enhance creative learning. 

“Turn with your energy
In the Meager gravity
Come
Lets sum
Wrap your positivity (protons)
With your negativity (electrons spinning around)
Throughout your neutrality (neutrons)
Share (weaker ionic bonds)
Oh tear (stronger covalent bonds)
Time to bear
Warm so with your unity
In rising Vitality (strength of atoms becoming stable)
By physical Trinity
Live so in Serenity
Fling
Now Ring
With the Kings (stable noble gaseous)
You Little Beings”

Matthew Howard, interphase, digital painting

These layers of creative freedom go beyond brute force memorization to provide compound reinforcement to each section. Now, see how meshing two separate scientific studies (the microcosms and the cosmos) further solidify understanding of both. The cell phase Interphase will bring this home to the beginning.

The membrane of a cell is like our skin. It protects us from the invading forces of bacteria and viruses, including strains of the coronavirus. Surrounding the cell here, it looks like the corona of a star is blazing. Usually, an audience can only see this invisible outer layer during an eclipse. Due to creative freedom, we can present its majestic brilliance.

It may seem like nothing will break through, but we have an invader, and it looks like a coronavirus. Cells have receptor doors that can receive travelers or packages. Will this invader be able to enter? It is up to your interpretation; however, it does seem this membrane is as strong as a jewel, perhaps not.

Not only is this train of thought useful as a means to illustrate the cell functions, but it also tells a story, providing a literary form of understanding. The storytelling creates tension through a protagonist and antagonist. The relevance of a simple drawing can provide a forum for social dialogue, one that speaks to a current audience living in history in the making.

Now, presented are the beginning and end phases of the story. For those studying cell replication right now, break open the dense core (I mean nucleus) in this brilliant blue star (oops, cell) and create the upcoming chapters in the tale (or do I mean phases)? Knowing the result may spoil the ending, but telling a worthwhile adventure is something to behold!

 To make sure one’s artistic representation of their scientific story rings true, collaborate with scientists, teachers, and peers. These creative concepts can identify the main plot points and allow viewers to use them as personalized identification slides. Think outside this box, and add this creativity to other realms of study.

Don’t forget your Arts & Science Center! Collaborate with us and tour our spaces! Are you looking forward to getting in touch with the youth of today? Build a bridge here at ASC! Our ARTx3 facilities, The ARTSpace on Main, ART WORKS on Main, and The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas are here to connect our Southeast Arkansas community with a diverse array of programming.

Source: https://www.lsu.edu/science/soar/files/how_big_is_a_cell.pdf

Matthew Howard is ASC’s Visitor Relations Coordinator. He may be contacted at mhoward@asc701.org.