Concours FNS d'images scientifiques 2020/21 SNF-Wettbewerb für wissenschaftliche Bilder 2020/21 SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020/21
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Concours FNS d’images scientifiques 2020/21 SNF-Wettbewerb für wissenschaftliche Bilder 2020/21 SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020/21
The hidden face of science 2 Science is by no means a cold and disinterested activity. It is something done by real people, with passion and devotion, involving trial and error and happy accidents. The contemporary practice of scientific research is revealed in the 680 works that were submitted by scientists in Switzerland to the 2020 and 2021 editions of the SNSF Scientific Image Competition. The Biel/Bienne Festival of Photography is exhibiting a selection of the works that were awarded prizes by the jury and those chosen by popular vote, along with an electronic music piece set to scientific images and videos, presented by Witold Langlois, founder and curator of METEO. La face cachée de la science Loin d’une pratique distanciée et froide, la science est affaire de femmes et d’hommes, de passions et de dévouement, de tâtonnements et d’heureux hasards. La pratique contemporaine de la recherche se dévoile au long des 680 œuvres soumises par les scientifiques de Suisse aux éditions 2020 et 2021 du Concours FNS d’images scientifiques. Les Journées photographiques de Bienne en exposent une sélection, les œuvres primées par le jury et choisies lors d’un vote public, ainsi qu’une mise en musique électronique d’images et de vidéos scientifiques proposée par Witold Langlois, fondateur et curateur de METEO. Die verborgene Seite der Wissenschaft Die Wissenschaft ist keine abgehobene, unnahbare Disziplin, sondern entspringt der menschlichen Natur, der Leidenschaft und Hingabe, dem Trial and Error und zuweilen auch glücklichen Fügungen. Einen Einblick in die aktuelle Forschungspraxis geben die 680 Arbeiten, welche die Schweizer WissenschaftlerInnen im Rahmen der Ausgaben 2020 und 2021 des SNF-Wettbewerbs für wissenschaftliche Bilder eingereicht haben. An den Bieler Fototagen werden eine Auswahl davon, die von der Jury ausgezeichneten und im Rahmen einer Publikumswahl gekürten Werke sowie von Witold Langlois (Gründer und Kurator von METEO) präsentierte, mit elektronischer Musik hinterlegte wissenschaftliche Bilder und Videos gezeigt.
3 SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020 Concours FNS d’images scientifiques 2020 SNF Wettbewerb für wissenschaftliche Bilder 2020
5 Foot pad of an Asian As part of a study on influencing factors on elephant foot health, I took pictures of the feet of more than 150 Asian elephants living in elephant European zoos. This picture shows a right front foot of a ten-year- old male from below. In the middle of the picture is the foot pad with Paulin Wendler its natural grooves working like the treads of our shoes. The brighter areas on the lateral and upper edges are the soles of the five-foot nails. When lifted (as for this picture), this foot has a circumference of 117 cm, and it expands when bearing weight. COMMENT OF THE JURY This stunning picture forces viewers to slow down, immersing them in a dazzling view of organic structures of unknown scale from something they have never seen before: the underside of an elephant foot. These intricate lines form a landscape sculpted by evolution. Their sophisticated subtlety contrasts with the image usually associated with the lumbering, heavy and almost archaic mammal they belong to. These physiological structures contradict contemporary assumptions that evolution’s efficiency consists of making organisms faster. THE AUTHOR Paulin Wendler (GER), born in 1992, is a veterinarian based in Germany. During her studies of Veterinary Medicine at Leipzig University, she pursued her interest in zoo and wild animal medicine. During her doctoral studies at the Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife of the University of Zurich, she conducted a project on foot health of Asian elephants in European zoos. She is currently working in a veterinary practice for small animals and horses in Brunswick (GER). First prize Category 1 – Object of Study SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
Pesticides from Smallholder farmers are not very strong on safe pesticide use. This compilation displays pesticide bottles of mostly 100 ml, obtainable 6 mystery shopping in by any person in agro dealer shops in Uganda. Almost all of the displayed products are highly or moderately hazardous to human Uganda health. Nevertheless, sales staff do not explain safety labels or Curdin Brugger otherwise indicate potential dangers. In our research we study how agro dealers (don’t) advise smallholder farmers and see how good their own knowledge and awareness is regarding the safe use of pesticides. We recruited local farmers and sent them to buy pesticides, all using the same description of a fall armyworm outbreak in maize. This image displays all the products obtained in different shops around the country. Safety labels are supposed to indicate the level of hazard and protective measures, usually as a red or yellow band at the bottom of the bottle. Looking closely, you can see some unreadable pictograms and an array of wrong colours. COMMENT OF THE JURY The slightly random repetition in this typology of poisons echoes in its chosen arrangement the situation faced by farmers: numerous substances, as interchangeable as they are dangerous; highlighted by the colour yellow, universal symbol for hazardous materials. Familiar in art, the serial representation finds a captivating use in this social science research project. THE AUTHOR Curdin Brugger (CH), born in 1993, is a master’s student in Epidemiology at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel. He is motivated to improve public health in developing countries, with a focus on social, behavioural and occupational determinants of health. His current research investigates the impact of pesticide use on the health of small-scale farmers in Uganda. Distinction of the jury Category 1 – Object of Study SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
7 Sunwalk In my research, I focus on public spaces and new ways of delivering mobility in Chinese cities. This shot was taken while I was Jérôme Gapany conducting ethnographic fieldwork in south-eastern Fujian Province, where daily lives are shaped by rapid urban change, sometimes in uncanny ways. Here, a woman holding an umbrella tries to hide from the sun while walking on a running track. Summer heat in south-eastern Chinese cities is an increasing challenge with rapid urbanisation. In this image, I tried to capture a fleeting moment of solitude in a densely populated urban landscape. COMMENT OF THE JURY At first sight, this very strong composition appears to mix sport and fashion; but actually it beautifully illustrates the paradox encountered by the researcher: that studying overpopulated cities involves the depiction of isolated people. THE AUTHOR Jérôme Gapany (CH), born in 1990, is a Swiss ethnographer and PhD candidate at the University of Lausanne. He holds a Master in Asian Studies from the Geneva Graduate Institute and the University of Geneva. His current research focuses on mobility infrastructures in Fuzhou city, China. His interest in photography stems from experiences in China, Taiwan, and South Korea, where he picked up his camera to document everyday politics and street life. Distinction of the jury Category 1 – Object of Study SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
Fisherwoman in Norine and her lovely zebrafish. Her project is a great example of how model organisms could help us to fight diseases. Zebrafish 8 the lab is a great model for studying developmental diseases since it develops externally, very fast and its organs are transparent! This Kaan Mika allows scientist to observe morphological defects at early stages in the development. In order to overexpress a gene, one can inject messenger RNA directly into zebrafish eggs, or use morpholinos in order to knock down a specific gene. Moreover, with the CRISPR/ Cas9 system it is possible to delete a region, induce a specific mutation or even insert a gene cassette in a desired location in the genome. Therefore, using model organisms like zebrafish allows scientists to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in some human diseases. COMMENT OF THE JURY A lively portrait which makes the researcher seem very approachable and relatable, a clear challenge to the usual representation of scientists in their lab. Instead of stereotypical white lab coats, vivid colours interact at all levels, while the scientist’s strong self- expression contrasts with the standardisation inherent in the research carried out with model animals such as zebrafish. THE AUTHOR Kaan Mika (Turkey), born in 1989, is a molecular biologist pursuing a PhD at University of Lausanne. He works with a famous model organism called Drosophila melanogaster and he investigates the olfactory system of these flies. He is a self-taught photographer and he uses Instagram to promote science, collaborating with scientists around Lausanne. First prize Category 2 – Women and Men of Science SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
9 Keep calm and This photo portraits my colleague and dear officemate Yuan Xiao during the final rush towards the completion of her PhD studies. write on Yuan wrote her thesis in an impressively short amount of time and brilliantly defended her PhD shortly after. I found her total dedication Stefano Danzi to it both bemusing and inspiring. It even led her to change her desktop background image to “Keep calm and write on”. COMMENT OF THE JURY A moment of intimacy captured on camera with empathy, a spontaneous movement showing a moment of relaxation during intense intellectual work – natural and relatable. THE AUTHOR Stefano Danzi (IT, 1991) is a Materials science PhD at ETH Zurich. He obtained MSc in Materials engineering and nanotechnology from Politecnico di Milano and spent one year as a visiting student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) before moving to Switzerland. While not being a photographer whatsoever, he enjoys street photography as a graphical approach to storytelling. Distinction of the jury Category 2 – Women and Men of Science SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
The astronomer To install new equipment to the telescope, it is often necessary to remove older equipment, granting a unique view into the telescope’s 10 Nicolas Blind mirrors and internal mechanics. Until the 80s, astronomers would still sit at night in the so-called telescope cage (pictured here) to perform visual observations. With the advent of photo-sensitive electronic devices, the astronomer’s eye was progressively replaced by today’s detector arrays, which are able to count individual photons. This is therefore a rare view of an astronomer looking into the telescope focus. COMMENT OF THE JURY The choice of black and white photography avoids the expected aestheticisation of technical apparatus. A strong composition which reveals, as emphasised by the slight blur, a very rare moment in the work of an astronomer: tinkering with the hard mechanics needed to explore ethereal outer space. THE AUTHOR Nicolas Blind (FR), born in 1984, is an optical engineer working at Geneva Observatory (CH). He obtained his PhD in high angular resolution instrumentation for astronomy at UGA (Grenoble), and already contributed to several instruments of the European Southern Observatory (ESO). While he works daily with state of the art detectors, able to count individual photons, his photographic work focuses on analog processes (more specifically, original processes from the 19’s century, like wet plate collodion or cyanotype), with a pinch of digital when necessary. Distinction of the jury Category 2 – Women and Men of Science SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
11 A Surrogate Mother’s The photo shows the room of a surrogate mother in Kiev, Ukraine. In the last few years, surrogacy – carrying a child for others – has Room in Kiev become an important industry in the country. Especially poor women see it as an opportunity to earn within nine months a sum equalling a Anika König ten-year income. But at the same time, surrogacy is stigmatised and many women hide their pregnancies from their families and friends. Once the pregnancy becomes visible, they move to flats in the city provided by surrogacy agencies. These flats are very impersonal and look as if the surrogates were constantly on the go: they keep all their belongings in plastic bags. The photo shows all the belongings of a surrogate whom I interviewed for my anthropological research on transnational surrogacy. The towel which was hung up to dry on a laundry rack was the most personal item in the room. During one of my visits, she was transferred to the hospital and vacated the room within minutes, leaving no trace. COMMENT OF THE JURY The strength of the picture lies in the obvious absence of its object. It reveals the invisibility of surrogate mothers in society by not showing them, the bags emphasising their precarious and ephemeral status. The composition shows a deep understanding of what photography can achieve, both carrying respect and empathy for its subject while maintaining a distance, similarly to quality works known from photojournalism. THE AUTHOR Anika König (D) is a senior lecturer at the Department of Ethnology at the University of Luzern. She obtained an MA in Social and Cultural Anthropology from Freie Universität Berlin and Sociology from Technische Universität Berlin, and a PhD in Anthropology from the Australian National University. Her current research focuses on transnational gestational surrogacy commissioned by Swiss and German intended parents. First prize Category 3 – Places and Tools of Science SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
Siberian trees witness This picture shows several hundred-year-old living and relict larch (Larix cajanderi Mayr) trees on the extensive, 56 km-long lava flow of 12 1000 years of climate the Anyui volcano in northeastern Siberia (around 68°N and 166°E). While the volcanic complex in Russia’s far Northeast is mainly change unexplored, it provides a unique dendrochronological archive for Andreas Rigling the development of multi-centennial to millennial long, temperature- sensitive tree-ring chronologies, in one of the world’s most remote regions where high-resolution paleoclimatic evidence is still missing. The picture was taken during the first international and interdisciplinary Anyui-Expedition in September 2019, a joint venture of the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom), the Universities of Krasnoyarsk and Yakutsk (both Russia), and the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL (Switzerland). Photo credit: Andreas Rigling, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Switzerland. COMMENT OF THE JURY A clear, honest photographic document set in a dramatic landscape; the image condenses the passing of time over millennia, projecting us into a future impacted by climate change. THE AUTHOR Andreas Rigling (CH), born in 1964, is a forest and dendro- ecologist at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, and adjunct professor at ETH Zürich. Among others, he uses tree rings to analyse current and reconstruct past environmental conditions. He is a dedicated and passionate hobby photographer with a focus on nature and specifically forest topics and he uses photography as an important communication tool for science, teaching and knowledge transfer. Distinction of the jury Category 3 – Places and Tools of Science SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
13 Sequential sequencing 142 years after Eadweard Muybridge’s invention, the principle of chronophotography remains essential in understanding human Reto Togni movement. The image not only builds on a rich cultural heritage of sequence photographs, nowadays best known in extreme sports, but also illustrates cutting-edge scientific processes that reveal internal working principles of the human body. Shown is a gait trial using a unique moving fluoroscope that tracks and follows the movements of a study participant while taking a series of x-ray images to analyse bone kinematics. By merging a series of six photographs taken during the trial, the image not only shows but also follows the maxim of novelty through continuous reinterpretation and repurposing of methods that are more than a century old. COMMENT OF THE JURY A playful mise en abyme of chronophotography, depicting by means of a digital collage the motion of an apparatus that is itself taking sequential X-ray images of the legs of a person walking. It brings into view the actual processes involved in a scientific experiment, rather than solely its results. THE AUTHOR Reto Togni is a PhD candidate at the Laboratory for Movement Biomechanics at ETH Zurich. He holds a BA in Industrial Design and a MA/MSc in Innovation Design Engineering. Mundane everyday things have the capacity to shape, change who people are, what they do, how they view the world and are viewed by others. As a developer of such everyday objects, he disentangles these relationships, analyses their components, prototypes interventions and designs new practices. Distinction of the jury Category 3 – Places and Tools of Science SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
Transparency in A rotating Lego model, which was made transparent by x-ray computed tomography. The coloured structures are traces of 14 science the emission activity of a radioactive substance. These were not visualised with x-rays, but with SPECT, another medical imaging Peter von technique. By combining the two different signals, the exact position Niederhäusern of a contrast medium can be determined. This is important for observing the effects of medical treatments. The film was created for the calibration of a novel 3D reconstruction algorithm. Lego bricks are well suited to this purpose because they are cost-effective and their dimensions are well known. Innovative and low-cost solutions like this can help to achieve scientific goals, too. COMMENT OF THE JURY A mesmerising loop which puzzles the viewers, challenging their sense of orientation until they finally recognise the familiar shape of a popular toy. A vivid illustration that state-of-the-art research can proceed through a joyful bricolage of serendipity and simplicity, here revealing a behind-the-scenes moment, when an apparatus is merely calibrated before its actual use. THE AUTHOR Peter von Niederhäusern, born and raised in Schwarzenburg BE, studied Biomedical Engineering (M.Sc.) at the universities of Bern and Basel and finished his master’s thesis in the domain of eye diseases. His current Ph.D. studies involve the development of novel visualization methods for nuclear medicine specialists. Apart from applied research, Peter is also interested in sports, the marvels of the universe, and all things involving technology and research and their implication for society. First prize Category 4 – Videos SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
15 The digital This video illustrates the computational creation of a prototypical zebrafish embryo. What does the average embryo look like and prototypical embryo how can we find out? We use modern optical microscopy to create 3D reconstructions of living zebrafish embryos. With the help of Marvin Albert computational algorithms we then warp the embryos such that differences in their pose and shape are eliminated. Finally, a 3D representation of the prototypical zebrafish embryo results from overlaying and averaging all of the obtained images. Details: the zebrafish embryos were 36 hours old when their images were taken using multi-view light sheet fluorescence microscopy. The image contrast represents the expression pattern of a chemokine receptor protein, visualising among other structures the eye, the gill arches, vasculature and neuronal bundles. Computational processing of the images was performed on a high performance computer cluster and took two days. COMMENT OF THE JURY A very aesthetic presentation of the scientific method, based on an intuitive way of explaining visually a very complex scientific project: creating virtual lifeforms based on real observations. THE AUTHOR Marvin Albert (born 1989, German) is a biophysicist at the University of Zurich. He creates 3D computer models of animal development. He obtained his PhD from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, where he specialised on extracting quantitative information from microscopy images to study cell movement and tissue growth. Distinction of the jury Category 4 – Videos SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2020
17 SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2021 Concours FNS d’images scientifiques 2021 SNF Wettbewerb für wissenschaftliche Bilder 2021
19 Computed tomography Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) examination of lung disease is becoming increasingly of suspected important as a relatively rapid means of making suspicious findings visually apparent. This study focuses on visual communication of COVID-19 pneumonia findings and the development of new visual display modes using Eloisa Aldomar, Zurich the volume rendering technique (VRT). The 3D reconstruction shows a PMCT of the lungs of a 30-year-old man with classic features of University of the Arts COVID-19 pneumonia. Extensive tissue compaction (with higher density values in the CT data) is not shown. Under proper lighting, the spatial visualisation of the outer part of the lungs enables examination of morphologic abnormalities. The image has been enhanced using both warm and cold light sources. COMMENT OF THE JURY This stunning technical image offers an extremely insightful post- mortem view of the lung of a COVID-19 patient. Its particularity, however, lies in the fact that we are not dealing with a microscopic image here but with a very accurate data visualisation based on VRT. The image emphasises the great educational potential of an aesthetically sensitive translation of data, using colour very sparingly and efficiently. THE AUTHOR Eloisa Aldomar, born in 1977, is a designer based in Switzerland. She obtained her Bachelor (2017) and Master (2019) of Arts ZFH in design with a specialisation in scientific and knowledge visualisation from ZHdK, Zurich. She completed her bachelor and master theses in cooperation with the Institute of Forensic Medicine UZH, Zurich. First prize Category 1 – Object of Study SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2021
Reconstruction tomographique d’une Computer-Tomographie einer Lungen- 20 suspicion de pneumonie COVID-19 entzündung mit Verdacht auf C ovid-19 Eloisa Aldomar, Université des Arts de Zurich Eloisa Aldomar, Zürcher H ochschule der Künste, Zürich Moyen relativement rapide de faire Mit der Covid-19-Pandemie hat die apparaître visuellement des observations postmortale Computertomographie suspectes, la tomodensitométrie post- (PMCT) eine neue Wichtigkeit erlangt, mortem (TPM) des maladies pulmonaires weil sie problematische Befunde bei revêt une importance croissante dans le Lungenkrankheiten schnell sichtbar contexte de la pandémie de COVID-19. Cette machen kann. Die Studie befasst sich étude se concentre sur la communication mit der visuellen Kommunikation von visuelle des résultats et le développement Befunden und der Entwicklung von neuen de nouveaux modes d’affichage visuel visuellen Möglichkeiten, basierend auf der utilisant la technique de rendu volumique Visual Rendering Technique (VRT). Diese (VRT). Cette reconstruction 3D est issue 3D-Rekonstruktion zeigt die PMCT der d’une TPM des poumons d’un homme de 30 Lunge eines 30-jährigen Mannes mit den ans présentant des symptômes classiques klassischen Auffälligkeiten einer Covid- de la pneumonie COVID-19. La fibrose 19-Lungenentzündung. Eine grossflächige étendue des tissus (révélée par des valeurs Gewebeverdichtung (mit höheren de densité plus élevées des données Dichtewerten in den CT-Daten) ist nicht tomographiques) n’apparaît pas. Sous un ersichtlich. Mit der richtigen Helligkeit ist es éclairage approprié, la visualisation spatiale möglich, durch die räumliche Visualisierung de la partie externe des poumons permet den äusseren Bereich der Lunge hinsichtlich d’examiner les anomalies morphologiques. morphologischer Veränderungen zu L’image a été rehaussée en utilisant untersuchen. Das Bild wurde mit warmen différentes sources de lumière chaude et und kalten Lichtquellen bearbeitet. froide. Kommentar der Jury │ Commentaire du jury │ Dieses eindrückliche Bild ermöglicht einen Cette étonnante image technique offre une aufschlussreichen Blick auf die Lunge vue post-mortem des poumons d’un patient eines verstorbenen Covid-19-Patienten. Das COVID-19 extrêmement révélatrice. Sa Besondere ist, dass wir es nicht mit einem particularité réside toutefois dans le fait qu’il mikroskopischen Bild zu tun haben, sondern ne s’agit pas d’une image micrographique, mit einer Visualisierung basierend auf VRT. mais d’une visualisation très précise de Deutlich zeigt sich auch der pädagogische données tomographiques. L’utilisation Wert, den eine ästhetisch feinfühlige économe et efficace des couleurs souligne Umsetzung von Daten hat, hier zum Beispiel le potentiel éducatif élevé d’une traduction durch den zurückhaltenden und effektiven esthétiquement sensible des données. Einsatz von Farben. Premier prix Erster Preis Catégorie 1 – L’objet d’étude Kategorie 1 – Forschungsobjekt
21 Empty memory The image “Empty memory” was recorded by a sophisticated neutron imaging detector. The detector is used in advanced applications Markus Strobl, to observe the interior structures and crystallographic features of materials and specimens which define their mechanical performance. Paul Scherrer Institute In the image shown here, the detector merely recorded the empty beam, without a sample. Thus, it is the performance of the detector itself that is the subject of the specific measurement usually taken as reference for sample data. But the image also reveals the traces of high-intensity beams probed in the past through what might be called a memory effect. As a result, what you see is an image of an empty beam formed primarily by the “memory” of previously recorded empty beams. Together with a distinct pattern of rows of dead pixels, without memory, the image constitutes an abstraction of emptiness and remembered shapes for the viewer to interpret. COMMENT OF THE JURY A poetic way of dealing with abstraction, as revealed by the title. This image, which at first glance resembles a modern painting, is intended to show that every phenomenon leaves traces, even on scientific instruments. The scientist seems to be touched both by the aesthetics of what he sees and by the fact that even the recording of a beam leaves a memory. The jury appreciates this beautiful image, together with the moving narrative about emptiness. THE AUTHOR Markus Strobl, born in 1972, is a scientist whose research focuses on neutron scattering and imaging for materials research. He obtained his PhD from the Technical University of Vienna and has designed and built several neutron instruments. He holds an affiliated professorship at the University of Copenhagen and leads the neutron imaging activities at the Paul Scherrer Institute. In the past, he also contributed works to and curated exhibitions of visual arts in Vienna, Berlin and Genoa. Distinction of the jury Category 1 – Object of Study SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2021
Mémoire vide Leere Erinnerungen 22 Markus Strobl, Institut Paul Scherrer Markus Strobl, Paul Scherrer Institut L’image «Mémoire vide» a été capturée Das Bild «Leere Erinnerung» wurde von par un système d’imagerie neutronique. einem hochmodernen «Neutron Imaging De tels détecteurs sont utilisés dans le Detector» aufgenommen. Das Instrument cadre d’applications sophistiquées afin wird normalerweise verwendet, um d’observer les structures intérieures et les innere Strukturen und kristallographische caractéristiques cristallographiques de Merkmale von Materialien und Präparaten zu matériaux et de spécimens qui définissent beobachten. Das gibt Aufschluss über ihre leurs performances mécaniques. Cependant, mechanischen Eigenschaften. In diesem Bild sur l’image présentée ici, le détecteur a zeichnete der Detektor nur den Strahl selbst uniquement enregistré le faisceau vide auf. So wird die Leistung des Detektors zum sans échantillon. Par suite, ce sont les Zweck der Messung, die sonst als Referenz performances du détecteur lui-même qui für Probedaten gemacht wird. Gleichzeitig font l’objet des mesures spécifiques servant werden auch die Spuren von hochintensiven habituellement de référence aux données Strahlen vergangener Messungen sichtbar. d’échantillonnage. Mais l’image révèle Es handelt sich um einen Memory-Effekt. également les traces de faisceaux de haute Deshalb sieht man hier das Bild eines leeren densité observés dans le passé, traces Strahls, der aus der Erinnerung von anderen induites par ce qui pourrait être appelé leeren Strahlen entstanden ist. Zusammen un effet mémoire. Au final, on contemple mit dem charakteristischen Muster der toten l’image d’un faisceau vide principalement Pixels ist das Bild eine Abstraktion der Leere formé par la «mémoire» des faisceaux und von Formen, die aus der Erinnerung vides préalablement enregistrés. En raison entstanden sind und auf verschiedene Weise du dessin distinctif formé par les rangées interpretiert werden können. de pixels morts et sans mémoire, cette image constitue une abstraction de vides Kommentar der Jury et de formes mémorisées qui est laissée à Im Titel zeigt sich ein poetischer Umgang l’interprétation de l’observateur. mit Abstraktion. Das Bild, das auf den ersten Blick einem modernen Gemälde ähnlich Commentaire du jury sieht, zeigt, dass alle Phänomene Spuren Comme le titre le révèle, il s’agit là d’une hinterlassen, sogar auf wissenschaftlichen manière poétique de traiter l’abstraction. Geräten. Der Forscher erfasst die Ästhetik Ressemblant à première vue à une peinture des Bildes und staunt über die Tatsache, moderne, cette image vise à mettre en dass sogar ein Strahl eine Spur hinterlässt. lumière que chaque phénomène laisse Die Jury ist beeindruckt von der Schönheit des traces, même sur les instruments des Bildes und der treffenden Beschreibung scientifiques. Le scientifique semble à la fois der Leere. touché par l’esthétisme de ce qu’il voit et par le fait que même l’enregistrement d’un faisceau de neutrons laisse des traces. Le jury apprécie la beauté de cette image et sa façon émouvante de mettre en scène le vide. Mention du jury Auszeichnung der Jury Catégorie 1 – L’objet d’étude Kategorie 1 – Forschungsobjekt
23 Dissection of a stink These days, the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is a major invasive insect pest in European horticulture. By analysing bug’s gut the bug’s gut microbiota, we hope to find entomopathogenic bacteria which could be used as biological control agents. To this end, Samuel Cia, ETH stink bugs had first to be caught and dissected. This image shows Zurich the dissected digestive tract of an adult H. halys, including fore-, mid- and hind guts as well as the insect’s red-coloured symbiont- inhabiting crypts. The gut dissection and image were made under a dissecting microscope. Neither the organs nor the image were artificially coloured. COMMENT OF THE JURY A beautiful and naturally coloured image of a very obscure field of research. While the jury liked the fragility and poetry the image conveys, this research into the gut microbiota of small bugs also points to an epistemological paradox: the careful study of entomopathogenic bacteria is being done primarily to find ways of controlling populations of the stink bug, which is considered a pest in horticulture. THE AUTHOR Samuel Cia was born in 1992 and studied agricultural sciences at ETH Zurich. He obtained his master’s through a joint research project of ETH Zurich and Agroscope in Wädenswil on the invasive pest H. halys and its gut microbiome. After gaining experience in research groups specialising in breeding, microbiology and horticulture, he is now working at Agroscope testing varieties of pome fruit. Distinction of the jury Category 1 – Object of Study SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2021
Dissection des intestins d’une punaise Sezierung des Darms einer Wanze 24 Samuel Cia, ETH Zurich Samuel Cia, ETH Zürich Communément appelée punaise diabolique Die Marmorierte Baumwanze (Halyomorpha ou punaise marbrée, l’Halyomorpha halys), auch als Stinkkäfer bekannt, ist halys constitue de nos jours une espèce ein invasives Insekt, das im Obst- und extrêmement invasive pour l’horticulture Gartenbau in Europa grosse Schäden européenne. En analysant son microbiote anrichtet. In der Darmflora der Wanze hoffen intestinal, l’équipe de recherche espère wir Bakterien zu finden, die für die Wanze identifier des bactéries entomopathogènes schädlich sind und als biologisches Mittel qui pourraient être utilisées comme agents zu ihrer Bekämpfung eingesetzt werden de lutte biologique. A cette fin, les punaises können. Zu diesem Zweck mussten die Tiere ont tout d’abord dû être capturées et gefangen und seziert werden. Im Bild sieht disséquées. Sur cette photo apparaissent man den Verdauungstrakt einer adulten les parties antérieures, intermédiaires Wanze mit Vorder-, Mittel- und Hinterdarm et postérieures des intestins disséqués sowie die rotgefärbte Krypte, in der d’une H. halys, ainsi que les cryptes de endosymbiotische Mikroorganismen leben. couleur rouge abritant le microbiote de Die Sezierung und das Bild wurden unter l’insecte. La dissection des organes et einem Seziermikroskop gemacht. Weder l’image correspondante ont été réalisées die Organe noch das Bild wurden farblich au microscope et sans aucune coloration nachbearbeitet. artificielle. Kommentar der Jury Commentaire du jury │ Ein farblich nicht nachbearbeitetes Bild Une magnifique image aux teintes naturelles grosser Schönheit aus einem unbekannten qui illustre un domaine de la recherche Forschungsgebiet. Der Jury gefiel die encore très obscur. Si le jury a aimé la Zartheit und Poesie, die das Bild ausstrahlt. fragilité et la poésie qu’elle dégage, les Gleichzeitig weist die Forschung auf ein recherches effectuées sur le microbiote interessantes epistemologisches Paradox intestinal de petits insectes mettent aussi hin: Das Studium entomopathogener en lumière un paradoxe épistémologique. Bakterien im Darm der Wanze dient dazu, Cette étude minutieuse des bactéries neue Mittel zur Bekämpfung derselben entomopathogènes est en effet Wanze zu finden, weil diese im Obst- und principalement poursuivie afin de découvrir Gartenbau als Schädling gilt. des moyens de contrôler les populations de punaises, qui sont considérées comme des parasites au regard de l’horticulture. Mention du jury Auszeichnung der Jury Catégorie 1 – L’objet d’étude Kategorie 1 – Forschungsobjekt
25 Alpine root diversity The leaves and flowers we observe in alpine grasslands are merely the tip of an iceberg, as roots and rhizomes account for around Patrick Möhl, 80 per cent of grassland biomass. A look below ground reveals an astonishing diversity of root structures with different colours, University of Basel thicknesses and branching patterns. Recent technical advances have allowed us to capture the full range of root structures in situ, from tiny root hairs to thick rhizomes. We can monitor root growth and tackle important questions about how alpine plants respond to climate change. The roots shown here were scanned directly through a transparent PVC (polyvinyl chloride) tube at a soil depth of 0–20 centimetres in a typical alpine grassland at 2,500 metres above sea level. After recovering from a five-week summer drought, alpine plants produced more roots. COMMENT OF THE JURY This image focuses on the soil and on what we usually do not see: a nice, surprising view of the underground hidden network that connects plants. The image depicts the material evidence of structures still poorly studied that enable plants and multi-species communities to communicate via the soil. THE AUTHOR Patrick Möhl, born in 1990, studied biology as an undergraduate and is now a PhD candidate in ecology at the University of Basel. His work addresses how climate change affects alpine plants, with a focus on their small but very abundant roots. He has always enjoyed photography and is amazed that the scientific methods used to monitor root growth can also produce inspiring imagery. Distinction of the jury Category 1 – Object of Study SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2021
Diversité racinaire alpine Wurzeldiversität in den Alpen 26 Patrick Möhl, Université de Bâle Patrick Möhl, Universität Basel Les feuilles et les fleurs des prairies alpines Die Gräser und Blumen einer alpinen Wiese ne constituent que le sommet de l’iceberg sind nur die Spitze des Eisbergs, da etwa dans la mesure où racines et rhizomes 80% der Biomasse einer Wiese aus Wurzeln représentent près de 80% de leur biomasse. und Rhizomen bestehen. Ein Blick unter Si l’on plonge sous la surface du sol, une die Oberfläche zeigt eine grosse Vielfalt surprenante variété de structures racinaires von Wurzeln: Sie weisen unterschiedliche offrant différentes couleurs, épaisseurs Farben, Dicken und Verzweigungsmuster et ramifications s’offre alors au regard. auf. Neuste technische Entwicklungen De récentes avancées technologiques machen es möglich, die ganze Bandbreite permettent de saisir in situ ces structures von Wurzelstrukturen vor Ort abzubilden, dans toute leur complexité, des racines les von feinsten Wurzelhaaren bis zu dicken plus fines de l’épaisseur d’un cheveu aux Rhizomen. So können wir das Wachstum épais rhizomes. Dédiée à la surveillance de von Wurzeln überwachen und bekommen la croissance des racines, cette technique Hinweise darauf, wie alpine Pflanzen auf permet aussi d’aborder d’importantes den Klimawandel reagieren. Die Wurzeln questions quant à la manière dont les in diesem Bild wurden direkt mit einer plantes alpines s’adaptent au changement transparenten PVC-Röhre in einer Bodentiefe climatique. Les racines exposées ici ont été von 0-20 cm gescannt. Es handelt sich um scannées directement à travers un tube de eine typische alpine Wiese auf 2500 Meter PVC (polychlorure de vinyle) transparent à über Meer. Nachdem sie sich von einer une profondeur de 0-20 centimètres dans fünfwöchigen Trockenperiode erholt hatten, une prairie alpine typique à 2500 mètres intensivierten die alpinen Pflanzen das d’altitude. Après s’être remises d’une Wurzelwachstum. sécheresse estivale de cinq semaines, les plantes alpines produisent plus de racines. Kommentar der Jury Das Bild zeigt uns, was normalerweise unter Commentaire du jury der Erdoberfläche verborgen bleibt – ein Cette image se focalise sur le sol et ce que dichtes Wurzelgeflecht, das die Pflanzen im l’on ne voit habituellement pas: une vue Untergrund miteinander verbindet. Auf dem esthétique et surprenante du mystérieux Bild manifestieren sich kaum erforschte réseau souterrain qui relie les plantes. Elle Strukturen, die es möglich machen, dass offre un reflet matériel de ces structures Pflanzen und Pflanzengruppen im Boden toujours trop peu étudiées qui permettent miteinander kommunizieren. aux plantes et aux communautés multi- espèces de communiquer par l’intermédiaire du sol. Mention du jury Auszeichnung der Jury Catégorie 1 – L’objet d’étude Kategorie 1 – Forschungsobjekt
27 The cube This image was acquired by a scanning electron microscope at 2,700 times magnification. This cube comes from a microbial mat collected Clément Pollier, in the Laguna de los Cisnes (Tierra del Fuego, Chile) as part of my master’s thesis in geology. The microbial mats are mainly composed University of Geneva of cyanobacteria responsible for the precipitation of carbonates. The origin of this cube is not fully understood. It probably corresponds to a resistant form of metabolic dormancy (also called “gemmule”) produced by cyanobacteria when they are subjected to stressful environmental conditions (in this case, strong salinity). When conditions improve, a new cyanobacterium forms from this gemmule in a process similar to germination. COMMENT OF THE JURY A stunning view of an unexplained phenomenon: square microbial mats found, for example, in the formation process of strombolites. The picture has a very strong visual and conceptual impact. The black-and-white colouring makes it dramatic. The surprising geometry found in natural systems is fascinating and symbolises the doubt humans feel when other-than-human agents produce structures with right angles. THE AUTHOR Clément Pollier, born in 1998, is a master’s student in geomicrobiology at the University of Geneva, where he obtained his Bachelor in Earth and Environmental Sciences and was also awarded an Excellence Master Fellowship. He is doing his thesis on the microbialites of the Laguna de los Cisnes (southernmost Chile). Distinction of the jury Category 1 – Object of Study SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2021
Le cube Der Würfel 28 Clément Pollier, Université de Genève Clément Pollier, Universität Genf Cette image a été réalisée au moyen d’un Das Bild wurde mit einem microscope à balayage électronique à Rasterelektronenmikroskop mit 2700-facher un grossissement de 2700 fois. Ce cube Vergrösserung aufgenommen. Der Würfel provient d’un tapis microbien prélevé stammt aus einem Biofilm, den ich in dans la Laguna de los Cisnes (Terre de der Laguna de los Cisnes (Feuerland, Feu, Chili) dans le cadre de mon mémoire Chile) für meine Masterarbeit in Geologie de géologie. Les tapis microbiens sont gesammelt habe. Diese mikrobiellen principalement composés de cyanobactéries Matten bestehen aus Cyanobakterien, qui sont responsables de la précipitation die für die Kalkausfällung verantwortlich des carbonates. L’origine de ce cube n’est sind. Der Ursprung des Würfels ist nicht pas entièrement élucidée. Il correspond ganz geklärt. Wahrscheinlich handelt certainement à une forme résistante de es sich um einen umweltresistenten repos métabolique (également appelée metabolischen Ruhezustand (Gemmula), «gemmule») produite par les cyanobactéries in den die Cyanobakterien eintreten, wenn lorsqu’elles sont soumises à des conditions sie Stressfaktoren ausgesetzt sind (in environnementales stressantes (une forte diesem Fall ein hoher Salzgehalt). Wenn sich salinité dans le présent cas). Lorsque die Umgebungsbedingungen verbessern, les conditions s’améliorent, une nouvelle entsteht in einem Prozess, der einer cyanobactérie se forme à partir de cette Keimung ähnelt, ein neues Cyanobakterium gemmule lors d’un processus similaire à la aus der Gemmula. germination. Kommentar der Jury Commentaire du jury Ein fantastisches Bild eines unerklärten Image étonnante d’un phénomène Phänomens: eine würfelförmige mikrobielle inexpliqué, les tapis microbiens cubiques Struktur aus einem Biofilm, der zum apparaissent par exemple lors du processus Beispiel beim Entstehungsprozess von de formation des stromatolites. De par l’effet Stromatolithen auftritt. Das Bild hat dramatique du traitement noir et blanc, elle eine starke visuelle und konzeptionelle exerce un fort impact visuel et conceptuel. Wirkung. Dass es in Schwarz und Weiss La surprenante géométrie des systèmes ist, verleiht ihm eine gewisse Dramatik. naturels s’avère fascinante et symbolise Die für natürliche Systeme überraschende les doutes ressentis par l’Homme lorsque Geometrie ist faszinierend und symbolisiert des agents non humains produisent des den Zweifel, den Menschen verspüren, wenn structures à angles droits. nicht-menschliche Wesen Strukturen mit rechten Winkeln produzieren. Mention du jury Auszeichnung der Jury Catégorie 1 – L’objet d’étude Kategorie 1 – Forschungsobjekt
29 Surveying alpine For Lukas and me, our research at Furka was always teamwork. This image is emblematic of that spirit. We each do our task alone, but solifluction at Furka we are connected through the telescope of a surveying instrument. Being connected allows us to work together as a team. Even if Armin Rist and there is only one person in focus here, as is so often the case in Lukas Munz, research, we can only be successful together. The picture shows a field operation on the Blauberg near the Furka Pass. We use a total University of Bern station and a reflector to measure the positions of points marked in the terrain in order to determine the rate of movement of the frost-induced, downhill soil substrate displacement – so-called solifluction. The unusually early onset of winter took us by surprise, but we were still able to carry out our survey to a large extent. Comment of the jury This image tells us a story about the teamwork, solidarity and trust needed during scientific explorations in extreme environments. The framing is strong, with the telescope used here as a device – normally not even intended to take pictures – that connects the remotely operating researchers in their collaborative tasks. Reversing the first impression of a cross-hairs sight where the other becomes a target, it represents the importance of mutual trust in science in a spectacular way. The author Lukas Munz studied geography at the University of Bern. He wrote his master’s thesis on the hydrothermal regime of the soil as a factor in alpine solifluction. He is currently doing his doctorate at the Mobiliar Lab for Natural Risks at the University of Bern’s Institute of Geography. His research focuses on flood risks, risk awareness and risk communication First prize Category 2 – Women and Men of Science SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2021
Surveillance de la solifluction alpine au col Alpine Solifluktion an der Furka 30 de la Furka Armin Rist und Lukas Munz, Universität Bern Armin Rist et Lukas Munz, Université de Berne Pour Lukas et moi, les recherches que Für Lukas und mich war die Forschung nous effectuons à Furka ont toujours an der Furka eine Teamarbeit. Das Bild constitué un travail d’équipe. Cette photo versinnbildlicht dieses Gefühl. Wir machen est emblématique de cet état d’esprit. Nous unsere Arbeit beide alleine, sind aber accomplissons nos tâches respectives durch das Teleskop des Messinstruments seuls, mais nous sommes connectés verbunden. So können wir als Team arbeiten. par l’intermédiaire de l’instrument de Auch wenn im Bild nur eine Person im Fokus surveillance que constitue le télescope. Le steht, ist eine gute Zusammenarbeit – wie fait d’être reliés nous permet de travailler so oft in der Forschung – der Schlüssel en équipe. Même si une seule personne zum Erfolg. Das Bild entstand während apparaît ici sous l’objectif, nous pouvons einer Feldstudie auf dem Blauberg in der uniquement réussir ensemble – comme Nähe des Furkapasses. Wir verwenden ein c’est souvent le cas dans la recherche. Cette Tachymeter und einen Reflektor, um die photo représente une opération de terrain Position von markierten Punkten zu messen. menée sur le Blauberg à proximité du col Damit wollen wir die Solifluktion bestimmen, de la Furka. Nous utilisons une station also die im Oberboden durch Frost intégrale et un réflecteur pour mesurer la entstehenden Bewegungen. Der unerwartet position de points repérés au sol afin de frühe Wintereinbruch überraschte uns, déterminer la vitesse du glissement du aber wir konnten einen Grossteil unserer substrat, ou solifluction, induit par le gel. Messungen trotzdem durchführen. L’arrivée inhabituellement précoce de l’hiver nous avait pris par surprise, mais nous avons Kommentar der Jury néanmoins pu mener à bien une grande Das Bild zeigt den Wert von Teamwork, partie de notre étude. Solidarität und Vertrauen während wissenschaftlichen Experimenten in Commentaire du jury extremen Wetterverhältnissen. Das Teleskop, Cette image témoigne du travail d’équipe, das normalerweise in der Fotographie nicht de la solidarité et de la confiance qui sont zum Einsatz kommt, setzt einen strengen nécessaires aux explorations scientifiques Rahmen, der die beiden Forscher in ihrer effectuées dans les environnements kollaborativen Arbeit verbindet. Durch die extrêmes. Le cadrage est affirmé: le Umkehrung des ersten Eindrucks – die télescope – qui n’est normalement Person befindet sich nicht im Fadenkreuz aucunement destiné à prendre des eines Visiers – wird auf spektakuläre Weise photos – est utilisé ici comme un appareil die Wichtigkeit von gegenseitigem Vertrauen qui relie les chercheurs éloignés lors in der Wissenschaft aufgezeigt. de l’accomplissement de leurs tâches communes. Inversant la première impression d’un regard croisé où l’autre devient cible, elle souligne de manière spectaculaire l’importance que la confiance mutuelle revêt pour les sciences. Premier prix Erster Preis Catégorie 2 – Les femmes et les Kategorie 2 – Männer und Frauen hommes de la science der Wissenschaft
31 Science during a The picture shows Melissa standing in one of the many aisles of the Entomological Collection at ETH Zurich (EEC). She studies how pandemic diet shapes butterflies’ distribution, morphology and behaviour, especially butterflies that feed on poisonous plants. Here she holds Fabienne Meier, ETH a drawer of butterflies of the genus Luthrodes, some of which feed Zurich on toxic plants that have been shown to cause neurodegenerative diseases when consumed by humans. Understanding how these tiny insects are able to feed on poisonous plants with impunity is one of Melissa’s primary research goals. The COVID-19 pandemic has made Melissa’s scientific fieldwork impossible, but she is able to use the historical holdings of the EEC to continue her research. She has used specimens from the collection to identify the historical distribution of species which are now considered rare, extracted their DNA to understand their evolutionary relationships and examined their wing patterns to investigate how diet influences defensive traits. COMMENT OF THE JURY A snapshot that shows research work altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of fieldwork, activities shift towards studies of dead specimens in a closed environment. Still, science goes on. THE AUTHOR Fabienne Meier, born in 1995, is studying environmental science at ETH Zurich towards a master’s degree with a focus on forest and landscape management. Besides her studies she works at the EEC, assisting in archiving the Palearctic insect holdings. In her free time, she enjoys nature photography. Distinction of the jury Category 2 – Women and Men of Science SNSF Scientific Image Competition 2021
La science durant une pandémie Wissenschaft während der Pandemie 32 Fabienne Meier, ETH Zurich Fabienne Meier, ETH Zürich Cette photographie représente Melissa dans Auf dem Bild steht meine Teamkollegin l’une des nombreuses ailes de la Collection Melissa in der entomologischen Sammlung entomologique de l’ETH Zurich (EEC). Elle der ETH Zürich. Sie untersucht, wie die étudie comment le régime alimentaire Ernährung von Schmetterlingen die des papillons influe sur leur répartition, Verbreitung, die Morphologie und das leur morphologie et leur comportement, Verhalten beeinflusst; insbesondere bei en particulier lorsqu’ils se nourrissent de Schmetterlingen, die sich von giftigen plantes toxiques. Elle tient ici un tiroir rempli Pflanzen ernähren. Hier trägt sie die de Luthrodes, dont certains basent leur Schublade mit Schmetterlingen der Gattung alimentation sur des espèces végétales Luthrodes. Einige dieser Schmetterlinge qui, du fait de leur toxicité, provoquent des ernähren sich von giftigen Pflanzen, die in maladies neurodégénératives lorsque des Menschen neurodegenerative Erkrankungen êtres humains les consomment. Comprendre auslösen. Sie will in ihrer Forschung comment ces insectes fragiles peuvent insbesondere herausfinden, wie es se régaler en toute impunité de plantes möglich ist, dass das Gift keine negativen vénéneuses constitue l’un des principaux Auswirkungen auf diese kleinen Insekten objectifs de recherche de Melissa. Dans hat. Die Covid-19-Pandemie verunmöglichte l’impossibilité de se rendre sur le terrain du die Arbeit im Feld, aber dank der grossen fait de la pandémie, elle peut exploiter les Insektensammlung an der ETH konnte fonds historiques de l’ECC pour poursuivre Melissa ihre Forschung fortsetzen. Sie ses travaux scientifiques. Elle a ainsi hat die historische Verbreitung der heute utilisé des spécimens de cette collection seltenen Arten bestimmt und ihre DNA pour identifier la répartition historique analysiert, um evolutionäre Beziehungen de papillons désormais considérés zwischen verschiedenen Arten zu verstehen. comme rares, extrait leur ADN pour mieux Zudem hat sie die Flügelmuster studiert, um appréhender leurs relations évolutionnaires herauszufinden, wie sich die Ernährung auf et examiné les dessins de leurs ailes pour Verteidigungseigenschaften auswirkt. étudier dans quelle mesure leur régime alimentaire influe sur leurs caractéristiques Kommentar der Jury défensives. Eine geglückte Momentaufnahme, die zeigt, wie sich die Forschung durch Covid-19 Commentaire du jury verändert hat. Die Arbeit im Feld wurde Un instantané qui reflète la manière dont la durch das Studium von präparierten pandémie de COVID-19 affecte la recherche. Exemplaren im geschlossenen Raum ersetzt. Les activités se déplacent des travaux de Und trotzdem: Die Forschung geht weiter. terrain à l’étude de spécimens morts dans un environnement clos. Mais la science poursuit son chemin. Mention du jury Auszeichnung der Jury Catégorie 2 – Les femmes et les Kategorie 2 – Männer und Frauen hommes de la science der Wissenschaft
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