The Glass Diseasery

What you see above is the bacterium Escherichia coli (better known as E. Coli; you may remember it from every product recall ever), rendered in glass by UK-based artist Luke Jerram.

It is part of a series called “Glass Microbiology,” which Jerram created in part to dispel the common mental picture of diseases as being festively colored (thanks to their depictions in medical literature).  The microbes themselves are naturally transparent and, as it turns out, freakier looking than we think.  More pics and video after the jump.

A comparison shot of smallpox, the flu, and HIV

HIV, or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, as we are used to “seeing” it:

H1N1 (née Swine Flu) detail:

…and for the curious, here you may see the making of HIV in action:

These will be on display September 22 through October 3 at the Smithfield Gallery, London.

(Thanks to We Make Money Not Art for the link!)