Seeing Streptococcus pneumoniae, a Common Killer Bacteria

Look around you. The diversity and complexity of life on earth is overwhelming and data continues to grow. In our desire to understand and explain everything scientifically from molecular evolution to supernovas we depend on visual representations. This paper investigates visual representations of the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae by use of ink, watercolours and computer graphics. We propose a novel artistic visual rendering of Streptococcus pneumoniae and ask what the value of these kind of representations are compared to traditional scientific data. We ask if drawings and computer-assisted representations can add to our scientific knowledge about this dangerous bacterium. Is there still a role for the scientific illustrator in the scientific process and synthesis of scientific knowledge?