SCIENCE

Genetics cartoons – a big hand for genetic manipulation

Genetics cartoon
Genetically modified humans – who can fly

A cartoon about the idea that genetic modification can be used to alter human beings

The genetically modified people in the cartoon have had their dna altered to give them gigantic hands (maybe by altering a gene that is responsible for gigantism). Their huge hands are being used as wings to give them the power of flight.

Cartoon reference:a669
Chemistry cartoons – graphene

Chemistry cartoons.
A joke about graphene.

Chemistry humour – my chemistry comic strip in Chemistry World magazine.

This cartoon is about the form of carbon known as graphene – sheets of carbon that are a single atom thick. The humour lies in the fact that it isn’t possible to create a version of an element that is thinner than a single atom of the element, so the chemist in the cartoon is trying to achieve the impossible (in the pursuit of professional prestige?).

Ref: a668
Genetics cartoons

Genetics cartoon

This is a cartoon about genetics that I designed, to illustrate the concept of life balancing on a strand of dna, like a tightrope walker.
My cartoons on genetics have been published in magazines such as Nature and Chemistry World (the magazine of the “Royal Society of Chemistry).

Click here to see more of my genetics cartoons.
Prehistoric early bird catches the worm

Cartoon about the saying “The early bird catches the worm”

The joke is that the ‘early bird’ is literally an early bird in evolutionary terms, such as an archaeopteryx.

A cartoon about evolution, prehistoric creatures.

sayings and proverbs

Ref: a620
Cartoon – the medicalisation of personality disorders (and of normal personality traits)

Medicalisation of deviant behaviour cartoon
The nature v nurture debate on human personality
Neurological origins of behavioural traits

A cartoon about the tendency to invoke medical reasons for deviant personality traits, for abnormal personality traits or even for normal aspects of personality.
It shows one aspect of the nature v nurture debate

An illustration about the medicalization of behaviour. This may include behavioural syndromes ranging from psychopathic tendencies and deviance to conditions such as hyperactivity, ADHD (attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder), rebelliousness or non-conformity.
In this cartoon I’ve invented a medical condition that is being used by a parent to justify her child’s aberrant or antisocial behavior

The cartoon reflects the tendency to claim, for instance, that particular parts of dna are responsible for criminal behaviour – thus removing responsibility from the person and placing it on the dna
The image is not meant to imply that there is no neurological basis for behaviour, just that it can sometimes be used as an excuse for bad behaviour
The subject of neurological origins for criminal behaviour is dealt with in the book The Anatomy of Violence by Adrian Raine

The cartoon was first published in Prospect magazine in May 2013

Cartoon reference number: a591
A quote about science: SCIENCE LIES… at the heart of our search for truth

A science quote about the truth of the scientific purpose.
A riposte to anti-science

Quote playing with the fact that some people misrepresent science as telling lies about the nature of things.
The quote is my own
A typography-based image
This quote is a riposte to the claim by anti-scientific sections of society that science peddles lies and untruths (often at the behest of big business, drug companies, governments and other interested parties). Such critics of science are often unaware of the scientific method.

Cartoon reference number: a631
God doesn’t play dice with the universe – cartoon

God doesn’t play dice with the universe – he prefers card games

A cartoon based on Einstein’s quote “God doesn’t play dice with the universe”. In the cartoon God is playing a game of cards instead

This image has been used on the cover of a pack of playing cards that was used as a gift for physics students

Ref a625
Thinking cap – a cartoon about cognition

Cognition cartoon

A cartoon showing a person putting on a ‘thinking cap’.
The thinking cap resembles a brain.

An image about thought processes, thinking, the nature of consciousness, cognition, studying, problem solving – illustrating the saying “Put on your thinking cap”

Original version drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: a609
Altruism cartoon

Altruism cartoon

An illustration depicting altruistic behavior

The cartoon shows a person spanning a chasm or abyss, acting as a bridge with other people walking across.
The benefits of altruism are sometimes debated in evolutionary terms, sometimes arguing that altruism evolved because the good of the group is more important than the good of the individual. Altruism may also be seen as a form of display, where the altruistic individual is displaying his or her positive qualities to others, thus improving social status.
The illustration could also be interpreted as depicting exploitation, depending on context

Cartoon created: 2010

Cartoon reference number: a616
Neurological or genetic causes of criminality – cartoon

Medicalisation of deviant behaviour cartoon
Neurological origins of behavioural traits
Neurocriminology and its implications

A cartoon about the possibility that criminal behaviour or deviant behaviour may sometimes (or often) have its roots in a person’s biology.
The idea that personality may be determined by biology is one aspect of the nature v nurture debate, and has implications for the concept of free will

An illustration about the medicalization of behaviour. This may include behavioural syndromes ranging from psychopathic tendencies and deviance to conditions such as hyperactivity, ADHD (attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder), rebelliousness or non-conformity.

The cartoon illustrates the tendency of criminal lawyers to sometimes claim, for instance, that particular parts of dna or neurological makeup are responsible for criminal behaviour – thus removing responsibility from the person and placing it on the person’s dna or neurology.
The subject of neurological origins for criminal behaviour is dealt with in the book The Anatomy of Violence by Adrian Raine

The cartoon was first published in Philosophy Now magazine

Cartoon reference number: a607
Genetic modification cartoon – the wonders of science

Genetics cartoons

A cartoon about genetic engineering or genetic manipulation

The illustration shows the results of scientists modifying the genes that are responsible for hand size.
In nature, birds evolved wings from hands – this cartoon shows humans bypassing evolution to achieve the same ends

Original version: 2000

This version: 2005

Cartoon reference number: a598
Professor Brian Cox cartoon – we are stardust

Professor Brian Cox cartoon
We are made of stardust

A humorous comment about the fact that all of the elements apart from hydrogen and helium were created inside stars – so everything is made of stardust, including the less pleasant things

The joke here is that when the tv astronomer Professor Brian Cox says that everything is made of stardust he really lays it on thick in a way that many people, especially women, find very attractive. So here the woman is actually saying that she finds Brian Cox attractive, and it even affects her attitude to slugs

See my book on the nature of the universe

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: a586
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck caricature as giraffe

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck caricature as giraffe

A caricature of Lamarck, who is associated with the theory of evolution through the inheritance of acquired characteristics or Lamarckism

Lamarck’s head has been given a giraffe’s body, in reference to the famous caricature of Charles Darwin as an ape (a version of which can be found on this site). The giraffe is based on a woodcut of a giraffe by wood engraver Thomas Bewick

Cartoon reference number: a570
Cartoon – creatures from earth that look like aliens

From my selection of science fiction cartoons
Creatures from earth that look like aliens from another planet

A cartoon showing that life on earth is as weird as extraterrestrial life

This cartoon was drawn many years ago, but is relevant today due to the BBC series Alien Nation, about the bizarre and otherworldly appearance of insects. Fish look pretty weird too don’t you think?

Cartoon reference number: a560
Science fiction cartoon – an alien planet where the aliens look almost human

Science fiction cartoon
Cartoon – an alien planet where the inhabitants are almost human

The justification of extraterrestrials appearing human in form is sometimes justified by the theory of parallel evolution or convergent evolution

Part of the joke in this cartoon is that in many science fiction stories the aliens look very similar to people (and even speak English). I’ve retained the humanoid appearance here, but made one small alteration – I’ve put the features of the head upside down.

The point of this cartoon is to show that even a small deviation from the norm can make a human-like form look very odd, due to our sensitivity to the human form

Cartoon reference number: a559
Cartoon about the fact that most living things are symmetrical

Cartoon about the fact that most living things are symmetrical

Most lifeforms are symmetrical about a vertical plane that bisects them
This cartoon draws attention to the fact that we rarely even notice this fact. It does this by inventing a planet inhabited by asymmetrical aliens who find the idea of symmetry bizarre in a “strange but true” or “believe it or not” way

Cartoon reference number: a557
Evolutionary arms race cartoon

Evolution cartoon – the evolution of superior life-forms
A cartoon strip showing weapons evolving from bows and arrows to guns and bullets

This strip is about the concept of evolution as a form of evolutionary arms race, where one thing evolves into another, slightly superior form.

Cartoon reference number: a555
The evolution of humour – cartoon

Cartoon – the evolution of humor

An illustration using the classic ‘evolution of man from ape’ tableau, showing modern man developing a sense of humour.

Humour is depicted using the trope of a banana skin

Cartoon reference number: a549
Science cartoon. Artificial life cartoon

A cartoon from my selection of science cartoons
Artificial life cartoon
Creating life in the laboratory

Dna cartoon
A cartoon showing a scientist in a science laboratory that does research into artificial life.
He has dropped a test tube on the floor. A strand of dna is wriggling away, like a snake.

An illustration about the fears that are raised about scientific experiments going wrong and unleashing problems on the world (such as epidemics of diseases and so on)

More of my science cartoons

Cartoon reference number: a540
A neurology cartoon about apophenia – seeing faces where they don’t exist

Apophenia cartoon – seeing faces where they don’t exist
A cartoon from my selection of science cartoons

A cartoon showing scientists in a neurology department canteen. One of the scientists is about to eat a pizza and is saying “Amazing – this pizza looks exactly like the brain scan of someone who’s experiencing apophenia.”

The cartoon is about visual interpretation of images, false positives, the evolution of vision, neuroimaging, brain function, functional magnetic resonance imaging, computed axial tomography

Cartoon reference number: a539
Illustration – do we live inside a hologram?

Do we live inside a hologram? Cartoon

A cartoon showing people climbing out of the holgram panel on a credit card.
The caption reads “Bad news. Not only are we living inside a hologram, but we’re nearing our expiry date.”

The illustration is about whether our three dimensional reality is a form of hologram like projection or illusion.
The joke is in comparing a grand theory of a hologramic universe with the mundane hologram on a credit card.
A cartoon about the nature of the universe, virtual reality

Cartoon reference number: a538
Altruism cartoon.

Altruism cartoon. Mindless violence and mindless altruism.
The evolution of altruism

A cartoon about the emergence of altruism in nature.

The cartoon shows prehistoric men or cave men fighting. Another prehistoric man is rushing to the scene of the violence to care for the wounded. Yet another caveman is wondering about the evolution of altruism as a personality trait.

Cartoon reference number: a535
Culturally determined world views – cartoon

A cartoon about culturally determined world views
The idea that different cultures will use whatever methods are at their disposal to reinforce their established philosophy of how the world works.

An observation about theological determinism, cultural bias in science, cognitive dissonance, pseudoscience

The cartoon shows a nonspecific non-western culture planning to build their own large hadron collider (LHC) to obtain results that are consistent with their cultural heritage.
It is an illustration about the misrepresentation of science or the lack of use of the scientific method.

Update: The cartoon was drawn in 2010, however it is possibly more relevant now, in 2023, with the rise of anticolonialism and antiscience thinking (which is the concept that science is a white, western construct). For instance I’ve just read an article by Richard Dawkins about the fact that in New Zealand the government is currently instigating a scheme in which science in schools will have to be taught with the Maori ‘Ways of Knowing’ (Matauranga Maori) having equal standing with ‘western’ science (The Spectator, March 2023).

Cartoon first published: November 2010, BBC Knowledge magazine

Cartoon reference number: a534
Science cartoons: creating mathematical order out of chaos

Science cartoons – mathematics
Creating mathematical order out of chaos

A cartoon showing mathematicians or scientists writing mathematical equations on a blackboard.
One scientist is saying “At last – we’ve created mathematical order in a chaotic universe!”

Part of the joke is that the maths on the blackboard look totally chaotic and incomprehensible, illustrating the common opinion that maths is a difficult subject

Cartoon reference number: a533
Science cartoons

A cartoon from my selection of science cartoons
Scientific research cartoon

Cartoon about resistance to change in sectors of the scientific establishment
The cartoon is focused on conservatism in the scientific establishment.
The caption says “Our research proves that the scientific establishment has developed immunity to radical new ideas.’

The cartoon illustrates the fact that all organisations and disciplines can be conservative to some extent

Cartoon reference number: a531
Anti-vax cartoon

Anti-vax cartoon

A cartoon about anti-vaxxers and anti-vax conspiracy theories.
Anti-vax conspiracy theories are common at the time of writing (2020).
This cartoon however was drawn in 2007 (I think) for a BBC science magazine for an article about vaccine scare hysteria created by media driven hysteria over health issues. I think that was traditional media in those days, not social media as it would be now.
The cartoon shows a doctor looking at a hyperdermic syringe and thinking “One of the side effects of this vaccine will be a hysterical reaction in the media.”

A joke about medicine, doctors, hypodermic syringes, vaccinations, anti-vax, anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theories.

Cartoon drawn: 2007

Cartoon reference number: a530
The law of unintended consequences – cartoon

A cartoon about the law of unintended consequences

The image shows an inventor worrying about the possible consequences once his invention is unleashed on the world. His invention is the paperclip.

An illustration about the dilemma faced by inventors or scientists who are developing new technologies – what use will people put them to?

Cartoon reference number: a529
Scientist breaking the laws of physics – cartoon

A scientist breaking the laws of physics – cartoon

A cartoon showing a scientist in a science research laboratory standing on the ceiling – breaking the law of gravity.

Cartoon reference number: a528
Scientific research funding cartoon

Cartoon about the cost of scientific research

A cartoon showing a rocket, labelled ‘Research’ being launched and then stalling after lift off.
The trail of the rocket forms the shape of a £ sign to indicate that the research is ‘powered’ by funding. The implication is that there isn’t enough funding to keep the research in the air

A cartoon about the financing of scientific research projects

Cartoon reference number: a523
Sat nav (GPS) error – car directed to the wrong destination.

Sat nav (GPS) error cartoon – a car directed to the wrong destination by the sat-nav.
A car driving round the rings of Saturn as though they were a ring road

A cartoon about the way that people will follow their sat navs to the wrong destinations

The caption reads: I’ve got a feeling that the sat-nav’s taking us along the wrong ring road.

Cartoon reference number: a522

SCIENCE

Genetics cartoon Genetically modified humans – who can fly

A cartoon about the idea that genetic modification can be used to alter human beings

The genetically modified people in the cartoon have had their dna altered to give them gigantic hands (maybe by altering a gene that is responsible for gigantism). Their huge hands are being used as wings to give them the power of flight.

Cartoon reference:a669

Chemistry cartoons. A joke about graphene.

Chemistry humour – my chemistry comic strip in Chemistry World magazine.

Genetics cartoon

Cartoon about the saying “The early bird catches the worm”

The joke is that the ‘early bird’ is literally an early bird in evolutionary terms, such as an archaeopteryx.

A cartoon about evolution, prehistoric creatures.

Medicalisation of deviant behaviour cartoon The nature v nurture debate on human personality Neurological origins of behavioural traits

A cartoon about the tendency to invoke medical reasons for deviant personality traits, for abnormal personality traits or even for normal aspects of personality. It shows one aspect of the nature v nurture debate

The cartoon was first published in Prospect magazine in May 2013

Cartoon reference number: a591

A science quote about the truth of the scientific purpose.A riposte to anti-science

Cartoon reference number: a631

God doesn’t play dice with the universe – he prefers card games

Cognition cartoon

A cartoon showing a person putting on a ‘thinking cap’. The thinking cap resembles a brain.

An image about thought processes, thinking, the nature of consciousness, cognition, studying, problem solving – illustrating the saying “Put on your thinking cap” Original version drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: a609

An illustration depicting altruistic behavior

Cartoon created: 2010

Cartoon reference number: a616

Medicalisation of deviant behaviour cartoon Neurological origins of behavioural traits Neurocriminology and its implications

A cartoon about the possibility that criminal behaviour or deviant behaviour may sometimes (or often) have its roots in a person’s biology. The idea that personality may be determined by biology is one aspect of the nature v nurture debate, and has implications for the concept of free will

An illustration about the medicalization of behaviour. This may include behavioural syndromes ranging from psychopathic tendencies and deviance to conditions such as hyperactivity, ADHD (attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder), rebelliousness or non-conformity.

The cartoon was first published in Philosophy Now magazine

Cartoon reference number: a607

Genetics cartoons

A cartoon about genetic engineering or genetic manipulation

The illustration shows the results of scientists modifying the genes that are responsible for hand size. In nature, birds evolved wings from hands – this cartoon shows humans bypassing evolution to achieve the same ends

Original version: 2000

This version: 2005

Cartoon reference number: a598

Professor Brian Cox cartoon We are made of stardust

A humorous comment about the fact that all of the elements apart from hydrogen and helium were created inside stars – so everything is made of stardust, including the less pleasant things

See my book on the nature of the universe

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: a586

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck caricature as giraffe

A caricature of Lamarck, who is associated with the theory of evolution through the inheritance of acquired characteristics or Lamarckism

Lamarck’s head has been given a giraffe’s body, in reference to the famous caricature of Charles Darwin as an ape (a version of which can be found on this site). The giraffe is based on a woodcut of a giraffe by wood engraver Thomas Bewick

Cartoon reference number: a570

From my selection of science fiction cartoons Creatures from earth that look like aliens from another planet

A cartoon showing that life on earth is as weird as extraterrestrial life

Cartoon reference number: a560

Science fiction cartoon Cartoon – an alien planet where the inhabitants are almost human

The justification of extraterrestrials appearing human in form is sometimes justified by the theory of parallel evolution or convergent evolution

Part of the joke in this cartoon is that in many science fiction stories the aliens look very similar to people (and even speak English). I’ve retained the humanoid appearance here, but made one small alteration – I’ve put the features of the head upside down.

Cartoon reference number: a559

Cartoon about the fact that most living things are symmetrical

Cartoon reference number: a557

Evolution cartoon – the evolution of superior life-forms A cartoon strip showing weapons evolving from bows and arrows to guns and bullets

This strip is about the concept of evolution as a form of evolutionary arms race, where one thing evolves into another, slightly superior form.

Cartoon reference number: a555

Cartoon – the evolution of humor

An illustration using the classic ‘evolution of man from ape’ tableau, showing modern man developing a sense of humour.

Humour is depicted using the trope of a banana skin

Cartoon reference number: a549

A cartoon from my selection of science cartoons Artificial life cartoon Creating life in the laboratory

Dna cartoon A cartoon showing a scientist in a science laboratory that does research into artificial life. He has dropped a test tube on the floor. A strand of dna is wriggling away, like a snake.

An illustration about the fears that are raised about scientific experiments going wrong and unleashing problems on the world (such as epidemics of diseases and so on)

Cartoon reference number: a540

Apophenia cartoon – seeing faces where they don’t exist A cartoon from my selection of science cartoons

A cartoon showing scientists in a neurology department canteen. One of the scientists is about to eat a pizza and is saying “Amazing – this pizza looks exactly like the brain scan of someone who’s experiencing apophenia.”

The cartoon is about visual interpretation of images, false positives, the evolution of vision, neuroimaging, brain function, functional magnetic resonance imaging, computed axial tomography

Cartoon reference number: a539

Do we live inside a hologram? Cartoon

A cartoon showing people climbing out of the holgram panel on a credit card. The caption reads “Bad news. Not only are we living inside a hologram, but we’re nearing our expiry date.”

The illustration is about whether our three dimensional reality is a form of hologram like projection or illusion. The joke is in comparing a grand theory of a hologramic universe with the mundane hologram on a credit card. A cartoon about the nature of the universe, virtual reality

Cartoon reference number: a538

Altruism cartoon. Mindless violence and mindless altruism. The evolution of altruism

A cartoon about the emergence of altruism in nature.

The cartoon shows prehistoric men or cave men fighting. Another prehistoric man is rushing to the scene of the violence to care for the wounded. Yet another caveman is wondering about the evolution of altruism as a personality trait.

Cartoon reference number: a535

A cartoon about culturally determined world views The idea that different cultures will use whatever methods are at their disposal to reinforce their established philosophy of how the world works.

An observation about theological determinism, cultural bias in science, cognitive dissonance, pseudoscience

Cartoon first published: November 2010, BBC Knowledge magazine

Genetics cartoon
Genetically modified humans – who can fly

Chemistry cartoons.
A joke about graphene.

Medicalisation of deviant behaviour cartoon
The nature v nurture debate on human personality
Neurological origins of behavioural traits

A cartoon about the tendency to invoke medical reasons for deviant personality traits, for abnormal personality traits or even for normal aspects of personality.
It shows one aspect of the nature v nurture debate

A science quote about the truth of the scientific purpose.
A riposte to anti-science

A cartoon showing a person putting on a ‘thinking cap’.
The thinking cap resembles a brain.

An image about thought processes, thinking, the nature of consciousness, cognition, studying, problem solving – illustrating the saying “Put on your thinking cap”

Original version drawn: 2011

Medicalisation of deviant behaviour cartoon
Neurological origins of behavioural traits
Neurocriminology and its implications

A cartoon about the possibility that criminal behaviour or deviant behaviour may sometimes (or often) have its roots in a person’s biology.
The idea that personality may be determined by biology is one aspect of the nature v nurture debate, and has implications for the concept of free will

The illustration shows the results of scientists modifying the genes that are responsible for hand size.
In nature, birds evolved wings from hands – this cartoon shows humans bypassing evolution to achieve the same ends

Professor Brian Cox cartoon
We are made of stardust

From my selection of science fiction cartoons
Creatures from earth that look like aliens from another planet

Science fiction cartoon
Cartoon – an alien planet where the inhabitants are almost human

Evolution cartoon – the evolution of superior life-forms
A cartoon strip showing weapons evolving from bows and arrows to guns and bullets

A cartoon from my selection of science cartoons
Artificial life cartoon
Creating life in the laboratory

Dna cartoon
A cartoon showing a scientist in a science laboratory that does research into artificial life.
He has dropped a test tube on the floor. A strand of dna is wriggling away, like a snake.

Apophenia cartoon – seeing faces where they don’t exist
A cartoon from my selection of science cartoons

A cartoon showing people climbing out of the holgram panel on a credit card.
The caption reads “Bad news. Not only are we living inside a hologram, but we’re nearing our expiry date.”

The illustration is about whether our three dimensional reality is a form of hologram like projection or illusion.
The joke is in comparing a grand theory of a hologramic universe with the mundane hologram on a credit card.
A cartoon about the nature of the universe, virtual reality

Altruism cartoon. Mindless violence and mindless altruism.
The evolution of altruism

A cartoon about culturally determined world views
The idea that different cultures will use whatever methods are at their disposal to reinforce their established philosophy of how the world works.

Science cartoons – mathematics
Creating mathematical order out of chaos

A cartoon showing mathematicians or scientists writing mathematical equations on a blackboard.
One scientist is saying “At last – we’ve created mathematical order in a chaotic universe!”

A cartoon from my selection of science cartoons
Scientific research cartoon

Cartoon about resistance to change in sectors of the scientific establishment
The cartoon is focused on conservatism in the scientific establishment.
The caption says “Our research proves that the scientific establishment has developed immunity to radical new ideas.’

A joke about medicine, doctors, hypodermic syringes, vaccinations, anti-vax, anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theories.

Cartoon drawn: 2007

A cartoon showing a rocket, labelled ‘Research’ being launched and then stalling after lift off.
The trail of the rocket forms the shape of a £ sign to indicate that the research is ‘powered’ by funding. The implication is that there isn’t enough funding to keep the research in the air

Sat nav (GPS) error cartoon – a car directed to the wrong destination by the sat-nav.
A car driving round the rings of Saturn as though they were a ring road