SCIENCE

Illustration. A walking brain

Cartoon/illustration. A walking brian with legs and a head

Cartoon/illustration. A walking brian with legs and a head

I’m not sure what this drawing means. I suppose it’s something to do with the importance of the human brain’s contribution to what it means to be human. I don’t really know – it just popped into my head.
It’s probably a cartoon about psychiatry, neuroscience, neurology, how the mind works, how the brain works, cognition, the self.

Cartoon reference number: a071
Cartoon about statistics, statistical probability and statistical bias

Cartoon about statistics, statistical probability, statistical bias and unreliable statistical surveys.

A cartoon showing a person collecting statistics but deliberately ignoring a statistic that doesn’t fit with his preconceived bias as to what the results should be.

A cartoon about unreliable statistical analysis, including such things as self-selecting groups, observer bias, prejudice.
A cartoon about statistical data collection and biased analysis.

Cartoon reference number: a035
Higgs boson cartoon

Higgs boson cartoon
The Higgs boson is popularly known as the God particle

The large hadron collider at CERN is searching for the Higgs boson, a subatomic particle that is in theory responsible for giving the phenomenon of mass to other particles (and thus to everything in the universe that has mass).

Cartoon showing the discovery of the signature of the Higgs boson, Higgs particle or God particle as it is popularly known in the press.

Cartoon reference number: hig131
The search for the Higgs boson (God particle) – cartoon

Cartoon about finding the Higgs boson (or God particle).

The large hadron collider at CERN is searching for the Higgs boson, a subatomic particle that is in theory responsible for giving the phenomenon of mass to other particles (and thus to everything in the universe that has mass).

Cartoon showing the discovery of the Higgs boson, Higgs particle or God particle as it is popularly known in the press.

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: hig002
Was Einstein wrong? Cartoon – can neutrinos travel faster than light?

Neutrino cartoon
Faster than light travel cartoon
Time travel cartoon

A cartoon about the announcement that neutrinos may be capable of traveling faster than the speed of light, disproving Einstein’s theory of relativity (which states that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light).
Einstein and the Theory of Relativity have been questioned recently due to the reported observation of neutrinos travelling faster than light – a phenomenon that is impossible under Einstein’s theory – in experiments carried out by the Opera collaboration (short for Oscillation Project with Emulsion (T)racking Apparatus). The experiments have been done several times with similar results

A strip cartoon related to faster than light travel, neutrinos, e=mc squared wrong, e=mc2 wrong, CERN, the Large Hadron Collider, LHC, e=mc squared flawed

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Reference number: ein191
Cartoon – evolution of the giraffe’s neck

Evolution cartoon
The evolution of the giraffe’s neck

A cartoon showing a giraffe standing beside a tall tree. A monkey (or ape) in the tree is speaking to the giraffe. The monkey (or ape) is asking the giraffe why it spent so many years evolving such a long neck in order to reach the leaves in the tree when all it needed to do was to climb the tree

A cartoon about evolution, Charles Darwin, Just So stories

Cartoon reference number: gir31
Smoking related health statistics cartoon

Smoking health cartoon
Cigarette cartoon

Cartoon caption: “If you smoke you’re less likely to die of an age-related illness”.
A cartoon about the misleading use of statistics.

A cartoon showing a research laboratory doing medical research into the medical and health related effects of smoking cigarettes. The rerearch laboratory belongs to an organisation called “The Tobacco Industry Research Centre”, indicating that it’s sponsored by the tobacco industry.
The results of the research are given a positive spin by announcing that they show that statistically cigarette smokers are less likely to die of age-related illnesses.
This is of course because smokers are statistically more likely to die before they get old enough to suffer from the diseases of old age.

A cartoon about vested interests, research bias, statistical misrepresentation, medical research, misleading health statistics.
Original cartoon drawn: 2010

Cartoon reference number: tob25
We are stardust – cartoon. Everything is made of stardust

Stardust cartoon
We are stardust – everything is stardust

An illustration of the idea that we are made of stardust. This is a nice idea, but the problem is that it’s more mundane than it sounds, as everything is made of stardust, including unpleasant things.
It’s a phrase that is given spiritual and pseudo-spiritual layers of meaning, but it is in fact just a statement of fact about the general nature, construction and evolution of the universe.
The fact that it’s just a fact doesn’t actually make it less that incredible though. It’s just that everything is incredible about the universe, even without pseudo-spiritual overtones

The phrase “We are stardust” first gained popularity in the song by Joni Mitchell. It is popular again now because it is used by scientists such as professor Brian Cox (who is the scientific equivalent of a pop star)

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: dust25
DNA tightrope as a metaphor for life

DNA cartoon or illustration
DNA tightrope as a metaphor for life

A strand of dna depicted as a tightrope, with the double helix creating the strands of the rope. A person is walking along the strand.
The strand of dna is a metaphor for the precarious nature of life.

The illustration suggests existential vertigo – the dizzy feeling that can come about when contemplating the precarious nature of existence and reality.
A philosophy of science cartoon.

Cartoon reference number: gen010
Baby insect cartoon. Are maggots cute?

Insect cartoon
Maggot cartoon

Creepy crawly cartoon.
An adult insect admiring a baby insect, saying how cute and adorable it is. The baby insect is a maggot.
This cartoon is about the way that what we find attractive (or repulsive) is governed by factors of psychology and perception that are dependant on factors within the framework of our existence – such as whether we’re humans or insects. Evolution plays a big part.
Aesthetic judgement is not an independent quality.
Adults are hardwired to find babies attractive, cute and appealing.

A cartoon about aesthetics, beauty, prejudice, larva, larvae, grubs, maggots, aesthetic taste, bias, revulsion, repulsion, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, aesthetic relativism, entymology, evolution.

Cartoon reference number: mag710
Contemporary illustration. A man with a stylised fish as an eye

Contemporary illustration
A silhouette of a man with a stylised fish as an eye

This conceptual illustration may be about the fact that because we are evolved from fish we still see the world through our animal sensibilities.
Or maybe, because the fish eye is similar to the fish symbol used by some Christian groups, is this man looking at the world through the eyes of someone with a religious outlook?
Maybe it’s an illustration about the way that people generally see the world in the way that they want to see it, interpreting it through their own preconceived ideas and prejudices.
To be honest, the image just came to me one day, so the meaning is somewhere in my own subconscious

A cartoon about human evolution, vision, religion, bias, sight, insight, eye sight

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: eye710
Artificial life cartoon. Sentient computers

Artificial intelligence cartoon
Will computers become conscious?

An illustration showing computer mouse as sperm (a metaphor for life and consciousness)

A cartoon about artificial intelligence, ai, sentient computers, computer awareness, Turing test, reproduction, meaning of life, definition of life, digital intelligence, artificial lifeforms

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: spe711
A DNA double helix illustration – family genetic inheritance

DNA cartoon
A DNA double helix with a family of people as rungs – to illustrate genetic inheritance

An illustration showing the way that a family is related genetically

A cartoon about inheritance, heritability, evolution, genes, genetics

Cartoon reference number: gen910
Science Cartoon. Theoretical physics cartoon

Science cartoon
String Theory Cartoon

A cartoon showing a theoretical physicist writing equations on a blackboard. He is trying to answer one of the fundamental questions in theoretical physics – How long is a piece of string?

A cartoon about string theory, superstrings, superstring theory, nature of the universe, structure of reality, subatomic physics, nuclear physics, theory of everything.

Cartoon reference number: nuc001
Cartoon. A person looking through a telescope and a person looking through a microscope

Telescope cartoon
Microscope cartoon
A cartoon about our place in the universe

A person looking through a telescope and a person looking through a microscope. Both seeing the same thing
A cartoon to illustrate the fact that we as humans occupy a position in the scale of things that is part way between the really big and the really small, and that to a large extent both extremes are inaccessible to us.
I’m not implying that the really small is actually the same as the really big by the way (as in the common game of imagining that atoms are planetary systems and that our solar system is actually an atom in a more gigantic scale of reality), although it’s a fun concept

A cartoon about perception, our place in the universe, stars, bacteria, size, scale.

Cartoon reference number: mon910
Einstein cartoon: theory of relativity wrong?

A cartoon showing a flaw in Einstein’s Theory of Relativity

Scientists standing on a mathematical model of space-time (or analogy to space-time), with a crack appearing in the model.
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity has recently (2012) been questioned due to the reported observation of neutrinos travelling faster than the speed of light – a phenomenon that is impossible under Einstein’s theory. The observations are probably wrong

The cartoon is related to CERN, the Large Hadron Collider, faster than light travel, neutrinos, e=mc squared

Cartoon drawn: 2009

Cartoon reference number: ein001
Philosophy cartoon. Which is more interesting – the night sky or a night on television?

Philosophy cartoon
Is outer space boring or awe inspiring?

Someone staring at the night sky and finding it boring when compared to a night’s television viewing (or other digital entertainment)

A cartoon about our perception of our place in the universe, spirituality, awe, world views, spiritual perspectives, existentialism

Cartoon reference number: phi610
Cartoon: the first camera-phone

Early camera phone cartoon
The world’s first smart phone

Cartoon showing a man from the Edwardian era with a camera phone constructed using the technology of the early twentieth century.

A cartoon about invention, progress, technological innovation, brick sized mobile phones, large cell phones, pre-digital technology.
Drawn: 2009 (The first iPhone was launched in 2007)

Cartoon reference number: tec001
Genetically modified food cartoon: Frankenstein food cartoon

Environmental cartoons
Genetically modified food cartoon

A cartoon about the genetic modification of food, gmo, Frankenstein foods, genetic engineering, hybridisation, pest resistant, resistance

A lettuce modified to make it resistance to attack by rabbits – by hybridising it with the venus flytrap to give it rabbit-eating leaves

Drawn: 1991

Cartoon reference number: env114
Genetically modified plants cartoon. Pea pod modified to form bioplastic packaging.

Bio-plastics cartoon
Genetic modification cartoon

Genetically modified peas – where the cellulose of the pea pod is modified to form plastic packaging.
Plastics produced from plants are known as bio-plastics.

An illustration about gmo, gene modification

Original version drawn: 1999

Cartoon reference: env116
Galileo cartoon

Galileo cartoon

Galileo discussing the discoveries he made through his telescope with the church
The representative from the church (the Pope?) is thinking of hitting Galileo on the head with his telescope in order to shut him up.
The joke is that Galileo’s telescope made the discoveries and the church wants to use Galileo’s telescope to silence him

A cartoon about anti-scientific religious thinking, anti-science, suppression of knowledge, fundamentalism, religion, doctrine, the Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, Galileo Galilei, pope Urban VIII.

Original version drawn: 1996

Cartoon reference: rel014
Creation myth cartoon. Cavemen debate the nature of the universe

Primitive creation myths cartoon
Prehistoric cave painting cartoon

Cartoon of cavemen debating the nature of the universe.
The birth of religion.

A cartoon about the possibility that people would rather believe what they want to believe rather than what actually is. We all do this. It’s also about the fact that our caveman ancestors were probably more intelligent and aware than is sometimes thought. They had to be to survive, after all

Cartoon reference number: rel002
Pollution cartoon. Evolution cartoon. Evolution from fish to humans, and the consequences

Evolution cartoon
Pollution cartoon

Cartoon showing evolution from fish to humans. The humans then pollute the water, forcing fish to leave the water and initiating a new phase of evolution in the fish

A cartoon about evolution, pollution, environment, ecology, industrial waste, effluent.

Cartoon reference number: env070
Moon cartoons – desert island

Moon cartoon – or desert island cartoon (or spaceflight cartoon)

Moon mission or space exploration joke.
A manned space mission to the moon crash lands on earth in the ocean. The astronaut is washed up on a desert island shaped like the moon

A twist on the cartoon cliche of the desert island joke.

Drawn: 1999

Cartoon reference number: mon012

A cartoon about apathy about learning and education

cartoon about apathy about knowledge, education and the wonders of the universe

A child who is not interested in learning anything

Cartoon showing a boy who has no sense of wonder or curiosity about the world, and who isn’t interested in learning anything about how the world works.
The cartoon shows someone trying to impart knowledge to him about how the moon orbits the earth.

The cartoon was drawn in the 1990s, but is relevant in the 2020s due to the rise of ‘post truth’ attitudes where knowledge is not valued.
A cartoon about intellectual apathy, ignorance, dumbing down, under achievement, illiteracy, low attainment, knowledge, teaching, inspiring teachers, scientific literacy.

Cartoon reference number: uni001

Moon cartoon. Macdonald’s logo replaces the moon in the sky

Moon cartoons. Ronald MacDonald stealing the moon from the sky and replacing it with the MacDonald's logo.

Moon cartoon

Ronald MacDonald stealing the moon from the sky and replacing it with the MacDonald’s logo (the golden arches)

A cartoon about the spread of the fast food consumer culture and the domination of transnational companies and global corporations

Cartoon reference number: mon005

Space exploration cartoons. The space shuttle deploying a key to unlock the secrets of the universe

Space exploration cartoon. The space shuttle deploying scientific instruments to unlock the secrets of the universe

Space exploration cartoon
Space shuttle cartoon

The space shuttle deploying scientific instruments (a key) to unlock the secrets of the cosmos.

The keyhole in space is meant to evoke the shape of a cosmic phenomenon such as a galaxy, nebula (the Keyhole Nebula?) or perhaps the moon.

Original drawn: 1999

Cartoon reference number: mon004

Genome mapping cartoon – mapping the gnome genome (the g-nome project)

Human genome project cartoon. Mapping the gnome genome.

Gene sequencing cartoon or genome mapping cartoon
DNA cartoon

Genetics cartoon

Mapping the gnome genome (known as the g-nome project)

Cartoon reference number: gen007

Genetic engineering cartoon. A giant germ created in a laboratory

Genetic engineering cartoon

A giant germ created in a medical research laboratory

Scientists working on genes and genetics
Cartoon about scientific research into germs, diseases, bacteria and viruses

Cartoon drawn: 2001

Cartoon reference: gen008

Genetics cartoon: genetically modified pigs will fly

Cartoon - genetically modified animals -pigs will fly

Genetic modification cartoon
Genetically modified animals cartoon

A cartoon about the theory that genetic modification may create bizarre hybrid organisms (such as so-called Frankenstein food) by mixing the genes or dna of different organisms

The joke in the cartoon is that if genetic engineering on animals goes too far perhaps pigs will fly

Cartoon reference number: gen001

There’s a colour version of this cartoon here.

SCIENCE

Cartoon/illustration. A walking brian with legs and a head

Cartoon/illustration. A walking brian with legs and a head

Cartoon reference number: a071

Cartoon about statistics, statistical probability, statistical bias and unreliable statistical surveys.

A cartoon showing a person collecting statistics but deliberately ignoring a statistic that doesn’t fit with his preconceived bias as to what the results should be.

A cartoon about unreliable statistical analysis, including such things as self-selecting groups, observer bias, prejudice. A cartoon about statistical data collection and biased analysis.

Cartoon reference number: a035

Higgs boson cartoon The Higgs boson is popularly known as the God particle

The large hadron collider at CERN is searching for the Higgs boson, a subatomic particle that is in theory responsible for giving the phenomenon of mass to other particles (and thus to everything in the universe that has mass).

Cartoon showing the discovery of the signature of the Higgs boson, Higgs particle or God particle as it is popularly known in the press.

Cartoon reference number: hig131

Cartoon about finding the Higgs boson (or God particle).

The large hadron collider at CERN is searching for the Higgs boson, a subatomic particle that is in theory responsible for giving the phenomenon of mass to other particles (and thus to everything in the universe that has mass).

Cartoon showing the discovery of the Higgs boson, Higgs particle or God particle as it is popularly known in the press.

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: hig002

Neutrino cartoon Faster than light travel cartoon Time travel cartoon

A strip cartoon related to faster than light travel, neutrinos, e=mc squared wrong, e=mc2 wrong, CERN, the Large Hadron Collider, LHC, e=mc squared flawed

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Reference number: ein191

Evolution cartoon The evolution of the giraffe’s neck

A cartoon showing a giraffe standing beside a tall tree. A monkey (or ape) in the tree is speaking to the giraffe. The monkey (or ape) is asking the giraffe why it spent so many years evolving such a long neck in order to reach the leaves in the tree when all it needed to do was to climb the tree

A cartoon about evolution, Charles Darwin, Just So stories

Cartoon reference number: gir31

Smoking health cartoon Cigarette cartoon

Cartoon caption: “If you smoke you’re less likely to die of an age-related illness”. A cartoon about the misleading use of statistics.

Cartoon reference number: tob25

Stardust cartoon We are stardust – everything is stardust

The phrase “We are stardust” first gained popularity in the song by Joni Mitchell. It is popular again now because it is used by scientists such as professor Brian Cox (who is the scientific equivalent of a pop star)

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: dust25

DNA cartoon or illustration DNA tightrope as a metaphor for life

A strand of dna depicted as a tightrope, with the double helix creating the strands of the rope. A person is walking along the strand. The strand of dna is a metaphor for the precarious nature of life.

The illustration suggests existential vertigo – the dizzy feeling that can come about when contemplating the precarious nature of existence and reality. A philosophy of science cartoon.

Cartoon reference number: gen010

Insect cartoon Maggot cartoon

A cartoon about aesthetics, beauty, prejudice, larva, larvae, grubs, maggots, aesthetic taste, bias, revulsion, repulsion, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, aesthetic relativism, entymology, evolution.

Cartoon reference number: mag710

Contemporary illustration A silhouette of a man with a stylised fish as an eye

A cartoon about human evolution, vision, religion, bias, sight, insight, eye sight

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: eye710

Artificial intelligence cartoon Will computers become conscious?

An illustration showing computer mouse as sperm (a metaphor for life and consciousness)

A cartoon about artificial intelligence, ai, sentient computers, computer awareness, Turing test, reproduction, meaning of life, definition of life, digital intelligence, artificial lifeforms

Cartoon drawn: 2011

Cartoon reference number: spe711

DNA cartoon A DNA double helix with a family of people as rungs – to illustrate genetic inheritance

An illustration showing the way that a family is related genetically

A cartoon about inheritance, heritability, evolution, genes, genetics

Cartoon reference number: gen910

Science cartoon String Theory Cartoon

A cartoon showing a theoretical physicist writing equations on a blackboard. He is trying to answer one of the fundamental questions in theoretical physics – How long is a piece of string?

A cartoon about string theory, superstrings, superstring theory, nature of the universe, structure of reality, subatomic physics, nuclear physics, theory of everything.

Cartoon reference number: nuc001

Telescope cartoon Microscope cartoon A cartoon about our place in the universe

A cartoon about perception, our place in the universe, stars, bacteria, size, scale.

Cartoon reference number: mon910

A cartoon showing a flaw in Einstein’s Theory of Relativity

The cartoon is related to CERN, the Large Hadron Collider, faster than light travel, neutrinos, e=mc squared

Cartoon drawn: 2009

Cartoon reference number: ein001

Philosophy cartoon Is outer space boring or awe inspiring?

Someone staring at the night sky and finding it boring when compared to a night’s television viewing (or other digital entertainment)

A cartoon about our perception of our place in the universe, spirituality, awe, world views, spiritual perspectives, existentialism

Cartoon reference number: phi610

Early camera phone cartoon The world’s first smart phone

Cartoon showing a man from the Edwardian era with a camera phone constructed using the technology of the early twentieth century.

A cartoon about invention, progress, technological innovation, brick sized mobile phones, large cell phones, pre-digital technology. Drawn: 2009 (The first iPhone was launched in 2007)

Cartoon reference number: tec001

Environmental cartoons Genetically modified food cartoon

A cartoon about the genetic modification of food, gmo, Frankenstein foods, genetic engineering, hybridisation, pest resistant, resistance

A lettuce modified to make it resistance to attack by rabbits – by hybridising it with the venus flytrap to give it rabbit-eating leaves

Cartoon reference number: env114

Bio-plastics cartoon Genetic modification cartoon

Genetically modified peas – where the cellulose of the pea pod is modified to form plastic packaging. Plastics produced from plants are known as bio-plastics.

An illustration about gmo, gene modification

Original version drawn: 1999

Cartoon reference: env116

A cartoon about unreliable statistical analysis, including such things as self-selecting groups, observer bias, prejudice.
A cartoon about statistical data collection and biased analysis.

Higgs boson cartoon
The Higgs boson is popularly known as the God particle

Neutrino cartoon
Faster than light travel cartoon
Time travel cartoon

Evolution cartoon
The evolution of the giraffe’s neck

Smoking health cartoon
Cigarette cartoon

Cartoon caption: “If you smoke you’re less likely to die of an age-related illness”.
A cartoon about the misleading use of statistics.

Stardust cartoon
We are stardust – everything is stardust

DNA cartoon or illustration
DNA tightrope as a metaphor for life

A strand of dna depicted as a tightrope, with the double helix creating the strands of the rope. A person is walking along the strand.
The strand of dna is a metaphor for the precarious nature of life.

The illustration suggests existential vertigo – the dizzy feeling that can come about when contemplating the precarious nature of existence and reality.
A philosophy of science cartoon.

Insect cartoon
Maggot cartoon

Contemporary illustration
A silhouette of a man with a stylised fish as an eye

Artificial intelligence cartoon
Will computers become conscious?

DNA cartoon
A DNA double helix with a family of people as rungs – to illustrate genetic inheritance

Science cartoon
String Theory Cartoon

Telescope cartoon
Microscope cartoon
A cartoon about our place in the universe

Philosophy cartoon
Is outer space boring or awe inspiring?

Early camera phone cartoon
The world’s first smart phone

A cartoon about invention, progress, technological innovation, brick sized mobile phones, large cell phones, pre-digital technology.
Drawn: 2009 (The first iPhone was launched in 2007)

Environmental cartoons
Genetically modified food cartoon

Bio-plastics cartoon
Genetic modification cartoon

Genetically modified peas – where the cellulose of the pea pod is modified to form plastic packaging.
Plastics produced from plants are known as bio-plastics.

Primitive creation myths cartoon
Prehistoric cave painting cartoon

Cartoon of cavemen debating the nature of the universe.
The birth of religion.

Evolution cartoon
Pollution cartoon

Moon mission or space exploration joke.
A manned space mission to the moon crash lands on earth in the ocean. The astronaut is washed up on a desert island shaped like the moon

Cartoon showing a boy who has no sense of wonder or curiosity about the world, and who isn’t interested in learning anything about how the world works.
The cartoon shows someone trying to impart knowledge to him about how the moon orbits the earth.

Space exploration cartoon
Space shuttle cartoon

Gene sequencing cartoon or genome mapping cartoon
DNA cartoon