Page 62 - Thola Issue 17

60 South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement’s
A PICTURE
IS WORTH A
THOUSAND
WORDS
The Southern African Science Lens Competition uses the art of photography to share the wonders of science. Joanne Riley, Science Editor of SAASTA, reports.
The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement’s (SAASTA) Science Communication Unit, with the aim of using innovative means to communicate science, has been running the Southern African Science Lens Competition since 2002. As the competition runs into its ‘teenage years’ in 2015, its success can be attributed to the timeless sense of wonder that the art of photography inspires.
Beautiful, striking images evoke emotion and inspire curiosity. What better way to start sharing stories about science than with the attention of a captivated audience? This is the motivation behind using photography as a tool for communicating science.
A photograph opens a window to
the world of science, and creates the opportunity for further communication with an interested audience on topics relating to the picture. A photograph on its own can do little more than leave an audience admiring a work of art, but when supported by content communicating the science behind
the image, it can be a part of a very
effective science communication tool. The art of science communication
lies in the art of storytelling. Visual tools such as photography, enhance a story. Just as a good introduction sets up a good story, a good photograph provides a great opener for telling a good science story and sharing the wonders of science.
‘Starry Starry Night’ by Dr Albe Carina Swanepoel, won the Science Close-Up category in the 2013 competition. What appears to be an artistic abstract display actually shows
a biological phenomenon in the human body (far right). The starry objects are human red blood cells. Blood cells are normally smooth but when stressed, such as in dehydration, their membrane expands and forms spiky projections. These blood cells are called echinocytes, which comes from a Greek word ‘echinos’, meaning hedgehog.
This rare and interesting photo, ‘Kelvin-Helmholtz’ by Thomas Otto Whitehead, won the 2013 Science
in Action category. Reminiscent of a seascape painting of the old masters,
this is in fact a photograph of a rare natural phenomenon (above right). These wave-like clouds were created by the turbulence of two air layers lying close to each other that move with different speeds and/or directions. The phenomenon is known as the Kelvin- Helmholtz instability, which has even been observed in Saturn’s bands and Jupiter’s Red Spot. Kelvin-Helmholtz instability cloud structures are particularly rare. These were seen briefly over the interior of Marion Island, and disappeared after about 10 minutes.
Recognising the value of such photographs to communicate science, SAASTA put out a call in 2014 for institutions across the country to host photographs incorporating other communication tools to enhance
the communication impact of the photographs. The Durban Natural Science Museum responded to the call and photographs from previous years
of the Southern African Science Lens Competition are currently part of an exhibit on display at the Museum, along with information brochures about the
thola: VOLUME 17. 2014/15