The Edge

A high-resolution grayscale scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image showing a contrast between two distinct textures. On the left, a relatively flat surface is covered in a dense, fine-grained crystalline or porous "carpet" texture. This surface appears to be breaking away or peeling back to reveal a much more complex, three-dimensional interior on the right, which is composed of cauliflower-like clusters of rounded, bumpy nodules.

Label: The Edge
Artist: Maggie Cooper
Description: The growing edge of an inorganic precipitate membrane composed entirely of nickel and magnesium hydroxides. Such mineral surfaces exist within the walls of deep-sea hydrothermal vents and on the rocky surfaces of extraterrestrial worlds. These chemical gardens have captivated us since the days of the alchemists, and for good reason, as they just may hold the keys to the origins of life itself.
Type: Microscope
Artist Affiliation: Graduate Student
Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry
Area of Research: Physical Chemistry, Non-Linear Dynamics
Research Group Site: Dr. Oliver Steinbock
Date: 2021