E. Coli bacterium expand to more than a metre

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Credit: Rogan Brown

Artist Rogan Brown created this incredibly detailed cut-paper sculpture of an E. coli bacterium.

At 112 centimetres in length, it is half a million times larger than life. As Brown says:

Obviously when enlarging to this degree you have to use your imagination to complete the image but the main features here are accurate: the flagella or tentacle-like appendages allow the bacteria to swim through the intestinal tract and the pilli or hair-like structures allow it to attach itself to the intestine wall.

The close-up below shows the sculpture in greater detail.

Rogan brown 2
Credit: Rogan Brown

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