Martin Kemp discusses 'La Bella Principessa', a profile portrait of a Milanese lady, and the role... more Martin Kemp discusses 'La Bella Principessa', a profile portrait of a Milanese lady, and the roles of himself, Pascal Cotte, and others including Paul Biro, in attributing this radiant and exciting picture to Leonardo da Vinci. Martin describes his story in coming across the picture, and moves on to the attribution process, first in terms of materials and technique, and then the new technology used in scientific investigation, and social and cultural aspects of the sitter. Martin is interviewed by Kathryn Barush and Maya Corry.
Acta Crystallographica Section A Foundations of Crystallography, 2005
MICROSYMPOSIA C43 alignment programs. An extension of ESPript named ENDscript has been made avail... more MICROSYMPOSIA C43 alignment programs. An extension of ESPript named ENDscript has been made available at the same electronic address [2]. It enables the creation from a single Protein Data Bank identifier, of a multiple sequence alignment figure adorned with secondary structures of each sequence of known structure. ENDscript uses programs such as BLAST, CLUSTAL and PHYLODENDRON to work on protein sequences and such as DSSP and CNS to work on protein coordinates. Similar structures are superimposed in turn with the program PROFIT. Final 3D figures are drawn with MOLSCRIPT, BOBSCRIPT and DINO, so as to show sequence conservation as well as structure conservation.
L eonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was a man before his time: we know the cliché. However, in crucial... more L eonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was a man before his time: we know the cliché. However, in crucial respects he was very much a man of his time. His versatility was foreshadowed by the great artist-engineers of the Italian Renaissance. Notably, Filippo Brunelleschi, inventor and architect of the massive dome of Florence Cathedral, formulated the science of linear perspective for painters in the early years of the fifteenth century. In his work on physical sciences, Leonardo was heir to medieval theories of statics and dynamics; Isaac Newton was still far away. Leonardo's anatomical researches merged medieval physiology with the functional and morphological analyses of the classical physician Galen.
books and arts Correction In his review of Graeme K. Hunter's book Light is a Messenger (Nature 4... more books and arts Correction In his review of Graeme K. Hunter's book Light is a Messenger (Nature 431, 1037-1038; 2004), Kenneth C. Holmes stated that there was an error in Figure 0.2 in the book. In fact, this figure is intended to show a polychromatic, rather than a monochromatic, diffraction experiment, in which case the Bragg reflections are correctly displayed.
Sir-Your News story "Japan aims to forge stronger European links" (Nature 411, 875; 2001) clearly... more Sir-Your News story "Japan aims to forge stronger European links" (Nature 411, 875; 2001) clearly identifies why it is difficult to recruit foreign scientists to work in Japan. The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) has been running a pilot '2+2 programme' , which allows a British researcher to spend two years in Japan with the assurance of two years' subsequent funding in the United Kingdom. To promote greater collaboration between research in the European Union (EU) and Japan, this should now be established in other European countries. I would not have applied for this scheme without the return element, yet have already felt the benefits. Researchers tempted by a period of research in Japan, or wishing to establish a long-term collaboration, face other problems in addition to those mentioned in your News story. Permanent university
AnthologyThe Renaissance WorldMona Lisa ReimaginedThe Fabrication of Leonardo da Vinci’s Trattato... more AnthologyThe Renaissance WorldMona Lisa ReimaginedThe Fabrication of Leonardo da Vinci’s Trattato della pitturaThe Rise of the ImageThe Second Mrs. GiocondaIdea of the Temple of PaintingLeonardo Da VinciRenaissance Art ReconsideredLeonardo on PaintingThe Notebooks of Leonardo da VinciPaul ValéryA Treatise on PaintingThe NotebooksLeonardo Da Vinci: Quotes and FactsMathematics and ArtHistory of Italian Renaissance ArtThe Shadow DrawingLeonardo on Art and the ArtistLeonardo on Art and the ArtistChrist to CokePainting in Renaissance VeniceJesus Christ and the Virgin Mary in ArtSideshow: Fine Art PrintsArt and ArtistsWomen, Art, and TechnologyThe Simple Art of FlyingLeonardo's NotebooksArtThe Oxford History of Western ArtThe Science of ArtThe Peterborough AnthologyPainting and Experience in Fifteenth Century ItalyMona LisaLeonardo Da Vinci Master DraftsmanRenaissance HumanismModernismDa Vinci ReconstructedChallengers, Competition, and ReelectionLeonardo
Spiritual shapes Ernst Haeckel's 'art forms in nature'. Martin Kemp The "argument from design" he... more Spiritual shapes Ernst Haeckel's 'art forms in nature'. Martin Kemp The "argument from design" held that the wondrous forms and mechanisms of the created Universe bear irrefutable witness to the existence of a supreme deity. Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection seemed to deal it a devastating blow. If, to use Ernst Haeckel's reasoning, there were no preconceived designs but only selection according to "natural choice", God could no longer be hailed as the direct designer of every individual cog in nature's clockwork. If God were to survive at all, 'He' needed to be located elsewhere in the temporal system through which things have come into being. Haeckel was born in Potsdam in 1834 and Science in culture Haeckel's depiction of Phaeodaria, a class of unicellular radiolarians, on which he was especially expert.
The sequencing of the human genome was the last major goal to be set by leaders of science in the... more The sequencing of the human genome was the last major goal to be set by leaders of science in the twentieth century. Its achievement was certainly as spectacular a triumph as the launching of the first spacecraft or landing on the Moon. It was also an amazing example of cooperation and competition between scientists, government funding agencies, charities, and public and privately funded projects. In a symbolic way it is a manifestation of the dramatic cultural changes that humanity undergoes at the turn of a new millennium. Nature was an active supporter of the project to sequence the human genome, promoting ideas, lobbying for more funds and publishing outstanding achievements, including a completed draft sequence. So it is natural to see two senior editors of Nature compiling a book on this epochal achievement. The book is aimed at both nonspecialists and students in the field, and presents the goals, history and consequences of obtaining the genome sequence. With a foreword by James Watson, the book describes early achievements in DNA structure and human genome mapping, followed by a detailed account of the dramatic course of events that led to the sequencing the human genome ahead of schedule. The style is very clear and the authors present not only the facts, but also the spirit of this dramatic race. Although it is probably too early for a full understanding, the authors have tried to assess the future impact of human genome sequencing on biology, medicine and society. The book contains very good illustrations and historical photographs of key participants of the project. The original article reporting the sequence obtained by the public consortium, with schematic gene maps and accompanying papers, makes up more than half of the book. It will be a pleasure for any scientist to have this milestone book in their personal library. ■ Daniel Cohen is at GENSET, 24 rue Royale, F75008 Paris, France. book reviews
Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 1972
T he methodology of Leonardo's anatomical researches after 1509 tends increasingly towards th... more T he methodology of Leonardo's anatomical researches after 1509 tends increasingly towards the resolution of functions to fit known forms; and away from the creation of forms to fit preconceived functions, the approach which had dominated his quattrocento researches.1 However, his development as an anatomist cannot be adequately characterized in isolation, solely as an inductive tightening of his anatomical technique, as a prophetic anticipation of Vesalian methods. When his late anatomies are set (as they must be) in the general context of his intellectual development, they can be shown to play a complex and profound role in the realization of his magnificent vision of universal dynamics. And, more than this, they are intimately associated with his increasingly positive realization of theological concepts in relation to scientific inquiry.
We have become accustomed to the idea that, in nature, time frequently manifests itself in layers... more We have become accustomed to the idea that, in nature, time frequently manifests itself in layers. We may think of the rings in trees or the ridges in shells, both formed by patterns of unequal growth. Over
It can be easier to understand mathematical procedures when we can see them in, seemingly, three ... more It can be easier to understand mathematical procedures when we can see them in, seemingly, three dimensions. Even though we cannot really see all the dimensions in which these attractors exist, they are satisfying to the eye.
Martin Kemp discusses 'La Bella Principessa', a profile portrait of a Milanese lady, and the role... more Martin Kemp discusses 'La Bella Principessa', a profile portrait of a Milanese lady, and the roles of himself, Pascal Cotte, and others including Paul Biro, in attributing this radiant and exciting picture to Leonardo da Vinci. Martin describes his story in coming across the picture, and moves on to the attribution process, first in terms of materials and technique, and then the new technology used in scientific investigation, and social and cultural aspects of the sitter. Martin is interviewed by Kathryn Barush and Maya Corry.
Acta Crystallographica Section A Foundations of Crystallography, 2005
MICROSYMPOSIA C43 alignment programs. An extension of ESPript named ENDscript has been made avail... more MICROSYMPOSIA C43 alignment programs. An extension of ESPript named ENDscript has been made available at the same electronic address [2]. It enables the creation from a single Protein Data Bank identifier, of a multiple sequence alignment figure adorned with secondary structures of each sequence of known structure. ENDscript uses programs such as BLAST, CLUSTAL and PHYLODENDRON to work on protein sequences and such as DSSP and CNS to work on protein coordinates. Similar structures are superimposed in turn with the program PROFIT. Final 3D figures are drawn with MOLSCRIPT, BOBSCRIPT and DINO, so as to show sequence conservation as well as structure conservation.
L eonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was a man before his time: we know the cliché. However, in crucial... more L eonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was a man before his time: we know the cliché. However, in crucial respects he was very much a man of his time. His versatility was foreshadowed by the great artist-engineers of the Italian Renaissance. Notably, Filippo Brunelleschi, inventor and architect of the massive dome of Florence Cathedral, formulated the science of linear perspective for painters in the early years of the fifteenth century. In his work on physical sciences, Leonardo was heir to medieval theories of statics and dynamics; Isaac Newton was still far away. Leonardo's anatomical researches merged medieval physiology with the functional and morphological analyses of the classical physician Galen.
books and arts Correction In his review of Graeme K. Hunter's book Light is a Messenger (Nature 4... more books and arts Correction In his review of Graeme K. Hunter's book Light is a Messenger (Nature 431, 1037-1038; 2004), Kenneth C. Holmes stated that there was an error in Figure 0.2 in the book. In fact, this figure is intended to show a polychromatic, rather than a monochromatic, diffraction experiment, in which case the Bragg reflections are correctly displayed.
Sir-Your News story "Japan aims to forge stronger European links" (Nature 411, 875; 2001) clearly... more Sir-Your News story "Japan aims to forge stronger European links" (Nature 411, 875; 2001) clearly identifies why it is difficult to recruit foreign scientists to work in Japan. The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) has been running a pilot '2+2 programme' , which allows a British researcher to spend two years in Japan with the assurance of two years' subsequent funding in the United Kingdom. To promote greater collaboration between research in the European Union (EU) and Japan, this should now be established in other European countries. I would not have applied for this scheme without the return element, yet have already felt the benefits. Researchers tempted by a period of research in Japan, or wishing to establish a long-term collaboration, face other problems in addition to those mentioned in your News story. Permanent university
AnthologyThe Renaissance WorldMona Lisa ReimaginedThe Fabrication of Leonardo da Vinci’s Trattato... more AnthologyThe Renaissance WorldMona Lisa ReimaginedThe Fabrication of Leonardo da Vinci’s Trattato della pitturaThe Rise of the ImageThe Second Mrs. GiocondaIdea of the Temple of PaintingLeonardo Da VinciRenaissance Art ReconsideredLeonardo on PaintingThe Notebooks of Leonardo da VinciPaul ValéryA Treatise on PaintingThe NotebooksLeonardo Da Vinci: Quotes and FactsMathematics and ArtHistory of Italian Renaissance ArtThe Shadow DrawingLeonardo on Art and the ArtistLeonardo on Art and the ArtistChrist to CokePainting in Renaissance VeniceJesus Christ and the Virgin Mary in ArtSideshow: Fine Art PrintsArt and ArtistsWomen, Art, and TechnologyThe Simple Art of FlyingLeonardo's NotebooksArtThe Oxford History of Western ArtThe Science of ArtThe Peterborough AnthologyPainting and Experience in Fifteenth Century ItalyMona LisaLeonardo Da Vinci Master DraftsmanRenaissance HumanismModernismDa Vinci ReconstructedChallengers, Competition, and ReelectionLeonardo
Spiritual shapes Ernst Haeckel's 'art forms in nature'. Martin Kemp The "argument from design" he... more Spiritual shapes Ernst Haeckel's 'art forms in nature'. Martin Kemp The "argument from design" held that the wondrous forms and mechanisms of the created Universe bear irrefutable witness to the existence of a supreme deity. Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection seemed to deal it a devastating blow. If, to use Ernst Haeckel's reasoning, there were no preconceived designs but only selection according to "natural choice", God could no longer be hailed as the direct designer of every individual cog in nature's clockwork. If God were to survive at all, 'He' needed to be located elsewhere in the temporal system through which things have come into being. Haeckel was born in Potsdam in 1834 and Science in culture Haeckel's depiction of Phaeodaria, a class of unicellular radiolarians, on which he was especially expert.
The sequencing of the human genome was the last major goal to be set by leaders of science in the... more The sequencing of the human genome was the last major goal to be set by leaders of science in the twentieth century. Its achievement was certainly as spectacular a triumph as the launching of the first spacecraft or landing on the Moon. It was also an amazing example of cooperation and competition between scientists, government funding agencies, charities, and public and privately funded projects. In a symbolic way it is a manifestation of the dramatic cultural changes that humanity undergoes at the turn of a new millennium. Nature was an active supporter of the project to sequence the human genome, promoting ideas, lobbying for more funds and publishing outstanding achievements, including a completed draft sequence. So it is natural to see two senior editors of Nature compiling a book on this epochal achievement. The book is aimed at both nonspecialists and students in the field, and presents the goals, history and consequences of obtaining the genome sequence. With a foreword by James Watson, the book describes early achievements in DNA structure and human genome mapping, followed by a detailed account of the dramatic course of events that led to the sequencing the human genome ahead of schedule. The style is very clear and the authors present not only the facts, but also the spirit of this dramatic race. Although it is probably too early for a full understanding, the authors have tried to assess the future impact of human genome sequencing on biology, medicine and society. The book contains very good illustrations and historical photographs of key participants of the project. The original article reporting the sequence obtained by the public consortium, with schematic gene maps and accompanying papers, makes up more than half of the book. It will be a pleasure for any scientist to have this milestone book in their personal library. ■ Daniel Cohen is at GENSET, 24 rue Royale, F75008 Paris, France. book reviews
Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 1972
T he methodology of Leonardo's anatomical researches after 1509 tends increasingly towards th... more T he methodology of Leonardo's anatomical researches after 1509 tends increasingly towards the resolution of functions to fit known forms; and away from the creation of forms to fit preconceived functions, the approach which had dominated his quattrocento researches.1 However, his development as an anatomist cannot be adequately characterized in isolation, solely as an inductive tightening of his anatomical technique, as a prophetic anticipation of Vesalian methods. When his late anatomies are set (as they must be) in the general context of his intellectual development, they can be shown to play a complex and profound role in the realization of his magnificent vision of universal dynamics. And, more than this, they are intimately associated with his increasingly positive realization of theological concepts in relation to scientific inquiry.
We have become accustomed to the idea that, in nature, time frequently manifests itself in layers... more We have become accustomed to the idea that, in nature, time frequently manifests itself in layers. We may think of the rings in trees or the ridges in shells, both formed by patterns of unequal growth. Over
It can be easier to understand mathematical procedures when we can see them in, seemingly, three ... more It can be easier to understand mathematical procedures when we can see them in, seemingly, three dimensions. Even though we cannot really see all the dimensions in which these attractors exist, they are satisfying to the eye.
Clinicians screening patients for diseases such as breast cancer have to let a machine do much of... more Clinicians screening patients for diseases such as breast cancer have to let a machine do much of the seeing for them. Theoretical modelling of the processes involved can help to ensure that reliable images are generated. Brady and Highnam's juxtaposed images of an actual X-ray mammogram of a tumour in the left breast (right) and a computer-modelled tumour in the right breast (left).
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