Let's Get Crafty With Agar Art! : Short Wave Pull out your art supplies because it's time to get crafty--with agar! At the intersection of biology and art lies a creative medium that's actually alive. Scientists and artists practice etching designs on petri dishes with bacterial paint that can grow and multiply.

Aaron Scott talks with science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce about her foray into the agar art world.

Have another craft suggestion? Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

Let's Get Crafty With Agar Art!

Let's Get Crafty With Agar Art!

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A flower crafted by Nell Greenfieldboyce, at an American Society for Microbiology event highlighting agar art. Aidan Rogers/Edvotek hide caption

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Aidan Rogers/Edvotek

A flower crafted by Nell Greenfieldboyce, at an American Society for Microbiology event highlighting agar art.

Aidan Rogers/Edvotek

Pull out your art supplies because it's time to get crafty--with agar! At the intersection of biology and art lies a creative medium that's actually alive. Scientists and artists practice etching designs on petri dishes with bacterial paint that can grow and multiply.

Aaron Scott talks with science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce about her foray into the agar art world.

Have another craft suggestion? Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

Further reading: