Single cells are small. Really, REALLY small. When you read that a suspended cell is approximately 10-15 microns in diameter it all seems fine and well; you’ll write it down or take note of it, then move along. However, if you stop to think about how small 10-15 microns is, it begins to baffle your mind. I’ve tried so many times to try and picture just how small micron-scale items are that I have a hard time believing anyone can truly imagine a cellular scale.
Fortunately, the Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah has developed a web visualization tool that provides a sliding scale to illustrate the spectrum of sizes from 12 point font all the way down to a single carbon atom. Along the way you’ll run into skin cells, tRNAs, even an amoeba.
Intrigued? Visit the Cell Size and Scale tool now.
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Visualize the Unbelievably Small Scale of the Cell (and other Biological Structures)
Single cells are small. Really, REALLY small. When you read that a suspended cell is approximately 10-15 microns in diameter it all seems fine and well; you’ll write it down or take note of it, then move along. However, if you stop to think about how small 10-15 microns is, it begins to baffle your mind. I’ve tried so many times to try and picture just how small micron-scale items are that I have a hard time believing anyone can truly imagine a cellular scale.
Fortunately, the Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah has developed a web visualization tool that provides a sliding scale to illustrate the spectrum of sizes from 12 point font all the way down to a single carbon atom. Along the way you’ll run into skin cells, tRNAs, even an amoeba.
Intrigued? Visit the Cell Size and Scale tool now.
Related posts: