The Mutated Insects of Chernobyl

Posted by John Farrier in Arts & Crafts, Science & Tech on October 13, 2009 at 11:23 am



Image: Cornelia Hesse-Honegger

Since 1967, scientific illustrator Cornelia Hesse-Honegger has visited 25 nuclear sites, including that of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, documenting the mutated insects resulting from radioactive contamination. In an interview about her work, Hesse-Honegger said:

I never thought really about myself as being an artist. I just made what I thought was necessary. I thought that these laboratory flies are the prototypes of our understanding of nature, in the sense that we can do anything to nature—we the humans dictate in the end how nature should look like. It was for me the prototype of a future nature, man-made.

The professor who first gave me the mutated flies was convinced, however, that the radiation from Chernobyl had no impact on nature. This is what brought up the question of “low-level radiation.” Nobody was interested in doing research; this is why I thought I had to make these paintings to show the scientists that it would be important to start research in fallout areas.

Link via Fast Company | Interview with the Artist


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8 comments to "The Mutated Insects of Chernobyl"

  1. Jannie Funster
    October 13th, 2009 at 11:55 am

    Would've never guess those are paintings. Amazing what you artistes can do.

    Radiation bad.

    Spreading word of,good.

  2. Gauldar
    October 13th, 2009 at 12:22 pm

    The spreading of radiation is good? Well, maybe for insects and the one-legged snake population, but I don't know about everything else.

  3. Kalel
    October 13th, 2009 at 2:33 pm

    The articles leaves out that the smallest of these creatures is over 15 meters tall.

  4. Larfin Jackarse
    October 13th, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    Mehhh...call me when they find the brain bug.

  5. swss
    October 13th, 2009 at 9:31 pm

    Very cool - thanks for the link!

  6. Christophe
    October 13th, 2009 at 11:12 pm

    what? no flesh eating, giant mutated bug? I'm somehow disappointed
    ;)

  7. amocksun
    October 14th, 2009 at 11:28 pm

    I'm confused...are these purely from her imagination or portrayals of actual mutations?

  8. cornfused
    October 21st, 2009 at 11:51 am

    I'm a bit confused. Is that supposed to be one species as it has mutated? different species? There is little meat to this story...just that scientists didn't think it was important but this lady has seen otherwise.


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