New Imaging Tools Put the Art Back Into Science

VISUALIZING SCIENCEBOSTON-- Across virtually every discipline, computer-aided tools and new technologies, often developed for the art and entertainment industries, are becoming common on the lab bench--and raising complex questions about the role of aesthetics in science and the fine line between enhancement and falsification. Next month the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will bring together researchers, publishers, and imagemakers to discuss the promises and pitfalls of imaging in science. The National Science Foundation (NSF), a primary sponsor of the conference, stands ready to provide additional funding for imaging projects, promises NSF director Rita Colwell.