Russian statue honours 'sacrifice' of laboratory rats
WeirdNews
Russian statue honours ‘sacrifice’ of laboratory rats
(Web Desk) - The adorable sculpture shows an older mouse wearing spectacles painstakingly knitting a remarkable object—a double-strand of DNA with a complex pattern.
The statue, which can be seen in Novosibirsk, Siberia, was constructed to honour the tremendous contribution that mice have made to the field of scientific investigation.
In 2013, to mark the institute's 55th birthday, the Monument to the Laboratory Mouse was inaugurated in front of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
This bronze sculpture, which took a full year to create and capture the spirit of a mouse absorbed in its scientific endeavours, is a work of art.
It mixes the images of a laboratory mouse and a scientist since they are related and work towards the same goal, according to renowned sculptor Andrei Kharkevich, who also revealed the idea for his creation. The mouse is photographed right as science makes a breakthrough.
The intricate connection between the rigorous investigation carried out by these little animals and the priceless knowledge they offer is brilliantly captured in the sculpture.
The bronze sculpture of a mouse holding knitting needles in its paws is decked out in a cloak and perched with spectacles on its nose. The mouse expertly stitches a DNA helix, representing the revolutionary discoveries made possible by scientific study, with great attention to detail.
The sculpture's astounding height, including the granite pedestal, is 2.5 metres (98 inches), yet the mouse only stands 70 cm (2712 inches) tall.
