Poppy seed (Papaver somniferum)

Rat neurones, SEM

Antique brain tissue, St Elizabeth's Hospital, Washington DC

Rabbit cerebellum

Thigh bones (femora) from Japanese quail, micro-CT

Grass seed covered in bacteria from infected dog's paw

Medieval human mandible (lower jaw bone)

Drupaceous fruit from Cotinus coggygria (smoke bush), SEM

Knot in hair

A little girl (Jane) lies dying, surrounded by her family who weep and grieve. Line engraving by Brown.

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False-coloured scanning electron micrograph of a HeLa cell which is displaying some blebbing. These blebs or ruffles visible on the surface of the cell are local bulges which form in the plasma membrane when it temporarily detaches from the underlying cytoskeleton. Cell blebbing is important for a variety of cellular processes including cell movement and cell division. HeLa cells are an immortal human epithelial cell line derived from a cancerous tumour of the cervix (adenocarcinoma). It was established in 1951 from a biopsy taken from Henrietta Lacks and was the first human cell line to survive and grow in the laboratory. Henrietta's cells were originally used in this way without permission from her or her family which raises issues about ethics and privacy. HeLa cells have been used extensively around the world in many different fields of research including cancer research, immunology and vaccine development. Width of image is 32 micrometres.

HeLa cell, immortal human epithelial cancer cell line, SEM

Sculpture of the brain made from layering donated human hair into a mould of a model brain. This hair is from a female donor and retains its natural brown auburn colouring.

"Hair brained" is an English idiomatic phrase used as a derogatory term to explain someone's possibly irrational thought.



The brain measures approximately 18 cm (W) by 17 cm (H) by 18 cm (D).

Hair brain sculpture

False-coloured scanning electron micrograph showing the surface of a single strand of hair which has been heavily bleached and straightened. This image shows the tip of a hair taken from the front of the head of a female of Caucasian descent. Although naturally curly, the hair has been repeatedly straightened. Exposure to hair colour or dye, heating and drying can over time damage the hair shaft (barbed wire-like appearance seen here) making the hair brittle and more prone to breakage. The hair shaft is made up of several layers of a tough protein called keratin. The outer layer (cuticle) is visible here and is made up of overlapping, tightly packed scales. Horizontal width of image is 829 micrometres.

Damaged human hair, bleached and straightened, SEM

Photomacrograph of a close-up view of part of a human eye. The sclera is the white part of the eye, which forms a tough, outer coating to protect the eyeball. Part of the iris (brown) and some eyelashes are also visible here. The human eye is a complex organ and works in a similar way to a camera. Light enters the eye through the pupil. The size of the pupil is controlled by the iris in order to adjust how much light enters the eye at any given time. Light enters the eye and is focused onto the retina at the back of the eye, which then converts these images into electrical signals and sends them on to the brain to interpret and make sense of. Width of image is 2 cm.

Sclera (white part) of the human eye

2 volumes, xxi color plate (including frontispiece) ; (8vo)

A natural arrangement of British plants, according to their relations to each other as pointed out by Jussieu, De Candolle, Brown, &c. ... / With an introduction to botany ... By Samuel Frederick Gray.

1 print : line engraving ; border 9.4 x 6.7 cm

2 unnumbered leaves, 103 pages, 1 unnumbered leaf, pages 103-119 ; (8vo)

Merly Library. A catalogue of the ... library of the late Ralph Willett, esq. ... Comprising a most rare assemblage of the early printers, fine specimens ob block printing, old English chronicles, &c. ... botanial drawings / by Van Huysun, Taylor, Brown, Lee &c. Which will be sold by auction, by Leigh and Sotheby ... on ... December 6, 1813, and 16 following days. (Sundays excepted).

Counsellor Philipps's [sic] correct speeches in the following causes of crim. con. Guthrie v. Sterne, Creighton v. Townsend, Black v. Widow Wilkins, Brown v. Blake / [Charles Phillips].

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Brown

Images

Works

HeLa cell, immortal human epithelial cancer cell line, SEM

Hair brain sculpture

Damaged human hair, bleached and straightened, SEM

Sclera (white part) of the human eye

Hair brain sculpture

Today’s opening times

Wellcome uses cookies.

Brown

Images

Works

HeLa cell, immortal human epithelial cancer cell line, SEM

Hair brain sculpture

Damaged human hair, bleached and straightened, SEM

Sclera (white part) of the human eye

Hair brain sculpture

Wellcome Collection

Today’s opening times