Metal with the consistency of ribbon garnered engineering graduate student Adam Siegel and chemist George M. Whitesides of Harvard University an honorable mention in the photography category of the 2007 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge.
The pair created this image by injecting molten solder into a tiny silicone channel.
When the solder cooled, it formed a delicate metallic structure that was flexible enough to be tied into a knot—but could still conduct electricity.
Not pictured here are the winners of the informational graphics category.
"Modeling the Flight of a Bat" by David J. Willis of Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Mykhaylo Kostandov of Brown University earned the first place accolade, while "How Does A Muscle Work?" by Mark McGowan and David Goodsell of the Exploratorium Institute took honorable mention.