2017 in pictures: Spectrum’s picks for best images

We asked autism researchers to enter the Spectrum science image contest. Here are the top pics.

By Claire Cameron

22 December 2017 | 1 min read

This article is more than five years old.

Neuroscience—and science in general—is constantly evolving, so older articles may contain information or theories that have been reevaluated since their original publication date.

We asked autism researchers to enter the Spectrum science image contest. From sensational stem-cell snapshots to a ‘furry’ close-up of the hippocampus, these are the 10 top pics.

Fuzzy memories: A close-up of a human hippocampus, created by magnetic resonance imaging, shows the short-range connections critical for forming new memories.

Tyler Ard and Arthur Toga, University of Southern California Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, California

Brainbow brilliance: Individual cells in the human brain reflect one of more than 100 hues after researchers treat the tissue with a combination of four dyes — a technique called ‘Brainbow.’

Shu-Hsien Sheu, Janelia Research Campus, Virginia, and Jonathan Ting, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Washington

Creating connections: Two clusters of immature neurons (nuclei, red) derived from the cells of a child with autism form a bridge of fibers between them.

Alysson Muotri, University of California, San Diego

Magical mind: Data from magnetic resonance images of multiple human brains blend to form a colorful depiction of the bundles of nerve fibers (right) that transmit information in the brain.

Tyler Ard and Arthur Toga, University of Southern California Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, California

In the pink: After seven days in culture, neural stem cells (pink) derived from a person with autism express a protein called beta-III tubulin (red) present in immature neurons.

Madeline Williams, Rutgers University, New Jersey

Decoding device: This cell-recording machine captures the electrical activity of specific cells in slices of brain tissue that have been activated by light.

Bob O'Connor, photographer, Massachusetts, Bernardo Sabatini, Harvard University, Massachusetts

Simple cells: Neurons derived from people with autism have few branches (right). Exposing them to support cells called astrocytes (black) from controls leads to a more typical shape (left).

Patricia Braga, University of São Paulo, Brazil

Rodent reveal: A 3-D model of a mouse brain shows more than 500 brain regions in great detail.

David Feng, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Washington

Painted cells: Three separate stains (green, red, blue) highlight precursors of human neurons grown in culture.

Smrithi Prem, Rutgers University, New Jersey

Rhapsody in green: Neurons infected with the rabies virus glow green in the hippocampus (memory hub) of the mouse brain.

Tyler Ard, Michael Bienkowski, Hong-Wei Dong and Arthur Toga, University of Southern California Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, California