Images created in the context of biological research and teaching often fascinate beyond their scientific significance because they reveal the beauty of life itself. According to its initiator, Christian Ungermann, the ‘Science Picture of the Year’ competition aims to honour this aspect. Once again this year, a whole series of impressive photographs were submitted, from which the jury selected three winning images.
First place: Short-eared owl in flight by Matthias Berger
First place this year went to Matthias Berger, who won over the jury with his extraordinary photo of a short-eared owl in flight. Berger took the photo during an excursion organised by the Zoology division to the high sea island of Heligoland, which he accompanied as a tutor. He writes about his picture: ‘I am always fascinated looking into the eyes of an owl’ – something that many people can certainly relate to when viewing his impressive photo.
Second place: Bubbly endosomes by Alexander Stockhammer
Second place went to a microscopy image by Alexander Stockhammer, which was taken at CellNanOs. It shows endosomes in living (human) HeLa cells in different colours. Stockhammer explains: ‘The cells were treated with the drug apilimod, which led to an extreme enlargement of the endosomes and their bubbly appearance.’
Third place: Male waterbuck by Sebastian Holt
Third place went to Sebastian Holt with his portrait of a male waterbuck. This animal owes its German name (‘Ellipsen-Wasserbock’) to a circular white stripe above its hind legs, as Holt explains. He discovered the waterbuck during an excursion to South Africa with the Behavioural Biology division.
Science Picture of the Year: About the competition
The ‘Science Picture of the Year’ competition, organised by SFB 1557, has been held annually since 2024. Staff and students of the Biology department are invited to submit photographs taken during experiments or field trips. Each year, the extended board of the SFB forms a jury that selects the three best images from all submissions. The winners receive a book as a prize, and their photos are then exhibited in large format in the CellNanOs building.
