Generally a visible or tactile studying support could make all of the distinction to elucidating an idea to an viewers. Within the case viruses and their strategies of self-assembly, [AtomicVirology] made a 3D printed gadget to display how they work.
The results of this work is a printed dodecahedron, assembled from a number of parts. Every face of the dodecahedron consists of a 5-sided pentagon, and is a separate piece. Every face comprises magnets which permit the varied faces to stay collectively. Amazingly, when a bunch of those faces are all thrown right into a container and mixed in, they finally assemble themselves into full dodecahedrons.
Whereas it’s no virus, and the components can’t replicate themselves en masse, the demonstration is instructive. Viruses themselves self-assemble similarly, because of sub-units that work together with one another within the tumultuous surroundings of a number cell.
We love instructing device round these components. 3D printing has the good thing about permitting academics to create their very own such gadgets with only a few hours spent in some CAD software program.
Viruses…assemble! Try our new 3D printed mannequin to display virus symmetry and self meeting. #lovevirology #3Dprinting pic.twitter.com/BWOTIZXMNU
— Stephen Graham’s Lab (@AtomicVirology) December 8, 2022