C. elegans is a transparent nematode (roundworm), about 1 mm in length, which lives in temperate soil environments. Almost all individuals of C. elegans are female hermaphrodites, and a small minority, around one in a thousand, are true males. The basic anatomy of C. elegans includes a mouth, pharynx, intestine, gonad, and collagenous cuticle. Like all nematodes, they have neither a circulatory nor a respiratory system.
Around the world thousands of scientists are working full time investigating the biology of C. elegans. More information can be found here
This work was made in hot glass, it measures 70cm in length and was created in collaboration with James Devereux.
Here’s a short film showing the completed artwork:
The artwork was made in honour of Nobel Prize winning biologist Sydney Brenner and was revealed to him, by the deputy Prime Minister of Singapore on live television (Channel News Asia).