【Chinese-English】Best Science Pictures of 2007 Award

A striking image of seaweed illustrates the complexity in a simple organism.

The picture features Irish moss-Chondrus crispus, a common Atlantic red seaweed. It is harvested for its carrageenan. The substance is used as a thickener in food processing.

Andrea Alii, a student in the botany department of Maryland University won first prize in the 2007 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge in the nature photography category for his horticultural artistry.

The Best Science Picture Award is presented annually by the Natural Science Foundation and Science Magazine. They will select images that best represent complex scientific information and concepts. This year's winners will be announced in Science Magazine on September 28th.