If you walk out of the back of Addenbrooke's Hospital, past the smokers' shelter (today discussing causes of strokes and heart attacks - hmmm) you come to a cycle path which heads out across fields directly to the Cambridge-London railway line. As it turns to run next to the railway tracks you come across a large double helix representing the structure of DNA and the start of 10,257 stripes in 4 colours. Each colour represents a 'base' of DNA sequence (Adenine, Thymine, Guanine or Cytosine) of the BRCA-2 breast cancer gene. The path was laid in 2005 to celebrate the 10,000th mile of cycle path laid in the UK and to commemorate the sequencing of the human genome at the Sanger Centre just outside Cambridge. I tend to think BRCA2 is an odd choice as it is associated with disease but it has close to 10,000 bases so I suppose it fitted! The whole thing is slightly bizarre as it's in the middle of nowhere though it runs through to the nearby village of Shelford which is a useful route (and surprisingly busy when you're embarrassing yourself with a self-timer). You have to walk or cycle over a mile to cover the whole gene. I did try and get to the stripes once before for this project but was deterred by an approaching storm: http://365project.org/judithg/365/2011-05-26 . I thought it was a good topic for today since I'm about to go on a journey. I've no idea what internet access I'll have so sorry for not commenting for a few days.
I like the little flashes of light and sparkle. Interesting story - I'll get my husband to look out for it next time he goes to Addenbrookes to be a platelet donor.
Very technical stuff Judith & obviously your sphere & a very interesting history of this stripy path ! I would love to understand properly about DNA as it is so relevant to today's society !! A very enjoyable trip tomorrow & photo all you can for us poor things at home !! Safe journey !!
great narrative Judith and another song title slipped into you photo title ....love the POV and the shot works well...have a safe journey and remember to take some shots :)
great shot and composition!
i found it very interesting.
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