(c) 2000-2009 Martin Krzywinski | photos are for public use | use, modification and distribution of these photos is unrestricted
My photographic interests extend past rats and include fashion and beauty photography (Lumondo Photography).
The rat genome sequencing project at the Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Centre is nearing completion. This is a fitting time to dig up old rat photos in the search for the genomics rat idol.
Here is Alex.
rat on genome sequencer - color (zoom)
rat on genome sequencer - bw (zoom)
Alex is neither without modesty nor public fame. Her first cover-girl appearance was on the April issue of Genome Research.
More recently, she's appeared on the cover of Ethnologie Francaise (Jan-Mar 2009 issue).
The topic of the issue was the relationship between animals and humans. It is fitting therefore to recount here the relationship I shared with Alex during her sojourn with us. Alex liked to bite (hard) and blamed this unattractive behaviour on the uncanny similarity between a finger and a pellet of food. In addition to unpredictable bouts of biting (by far the most exciting aspect of her personality), Alex lacked other distinguishing characteristics.
Alex's Biography
Alex was born in May 2000. It's well known that a rat's cuteness reaches maximum at about 3-4 weeks. After this critical time, a pet store rat is less likely to be purchased and may be asked to act as snake food. In Alex's case, she was perilously close to her deadline. Luckily for her, we paid a ransom of $6.99 to the Noah's Ark pet shop in Vancouver. She was on her last cute leg.
Here Alex is seen in a forced portrait position (zoom).
From May 2000 Alex spent most of her time hoarding food pellets and riding on shoulders.
Alex died of a seizure in late 2002.