Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates/Bacteriophages injecting their genes into a bacterium

Electron micrograph of bacteriophages injecting their genes into a bacterium

Voting period is over. Please don't add any new votes. Voting period ends on 3 Jun 2016 at 13:25:07 (UTC)

**Original** – Numerous viruses attached to a bacterial cell

Reason: This is an electron micrograph (not a photograph) of the viruses that replicate in bacteria at work. The magnification is around 200,000 times. I have lost count of the numerous books and articles that this image has been used in since I gave it to Wikipedia. Please note that the grain is not a photographic artifact; the image was greated by electrons and not photons.
Articles in which this image appears: Virus, Bacteriophage, Phage therapy
FP category for this image: Biology
Creator: Graham Beards

Support as nominator – Graham Beards (talk) 13:25, 24 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]
Comment What causes the small white and dark spots? Are they artefacts or some aspect of the reproduction that should be edited out, or original? (I've marked a few of them at commons:File:Phage.jpgAdam Cuerden ^(talk) 16:35, 24 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

They are on the original film. They are often seen when negative stains are used in electron microscopy. The dark spots are probably crystals of the stain used, (phosphotungstic acid), which are electron dense. The white spots are probably holes in the formvar membrane used to support the preparation. Scientists never, or never should, edit their images. Graham Beards (talk) 17:01, 24 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

It depends on the purpose, but for proper scientific use, I agree. (For an encyclopedia, we have a little more freedom). That said, if they're original and meant to be there, there's no reason not to Support. Adam Cuerden ^(talk) 19:18, 24 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks Adam, I anticipated that this might be an issue. Graham Beards (talk) 19:30, 24 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I think it's just one of those cases where if ye can justify it, it's fine. Adam Cuerden ^(talk) 20:13, 24 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Support — Chris Woodrich (talk) 01:22, 25 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]
Support – how about adding to the file description, perhaps from the image caption here, magnification being approximately 200,000, or other pertinent information. Bammesk (talk) 02:24, 26 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, I have done that. Graham Beards (talk) 05:46, 26 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Support – Jobas (talk) 12:11, 26 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]
Support – very cool image. Vesuvius Dogg (talk) 04:11, 1 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Promoted File:Phage.jpg --Armbrust ^{The Homunculus} 14:36, 3 June 2016 (UTC)[reply]