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There is nothing hotter than a science tattoo

By purepedantry on June 10, 2006.

CNN reports on a survey of the increasing number of people getting tats:

The American University employee is among about 36 percent of Americans age 18 to 29 with at least one tattoo, according to a survey.

The study, scheduled to appear Monday on the Web site of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, provides perhaps the most in-depth look at tattoos since their popularity exploded in the early 1990s.

The results suggest that 24 percent of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that's almost one in four. Two surveys from 2003 suggested just 15 percent to 16 percent of U.S. adults had a tattoo.

OK, let's do a Scienceblogger survey? How many scientists are getting inked? I've got one, so everyone must be doing it.

Actually I have seen a surprisingly large number of science-related tattoos. I once saw a girl who had a neuron tattooed on her ankle.

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I have one (a graduation present to myself). I would have gotten a second one, but since I'm currently living in Japan it's not that good an idea.

I have one tat that I regret... It was a stupid rebellion against my parents think home done with inda ink. It is fading but I want to gt it redone but I'm scared. Tatoos are bad. I honestly thin an age limit is good cause if I waited till I was 18 I would hasve put more emphasis on placement and design.

Laura

I don't count for purposes of the study, since I don't blog on SB and I'm not a scientist, but the guy who did my third tattoo had a double helix around his forearm. I've been lusting after a double helix tattoo ever since.

I'd be willing to bet that a large number of scientists with tattoos have science tattoos. I had a friend, a herpetology student, who had a big snake on his back... standard biker stuff, except that his was labelled with genus and species. And I've got one alchemy tattoo (which is also a pun) and two Faerie Queene-related tats -- history of science undergrad, English graduate.

Well, I don't have a tatoo myself, but I've had what I thought was a pretty good idea for one that I haven't put into practice yet. Maybe one of these days....

So, it goes something like this. You have some Greek god-looking guy in the middle, and he's violently tearing apart the two strands of a DNA double helix. I would call him "Helicles" or "Helicus" or something like that.

Now, if you ever see someone with that tatoo, you know where it came from....

I often joke about getting one with the genetic map of the plasmid I'm doing my thesis on... :-)

My husbands got a couple of tattoos, but they are not science related. I have thought about getting one, even one that was science related but I haven't been able to make up my mind about it.

I will admit that my tattoo is not science-related.

I am just really fascinated by the recent social acceptance of tattoos -- as evidenced by the response to this article.

When I got mine, I was very concerned that if I had to deal with patients they would think poorly of me. Now I am beginning to think they won't even notice.

I have two. Keep wanting to get more but I need to find a more kick-ass design than my first ones. Nothing specifically science, though...maybe I should get a chain of streptococci around my ankle. :)

alphabitch -- Now that is hot. Talk about commitment to your field.

I like all these ideas.

Come on Tara. The next time you are delivering a lecture be like "Hey y'all. This is what a steptococci chain looks like."

(i just found this blog, so i apologize for the late post.)

i'm a pathology tech, biochem intern and physician assistant student (i have a hard time with decisions). i have four tattoos so far: 2 that i drew myself, 2 that are mantras (one hindi, one tibetan). i am currently working on my first overtly science nerd-ish tattoo, based on the tree of life. i draw tattoo designs for other people too, and i take a lot of inspiration from bone and muscle structure, as well as cellular components and microorganisms.

i also have a friend who studies microfauna and has a tardigrade tattoo. it looks amazing.

i think it's totally hot to be an intelligent, lab coat and safety goggle wearin' woman, with sleeves of tattoos. i fully intend to have full sleeves, and a few other tattoos, placed to compliment structure and movement. i'm hooked.