Aquihaselo - Science in Portugal ...

Hi ! Here is a very nice and beautiful stamp on Science issued by Portugal on 3 March 2009. On the first look it gives the appearance of some fresh red frruits but it actually depicts a highly scientific phenomenon . The design was selected by a competition of stamp designing in Portugal which is known as AQUIHASELO in Portuguese meaning hobby challenge. If someone is reading from Portugal please let me know the correct meaning of 'aquihaselo'.

About the stamp design :
The illustration on this stamp represents the active centre of an enzyme called CotA-lacase, which has been identified in the bacteria Bacillus subtilis; it has some very interesting features from the functional point of view, given its wide-ranging applications in the field of biotechnology. Besides its capacity to wear-down compounds produced during industrial processes, the so called highly pollutant phenols, this enzyme has a potential in bioremediation, in the formation of biopolymers (most commonly used in plastic manufacturing), in the processing of fruit juices, as biosensors, and in the wear-down of a vegetable fibre called lignin.On the stamp, different atoms in the enzyme’s activity centre have been coloured; among these, the central orange atom stands out; it represents the copper atom that enables the enzyme to function. In its role as a cultural and social disseminator, the stamp discloses an important scientific discovery which, after all, can also be an artistic representation.

Well this is the beautiful stamp on biotechnology . It will be very much appreciated by those collecting on Chemistry or other associated Science themes. This is all for this Morning !....Till Next Post...Have a Nice Time !