Smart Alyk
@smartalyk.bsky.social
In my Archaea Era 🦠
New artist painting a new species daily. Watch the art evolve as I paint earth's complete evolutionary history over 40 years
instagram.com/smart.alyk
New artist painting a new species daily. Watch the art evolve as I paint earth's complete evolutionary history over 40 years
instagram.com/smart.alyk
It was my first time using the color so I was extra careful putting it down. But it's Daniel Smith Green Apatite Genuine
February 7, 2026 at 10:17 AM
It was my first time using the color so I was extra careful putting it down. But it's Daniel Smith Green Apatite Genuine
I was joking when I finished that it looks like I just let my painting get moldy. But I very lightly poked a dry brush into a very dark green Daniel Smith paint, and then I tapped the brush in a vertical position lightly on the paper. The paper was near dry from the previous layer but not quite.
February 7, 2026 at 10:07 AM
I was joking when I finished that it looks like I just let my painting get moldy. But I very lightly poked a dry brush into a very dark green Daniel Smith paint, and then I tapped the brush in a vertical position lightly on the paper. The paper was near dry from the previous layer but not quite.
Woodblock master Hokusai is one of my favorite artists, so maybe it was a subconscious decision. But the small green guy was the main subject, so I was trying to figure out a way to finish the orange guy quickly, but also make it look good. It's surface almost has this snake skin like texture.
February 7, 2026 at 9:57 AM
Woodblock master Hokusai is one of my favorite artists, so maybe it was a subconscious decision. But the small green guy was the main subject, so I was trying to figure out a way to finish the orange guy quickly, but also make it look good. It's surface almost has this snake skin like texture.
N. aerobiophila is a thermoacidophilic, obligate ectosymbiotic archaeon found in Japanese hot springs. It is reliant on its host M. sedula for essential metabolites.
February 7, 2026 at 7:36 AM
N. aerobiophila is a thermoacidophilic, obligate ectosymbiotic archaeon found in Japanese hot springs. It is reliant on its host M. sedula for essential metabolites.
The second image looks like a hairy cactus! The small world is odd, but beautiful.
February 6, 2026 at 8:55 PM
The second image looks like a hairy cactus! The small world is odd, but beautiful.
Thank you! I really like how this one turned out. 😃
February 6, 2026 at 7:31 AM
Thank you! I really like how this one turned out. 😃
It requires a symbiotic host to survive and interacts with its host through intercellular nanotubes.
February 6, 2026 at 7:22 AM
It requires a symbiotic host to survive and interacts with its host through intercellular nanotubes.
Slowly adding new lines to the toolbox. Thanks!
February 5, 2026 at 9:58 AM
Slowly adding new lines to the toolbox. Thanks!
Ca. Parvarchaeum acidiphilum is an uncultivated, extremely small archaeon. Found in acid mine drainage at the Richmond Mine at Iron Mountain, California.
Its highly streamlined with reduced genomes made up of about 1000 genes. Its among the smallest known cellular organisms.
Its highly streamlined with reduced genomes made up of about 1000 genes. Its among the smallest known cellular organisms.
February 5, 2026 at 7:30 AM
Ca. Parvarchaeum acidiphilum is an uncultivated, extremely small archaeon. Found in acid mine drainage at the Richmond Mine at Iron Mountain, California.
Its highly streamlined with reduced genomes made up of about 1000 genes. Its among the smallest known cellular organisms.
Its highly streamlined with reduced genomes made up of about 1000 genes. Its among the smallest known cellular organisms.
Yeah I should mention the morphology on Ca. Odinarchaeum yellowstonii is speculative. I'll be skipping most asgard due to lack of imaging.
February 5, 2026 at 12:31 AM
Yeah I should mention the morphology on Ca. Odinarchaeum yellowstonii is speculative. I'll be skipping most asgard due to lack of imaging.
That's honestly very cool, and well thought out. I love it! There's an item in a game I play called the Eye of Skadi. I didn't realize the names Norse origin until your post. Thanks!
February 4, 2026 at 11:06 PM
That's honestly very cool, and well thought out. I love it! There's an item in a game I play called the Eye of Skadi. I didn't realize the names Norse origin until your post. Thanks!
So cool, congratulations!
February 4, 2026 at 9:36 AM
So cool, congratulations!
It's all so nice, but I particularly love how you did the flame! 🔥
February 4, 2026 at 8:55 AM
It's all so nice, but I particularly love how you did the flame! 🔥
Huginn meaning "thought" and Muninn meaning "memory". These viruses were discovered through analysis of CRISPR spacers in the archaeon's genome, So the viruses were literally found in the memory of their host.
February 4, 2026 at 7:38 AM
Huginn meaning "thought" and Muninn meaning "memory". These viruses were discovered through analysis of CRISPR spacers in the archaeon's genome, So the viruses were literally found in the memory of their host.
Ca. O. yellowstonii is a Asgard archaeon named after the chief god in Norse mythology. It is targeted by two specific viruses named Huginn and Muninn. The viruses were named after Odin's ravens that fly around the world each day gathering information.
February 4, 2026 at 7:38 AM
Ca. O. yellowstonii is a Asgard archaeon named after the chief god in Norse mythology. It is targeted by two specific viruses named Huginn and Muninn. The viruses were named after Odin's ravens that fly around the world each day gathering information.
There just having a little chit chat
February 3, 2026 at 4:30 AM
There just having a little chit chat