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Chloé Savard is a Montreal-based artist and microbiologist. Originally trained as a musician, she turned to microbiology as a way to explore new scientific and creative perspectives. Under the pseudonym @tardibabe on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, she uses a microscope and her iPhone to capture striking images and videos of microorganisms—transforming drops of water into mesmerizing visual landscapes. Her work blends art and science, revealing the hidden beauty and complexity of microscopic ecosystems while raising awareness about their fragility.
Her unique approach has earned her two honorable mentions in the 2022 Nikon Small World In Motion competition. She has also showcased her work at events like the SPHÈRE Festival at Canada’s National Arts Centre. Through collaborations with scientific and cultural institutions, Chloé shares her discoveries with a wide audience, helping to democratize microbiology and inspire a new generation of observers of the invisible world.

Volvox is a genus of multicellular freshwater free-swimming green algae. It is largely used for developmental biology, and to study the transition from single celled to multicellular forms of life. The larger spheres are colonies of small biflagellate cells with smaller aflagellate round colonies inside which are the daughter colonies, or the baby algae. Specialized biflagellated cells are responsible for locomotion and spinning movements toward a light source so they can produce sugar by photosynthesis. Those biflagellated cells also possess an eyespot which is responsible for detecting light and guide the colony towards optimal light conditions. These flagellated cells that compose the large mother colony are all interconnected by small cytoplasmic bridges to allow nutrient transfer and communication between cells.
video
portrait
01:53
2021