A relatively modern design type is the scientific tattoo. These designs feature anything from microscopic biological structures, to macroscopic space objects. Many of them are readable and minimalistic, clearly displaying scientific laws or concepts in special scientific notation. The specific ‘meanings’ behind these designs are straightforward, as far as the actual scientific concepts are concerned, but the meaning behind the tattoo tends to be highly personal.
Popular science writer, Carl Zimmer, set out to learn about those who had science-themed tattoos. He discovered that many people working in a scientific field had a related tattoo based on an emotional connection they’d made to a certain scientific idea. Others have opted for scientific tattoos simply to express their passion for the subject. Look through our science tattoo dictionary below, and see if any of these ideas appeal to you!