Published in Science in 2003, "The Tree" is the most elegant visual representation of data I've ever seen. The information density of this figure is extraordinary. It's a phylogenetic tree of all Earth life with a time dimension. The center of the figure is the formation of the Earth and the inner circle is the emergence of life. As you move further away from the center you move closer to the present. The curve segments on the perimeter represent kingdoms, and within them phylum, etc.
What's more impressive still is that even while being as efficient with space as it is, the purpose of this diagram is also to be beautiful. It inspires awe and the diversity of life while simultaneously emphasizing its oneness. It appears both like the Earth itself and like a human iris, suggesting discovery, insight, and identity. The seamless weaving of hard geometric lines and smooth curves suggests the technological and the organic. Like a fractal, the Tree portrays complexity at every level of magnification. This more than a diagram of life on Earth, it's a portrait.
(See Science, 2003, 300:1692-1697).
(See Science, 2003, 300:1692-1697).
