Frieze: A Journey Through Time

A tube map of time...

At the ASE, we always want to play our part in celebrating British Science Week – with its theme this year of “Connections” – and as a result, we are delighted to be able to share a new resource that we hope will be of value to both educators and anyone with an interest in science...

400 species – 400 stories with references and full classification.

Based on Harry Beck’s iconic depiction of the London Underground network, Frieze – A Journey Through Time, is a map-based resource that features 395 drawings of species, with their stories, and illustrates how living things have developed together through the ages, clearly showing explosions, extinctions and co-evolution.

Created by former Kew Gardens artist Sue Mason, the Tube Map metaphor aims to present a simplified picture of the overall logical design behind the development of the natural world and to see the patterns within it.

Originally a printed resource funded by the Biochemical Society, we at the ASE have been working with Sue to create digital versions of the map and all of the supporting resources, and are now making them freely available on our website. We are not in a position at this time to offer any curriculum-specific or pedagogic guidance on how best to deploy the materials but would welcome any feedback via comms@ase.org.uk or the ASE Twitter feed.

"Everything in Nature is connected - every species has its place and work to do to contribute to the stability of the ecosystem, and this resource highlights just that."

- Sue Mason