The inside of a sea turtle’s mouth is a terrifying sight to behold, something completely unexpected considering the majestic, serene nature of these gentle giants. But all is not what it seems. These are not vicious fangs, designed to rip unsuspecting prey to shreds, but something much cooler and more interesting.

Artist and biologist Helen Kairo, also known as Anatomika Science, has created an informative and creative series of illustrations that show us why sea turtles look like something out of Aliens when they open their mouths.

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Image credits: anatomika.science

Image credits: anatomika.science

Helen, who has a BFA in Illustration and Masters of Science in Biology, prepares specimens for museums, consults on educational software and products, and creates content for public outreach. She expertly combines her two passions to create these series on her Instagram, and we just love them!

Image credits: anatomika.science

“I’ve always loved biology and drawing ever since I was a kid, Helen told Bored Panda. “I got my undergrad in art and did a lot of work in the game industry before getting my masters in biology. For the past decade, I’ve worked in the intergrade between art and biology. I have done a lot of consulting for companies seeking to develop better ways to teach biology, worked on many educational games and software packages, designed creatures for film and games, and worked on building and designing museum displays.”

Image credits: anatomika.science

“Most recently, I taught human and comparative anatomy courses to pre-med and pre-vet students, designed a line of science-themed toys, developed the visuals for science software. I’m working on a book about animal anatomy.”

Image credits: anatomika.science

“I’m big on the accessibility of biology. I create specimens for museums, but I also sell them to the public. I working on publishing research in myology, but also write and draw for my social media accounts. It’s important for me to be able to share my interests in biology.”

“I want people to appreciate the intricacies and ingenuity in the everyday biology that most of us take for granted.”

Image credits: anatomika.science

“Conservation is one of our most important missions, but we must approach it with an understanding of its interdisciplinary nature. The anatomy of animals, their behavior and the way they interact with their environment affects their conservation as a whole.”

Image credits: anatomika.science

“Conservation is not just Save the Animals. We have to understand them to do anything meaningful for them, and to understand them, we must first foster curiosity in them. We cannot save what we do not understand.”

Here’s what people had to say about the enlightening illustrations

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