Fritz Kahn (1888-1968), the pioneer of infographics, published more than 20 books with his artist friends and made thousands of scientific illustrations. His infographics attempt to take you inside the functioning of the human mind and body, by depicting people as rather whimsical contraptions. Here are his most amazing illustrations.


Kahn was chased out of Gemany by the Nazis, who burned his books, emigrated to Palestine, France and New York with the help of Albert Einstein. Along the way, he helped contribute to our understanding of ourselves.

Fairytale journey along the bloodstream, by Arthur Schmitson, 1924

(via Compulsive Reader)

Muscle and doorbell connections in their five-part congruence, by G. Edelstein, 1924

(via Ceroabsoluto)

Man as Industrial Palace, 1926

(via Cybernetic Zoo)

The biology of smelling a roast, 1926

(via Science Friday)

The number of bacteria in the air in a metropolis. People recognise the exceptional importance of watering the streets to keep down the dust and of disinfecting the air, as well as the health hazards accompanying large crowds, 1926

(via Designcurial)

The nervous system as an electronic signaling system. The brain is an office where messages are sorted, 1926

(via U.S. National Library of Medicine)

Vibration-free montage in technology and nature: astronomical telescope and blood vessel in the ear, 1929


Cars and ears are similar, 1929

An anatomical landscape from the inside of the nostril looking out, 1931

(via U.S. National Library of Medicine)

Burning energy, 1931

(via U.S. National Library of Medicine)

The reflex mechanism of salivation

(via The Daily Zombies)


(via Fritz Kahn)

The lid-and-tear apparatus is a windshield-wiper with automatic windshield-spray, by Albert Müller, 1939

(via Science Friday)

The seven functions of the nose, 1939

(via Science Friday)

What goes on in our heads when we see a car and say 'car', 1939

(via Science Friday)

The effects of sunlight on the health of the body, 1940

(via U.S. National Library of Medicine)

The Speed of Thought, 1943

We see with the occipital area of the brain, 1943

Respiration, 1943

This is how dessert cleans the tongue, 1943

The work of the heart, 1943

The blood corpuscles, joined together in a chain, would span the globe four times, 1943

Man is an "eye" animal, a dog is a "nose" animal, 1943




The images are from SOCKS, except when noted otherwise.