Information is beautiful! The world's best info-graphics that show us the value of body parts, surname distribution and what makes a great novel

Information Is Beautiful Awards celebrated the best data graphics

Graphics showed anything from the monetary value of a human brain to the most common Alaskan surnames




A map of the human body that lists the value of each body part; a map of the U.S. that marks the most popular surnames; and a graphic that shows what plot details make a great novel.

These were just three of the entries at the Information Is Beautiful Awards ceremony in London last week, celebrating the most ingenious methods of making numbers and facts visually interesting.



The body parts map provides the price in sterling for every limb, organ and gland based on the growing industry of human tissue recovery.

The researchers calculated the values from prices charged by human tissue recovery agencies that collect body parts for research.

Because you're worth it: A body parts map designed by Peter Grundy that was nominated at the Information Is Beautiful Awards ceremony at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London last week

The most expensive individual part is the pituitary gland at the base of the brain, which is valued at £2,085. Known as the ‘master gland’, the pituitary controls hormones and functions as the body’s thermostat.

If you could do away with your brain altogether, expect to be paid £10,707 for all its parts.

The colourful ‘info graphic’ map, entitled Body Parts: What Are You Worth and designed by Peter Grundy, was nominated at the Information Is Beautiful Awards ceremony at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA).

Other high value parts are the small intestine, worth £1,576, and a pair of human testicles, worth £1,526.

If you can spare your penis, expect to be paid £763 - the same value as a gallbladder - while your stomach will fetch just £318. Some spare knee cartilage will net £811, lungs are valued at £736 and both eyes are worth just £954.

Surprisingly the heart is worth a middling £763, according to the graphic.

The least lucrative body part is a gold tooth - worth just £1.

Popular names: This detailed graphic shows the predominant surnames in each U.S. state in map form

The nominees for this year's Booker Prize are broken down by genre to find out what makes a great novel. Perhaps unsurprisingly, death is the most common plot device

An annotation on the diagram says: 'Today’s scientists have rejected grave robbing in favour of human tissue recovery agencies, companies that collect and supply body parts for research.

'Since the UK’s Human Tissue Act 2004 clarified the law, tissue recovery has become a lucrative and (mostly) legitimate industry, turning over millions of pounds a year.'

Human tissue recovery turns body parts into profit by making everything from dental implants to bladder slings.

It is a big growth industry, especially in the U.S. and Eastern Europe.

Winners at the awards show included Cover Mania by Michele Mauri, a diagram that illustrates how many times the songs by artists such as The Beatles and Led Zeppelin have been covered.



Simple: This info-poster reveals the attitudes of Danes towards refugees and immigrants

A survey of a million phone calls made by New Yorkers to the non-emergency 311 number reveal that around midday is the peak time and the most common complaints are about traffic and consumer issues

On the up: This graphic poses the question of how much longer can athletes continue to improve in physical ability as time goes by

Cover stars: Charting 50 years up until 2010, this graphic shows The Beatles to be the most covered act in living memory



