The curse of the protein ribbon diagram

Does reductionism, in the era of machine learning and now interpretable AI, facilitate or hinder scientific insight? The protein ribbon diagram, as a means of visual reductionism, is a case in point.

Automated summary

In the era of machine learning and interpretable AI, the impact of reductionism on scientific insight is a topic of debate. The protein ribbon diagram serves as an example of visual reductionism, which has both facilitated and hindered scientific understanding.