Scientist Rinsing Mud from Tube Lids Near Stream

Water cascades over the rim of a white ceramic tube lid held in gloved hands, washing away thick brown clay residue. The subject stands beside a shallow, flowing stream in Siguiri, where the monsoon season leaves the surrounding earth saturated and dark. Late morning light falls through dramatic, heavy gray clouds, casting soft, diffused shadows across the wet stones and the scientist's focused posture. Droplets rest on the rim of the tube before sliding down into the churning water below. The ceramic surface gleams under the overcast sky, against the rough texture of the mud being cleared. One drop hangs from the tube's edge, ready to fall.