True to its purpose of enlarging our field of vision, the
microscope has helped us magnify our knowledge by enabling us to look at the
part of our world right under our noses. It’s helped us in nearly everything
from analyzing rocks to identifying antibacterial properties.
Recently Japanese scientists have announced that they have
developed a microscope that utilizes quantum entanglement. This is certainly a
far cry from the simple water lenses the Chinese used to magnify objects more
than two thousand years ago. The first light microscope was developed by
Zacharias Jansen circa 1590 using, well, light, while the first compound
microscope was made by Anton van Leeuwenhoek (known as the father of
microscopy) using lenses. Since the 1931 invention of the electron microscope,
which speeds up electrons and focuses them on a single sample which then
absorbs them, microscopes have only gotten better. With these technological
developments, certainly those who use it gain greater knowledge and appreciation
for the microscopic world.
Yet at the same time, these developments only further the
microscope’s reputation as a very “scientific” instrument. This is not untrue;
very few instruments have contributed more to the fields of science than the
microscope. I am talking about the potential applications microscopy has in a
field that may be the furthest thing from life sciences – art. Specifically,
microscope photography.
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| Marine Diatoms |
Since the first stunning images were produced in the 1970s,
microscope photography has only continued to get better and better as both
microscopes and cameras get better and better. And rightly so: for is there no art
in nature, and no savage, intricate beauty in science?
Microscope photography – known as micrography – is amazing
because it is just another reminder that there is beauty in the most unlikely
of places – in this case, things on the microscopic scale. The photos – known
as micrographs – show us everything
from chill-inducing zoom-ins of insect antennae to stunning close-ups of
beautiful metals. Since all the subjects are all natural or living creatures,
it serves as the very picture of nature’s inherent beauty. It is varied,
gruesome, surprising, and sometimes a little close to home.
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| Not a canyon, but a micro-crack in steel. |
The concept is straightforward: a camera is attached to the
lens or eyepiece of a microscope and used to take pictures. Even a simple
camera can be used under the right settings. But it is much harder than it
sounds. The great thing about micrography is that to be good at it one needs
great skill in both science and photography, even if one is only taking the
photo purely for artistic purposes. Skills in science are needed to prepare the
specimen cleanly, for things like the removal of debris. Skills in photography
are needed to take the perfect picture: with good lighting, focus, color
contrast, etcetera. Hence impressive micrographs are always a real treat: for
scientists, photography enthusiasts, and the casual viewer.
Another good thing about micrography is that it offers a
glimpse of the sciences to those who don’t spend time in research labs – the
people who may dismiss science as “boring” and “unglamorous” are exposed to how
amazing and powerful science can actually be. It also serves as an interesting
gateway point to being interested in science, as interested people can easily
look up the subjects of a photograph they like.
All in all, microphotography is a very cool hobby with
plenty of potential that should really be featured more. I’d try it myself, but
I’d actually need a microscope.
Bibliography
Bellis, M. (n.d.). History
of the microscope. About.com. Retrieved 7 March 2014 from http://inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventions/a/microscope.htm
Microscope photography (2008). Take digital photos through a microscope without any special lens or
adapter. Instructables. Retrieved 7 March 2013 from http://www.instructables.com/id/Take-digital-photos-through-a-microscope-without-a/
Miklós, Vincze (November 11, 2013). Photos of the amazing and gruesome world under the microscope. IO9. Retrieved 7 March 2013 from http://io9.com/photos-of-the-amazing-and-gruesome-world-under-a-micros-1291328130
Moskovitch, K. (March 3, 2014). First-of-its-kind microscope that uses quantum entanglement developed
in Japan. Huffington Post. Retrieved 7 March 2013 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/04/microscope-quantum-entanglement-japan_n_4895852.html
All images are
property of their respective photographers.
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