| I remember watching Ripley’s Believe It or Not when I was a kid (when Jack Palance ruled the Earth) and being mesmerized by all the kookiness in the world. There was no question I was believing – Jack had me at Bigfoot. In addition to pondering the frightening episode where spontaneous combustion was addressed, I remember the world of the unseen – the microcosms that hung out in our pillows and snacked on our dead skin. Now that was cool. I remember thinking what would germs look like, or even the tiniest insects, if we could see every antenna magnified?
My curiosity has been satisfied at eyeofscience.de. Since 1994, Oliver Meckes and Nicole Ottawa have been creating their signature blend of scientific art. Their philosophy: "our aim as a two-person team of photographer and biologist is to combine scientific exactness with esthetic appearances.…" This is achieved through the aid of electron microscopes, electron imaging systems and Macintosh computers.
The results are breathtaking. A majestic wave of linolenic acid brings a new appreciation of linseed oil. E. coli seems less threatening in warm reds on a soothing blue background. A bladderwort plant is perfection, and red blood cells in all their complexity resemble pink Smarties. And if you’re not impressed by the delicate charm of an owl feather, you’ll at least be intrigued by the 300x magnification of an itch mite, which has been known to frequent the groin area.
Isn’t science awesome? |
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