Olympus BioScapes: Art living under the microscope (photos)
Camera company's annual digital-imaging competition uncovers the science-as-art coming out of research laboratories across the globe. Winners were announced this week.
Daddy longlegs eyes
At first glance, the winning images from the 2010 Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging Competition--put on by the camera company's U.S. arm--look like distant worlds or psychedelic moon landscapes. But take a (much) closer look, and you'll see the images are of life science specimens that surround us every day: seeds, insects, plants, animals, and eyes...
Among the year's winners announced this week, first place went to this colorful specimen of the frontal section of a daddy longlegs' eyes.
First place, Dr. Igor Siwanowicz
Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology
Munich, Germany
Specimen: Frontal section of phalangium opilio (Harvestman/daddy longlegs) eyes
Technique: Confocal
Among the year's winners announced this week, first place went to this colorful specimen of the frontal section of a daddy longlegs' eyes.
First place, Dr. Igor Siwanowicz
Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology
Munich, Germany
Specimen: Frontal section of phalangium opilio (Harvestman/daddy longlegs) eyes
Technique: Confocal
Rat hippocampus
Entries in the science-as-art competition, now in its eighth year, are judged based on their aesthetics and technical merit, as well as the life science they depict. Winners of this year's competition were announced this week.
"Microscope images forge an extraordinary bond between science and art," said Osamu Joji, Olympus America's vice president and general manager for the Scientific Equipment Group. "We founded this competition to focus on the fascinating stories coming out of today's life science research laboratories. The thousands of images that people have shared with the competition over the years reflect some of the most exciting work going on in research today--work that can help shed light on the living universe and ultimately save lives."
2nd place, Thomas Deerinck
University of California at San Diego
Specimen: Rat hippocampus
Technique: Multiphoton
"Microscope images forge an extraordinary bond between science and art," said Osamu Joji, Olympus America's vice president and general manager for the Scientific Equipment Group. "We founded this competition to focus on the fascinating stories coming out of today's life science research laboratories. The thousands of images that people have shared with the competition over the years reflect some of the most exciting work going on in research today--work that can help shed light on the living universe and ultimately save lives."
2nd place, Thomas Deerinck
University of California at San Diego
Specimen: Rat hippocampus
Technique: Multiphoton
Solitary coral
In addition to advanced research, some of the winning and honorable mention images reflect people's endless fascination with the little things in life such as mushrooms, fish scales, insects, roots, bandages, and red wine.
Third place, James Nicholson
Coral Culture and Collaborative Research Facility, Fort Johnson Marine Lab
Charleston, S.C.
Specimen: Solitary coral, Fungia sp
Technique: Reflected illumination/epifluorescence without barrier filter
Third place, James Nicholson
Coral Culture and Collaborative Research Facility, Fort Johnson Marine Lab
Charleston, S.C.
Specimen: Solitary coral, Fungia sp
Technique: Reflected illumination/epifluorescence without barrier filter
Licmophora juegensii on red alga
Fourth place, Wolfgang Bettighofer
Kiel, Germany
Specimen: Licmophora juegensii on red alga
Technique: Differential interference contrast
Kiel, Germany
Specimen: Licmophora juegensii on red alga
Technique: Differential interference contrast
Flower primordium of Tribulus sp
Fifth place, Dr. M.R. Dadpour
Department of Horticultural Sciences, University of Tabriz
Tabriz, Iran
Specimen: Flower primordium of Tribulus sp
Technique: Epi-illumination, 100 z-stacked images
Department of Horticultural Sciences, University of Tabriz
Tabriz, Iran
Specimen: Flower primordium of Tribulus sp
Technique: Epi-illumination, 100 z-stacked images
Spirogyra
Sixth place, Dr. Jerzy Gubernator
Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw Wroclaw, Poland
Specimen: Spirogyra
Technique: Brightfield
Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw Wroclaw, Poland
Specimen: Spirogyra
Technique: Brightfield
Eye of a common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Seventh place, Dr. Igor Siwanowicz
Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology
Munich, Germany
Specimen: Eye of a common blue damselfly (enallagma cyathigerum)
Technique: Confocal, series projection
Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology
Munich, Germany
Specimen: Eye of a common blue damselfly (enallagma cyathigerum)
Technique: Confocal, series projection
Adhesive pad of the first leg of a beetle (Clytus sp.)
Eighth place, Dr. Jan Michels
Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, Institute of Zoology
Kiel, Germany
Specimen: Adhesive pad of the first leg of a beetle (Clytus sp.)
Technique: Autofluorescence
Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, Institute of Zoology
Kiel, Germany
Specimen: Adhesive pad of the first leg of a beetle (Clytus sp.)
Technique: Autofluorescence
Seeds of wild flowers
Ninth place, Yanping Wang
Beijing Planetarium
Beijing, China
Specimen: Seeds of wild flowers
Technique: Brightfield reflected light
Beijing Planetarium
Beijing, China
Specimen: Seeds of wild flowers
Technique: Brightfield reflected light
Weevil (poss. Curculio nucum or Curculio glandium)
Tenth place, Laurie Knight
Tonbridge, Kent, U.K.
Specimen: Weevil (poss. Curculio nucum or Curculio glandium)
Technique: Episcopic illumination
Tonbridge, Kent, U.K.
Specimen: Weevil (poss. Curculio nucum or Curculio glandium)
Technique: Episcopic illumination
Arabidopsis thaliana seedling
Honorable mention, Fernán Federici
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge
Cambridge, U.K.
Specimen: Arabidopsis thaliana seedling
Technique: Confocal
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge
Cambridge, U.K.
Specimen: Arabidopsis thaliana seedling
Technique: Confocal
Ctenoid scale of a sole
Honorable mention, Ralph Grimm
Jimboomba, Queensland, Australia
Specimen: Ctenoid scale of a sole
Technique: Differential interference contrast
Jimboomba, Queensland, Australia
Specimen: Ctenoid scale of a sole
Technique: Differential interference contrast
Desmid Micrasterias, starting to divide
Honorable mention, Dr. Antonio Guillén
Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
Specimen: Desmid Micrasterias, starting to divide
Technique: Darkfield and polarized light
Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
Specimen: Desmid Micrasterias, starting to divide
Technique: Darkfield and polarized light
Drosophila (fruitfly) larva
Honorable mention, Dr. Chun Han
University of California
San Francisco
Specimen: Drosophila (fruitfly) larva
Technique: Confocal with image stacks
University of California
San Francisco
Specimen: Drosophila (fruitfly) larva
Technique: Confocal with image stacks
Wing scales of Sunset moth (Uranea ripheus)
Honorable mention, Laurie Knight
Tonbridge, Kent, U.K.
Specimen: Wing scales of Sunset moth (Uranea ripheus)
Technique: Episcopic illumination
Tonbridge, Kent, U.K.
Specimen: Wing scales of Sunset moth (Uranea ripheus)
Technique: Episcopic illumination
American Elm seed (Ulmus americana)
Honorable mention, Edwin Lee
Carrollton, Texas
Specimen: American Elm seed (Ulmus americana)
Technique: Stereo microscopy and polarized light
Carrollton, Texas
Specimen: American Elm seed (Ulmus americana)
Technique: Stereo microscopy and polarized light
Elodea canadensis
Honorable mention, Marek Mis
Suwalki, Poland
Specimen: Elodea canadensis
Technique: Polarized light
Suwalki, Poland
Specimen: Elodea canadensis
Technique: Polarized light
Diatom Didymosphenia geminata
Honorable mention, Dr. Stephen S. Nagy
Helena, Mont.
Specimen: Diatom Didymosphenia geminata
Technique: Interference microscopy
Helena, Mont.
Specimen: Diatom Didymosphenia geminata
Technique: Interference microscopy
Diatom arachnoidiscus
Honorable mention, Dr. Michael Shribak
Marine Biological Laboratory
Woods Hole, Mass.
Specimen: Diatom arachnoidiscus
Technique: Polarized light
Marine Biological Laboratory
Woods Hole, Mass.
Specimen: Diatom arachnoidiscus
Technique: Polarized light
Pleurosigma diatoms
Honorable mention, Dr. Michael Shribak
Marine Biological Laboratory
Woods Hole, Mass.
Specimen: Pleurosigma diatoms
Technique: Polarized light
Marine Biological Laboratory
Woods Hole, Mass.
Specimen: Pleurosigma diatoms
Technique: Polarized light
Mouse embryonic spinal cord
Honorable mention, Juyong Yoon
Yonsei University
Seoul
Specimen: Mouse embryonic spinal cord
Technique: Confocal
Yonsei University
Seoul
Specimen: Mouse embryonic spinal cord
Technique: Confocal
Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley) stem
Honorable mention, Tong Zhang
McGill University
Montreal
Specimen: Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley) stem
Technique: Confocal
McGill University
Montreal
Specimen: Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley) stem
Technique: Confocal
Filamentous cyanobacterium
Honorable mention, Dr. Petr Znachor
Institute of Hydrobiology
Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Specimen: Potentially toxic filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaenopsis
Technique: Differential interference contrast
Institute of Hydrobiology
Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Specimen: Potentially toxic filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaenopsis
Technique: Differential interference contrast
Mouse retina
Honorable mention, Thomas Deerinck
University of California, San Diego
Specimen: Mouse retina
Technique: Confocal
University of California, San Diego
Specimen: Mouse retina
Technique: Confocal
More Galleries
My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?