Biologist Nicole Ottawa and photographer Oliver Meckes are a pioneering German duo who utilize Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). They expose a fascinating world beyond human vision.
Their aim is to “combine scientific exactness with aesthetic appearances, and thereby help to bridge the gap between the world of science and the world of art.”
Nicole and Oliver operate under the name “Eye of Science” (eyeofscience.com). Here is a sampling of their amazing work.
All photos copyright ©Eye of Science, reprinted with permission.
Insects: Vespidae, vesp (vespa crabro). The European hornet is the largest of the European wasps. The head has two antennae, branching to left and right from between the two compound eyes. The biting jaws (mandibles) are below the eyes. The six legs and the wings are attached to the thorax, the part of the body behind the head. There are two pairs of wings, but they are joined together and look like a single pair of wings.
Bacteria: Uranium waste bacteria being used to digest uranium waste. This bacteria is able to survive in radioactive environments and turn the uranium waste from a soluble form (that can contaminate water supplies) to a solid form.
Botany: Protozoa, Diatomeen. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a diatom (Navicular sp.). The diatoms are a group of photosynthetic, single-celled algae containing about 10,000 species.
Bacteria: Streptococcus pneumoniae are oval, Gram-positive bacteria, that are often found in chains or pairs. They are part of the normal human bacterial flora, and as such, are carried by many without causing infection.
All photos copyright ©Eye of Science, reprinted with permission.
