Agitation with a stylus
Agitation with a stylus
Agitation with a stylus
Agitation with a stylus
Agitation with a stylus
Agitation with a stylus
Agitation with a stylus
Agitation with a stylus
A single Pyrocystis cell, 200x magnification, DIC microscopy
A single Pyrocystis cell, 200x magnification, DIC microscopy
A single Pyrocystis cell, 200x magnification, DIC microscopy
Pyrocystis fusiformis is a large marine bioluminescent algae. Under the microscope at 100 or 200x magnification it is an elegant microbe (see images above). When it is disturbed, it produces a flash of stiking blue bioluminescent light. In the above video a culture of this microbe is stimulated to continually produce light by a rotating magnetic stirrer. In the still images above, I have poured some of the culture into a shallow Petri dish and then used a stylus to make paint-like strokes in the liquid media. Captured by the camera, the results are fleeting paintings where the individual trajectories of single cells of the algae can be seen. It’s as if the stylus has become a magical wand that sparkles with a marine magic.
Painting with algae – what an interesting kind of art. Or perhaps the algae is painting with you?
Thanks Emily!
Very nice pics!!! may I ask which camera setup did you use to capture the low light intensity phenomenon? was it with an intensified camera?
Just a DSLR and tripod
Dear Simon,
I’m writing for permission to reproduce your image https://exploringtheinvisible.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/dsc_0489.jpg of Pyrocystis fusiformis in a book chapter titled “Marine Microbiopolitics: Haunted Microbes Before the Law” to appear in an edited volume title “Blue Legalities” to appear with Duke University Press.
Please let me know if you’d the permission,
thanks a lot,
Astrid
PS: what a wonderful site this is
Thanks for this Astrid and for your kind words. Please feel free to use the image in your book. Best wishes, Simon