Amino acids join together to make proteins and thus are the basic building blocks of life. Here five amino acids have been carefully crystallised and then viewed with a Differential Contrast Microscope at 100x magnification. Each one seems to crystallise into its own unique signature reflecting the different properties and characteristics of each compound. There a 20 common amino acids so 15 more to go!

Histidine

Histidine

Histidine

Histidine

Lysine

Lysine

Lysine

Lysine

Lysine

Methionine

Methionine

Phenylalanine

Phenylalanine

Proline

Proline