scorpion-heads-fluorescing
Behind almost every scientific discovery is a fantastic image. Too often, however, publishers shrink researchers’ pics into tiny blocks speckled with letters, bury them in supplementary materials or leave them entirely out of the final work.
To restore scientific imagery to its proper place, curators at the American Museum of Natural History assembled a new exhibit called “Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies.” The show debuts Saturday, June 25, and runs for a year.
“A lot of people come to the museum under impression that we just look at stuff in dusty jars, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” said zoologist Mark Siddall, curator of the museum’s new exhibit. “There’s a lot of solid, cutting-edge research going on here with incredibly advanced technology.”
Using everything from digital X-ray machines to laser-powered microscopes, the museum’s research staff can nondestructively examine thousands of fossils, biological samples, ancient artifacts and other items from their collections. Last year alone, the institution crammed their images into more than 400 studies.
Siddall worked with other scientists and designers to select, mount and display about 125 of the museum’s best images grouped into 20 printed collections.
We show off our favorites here and some of the techniques behind their creation.
Above:
Scorpion Heads
The heads of 10 different Opistophthalmus scorpion species are pictured here, photographed under ultraviolet light. Although transparent tissue called hyaline makes scorpions’ exoskeletons fluoresce under UV light, its benefit to the creatures isn't known. In any case, it serves as a useful identification tool to museum curators. Image: AMNH/L. Prendini and S. Thurston.See Also:
