Laboratory Imaging & Photography

Chapter 9Light Microscopy

 

 

This photograph features the shell of a fossilized ammonite that was hundreds of millions of years old. The iridescent colors are produced by alternating layers of aragonite and conchiolin, or from minerals that have replaced them over the millions of years during the fossilization process. The shell was photographed with a simple microscope. Axial illumination was used to show the iridescent colors. The specimen was coated with mineral oil to control specular highlights. Creating effective focus at high magnifications is always difficult. This photo was originally published in Ancient Microworlds, published ...