This image won Jerry A. Gleason Honorable Mention in the 2005 Nikon Small World Competition.

"This is one of a series of photomicrographs of various chemicals and compounds that form crystals, which are stunning when viewed with a polarizing microscope.

This particular image was done more with "art" in mind than any specific line of scientific investigation. As such, some rather unorthodox techniques were used. For this one, I placed a drop of urea solution on a glass microscope slide, then blew the drop around in different directions as it began to dry. I may have use a hot plate to speed up the drying. In this way, the crystals form a beautiful feathering pattern.

It was then photographed with a Zeiss Axioplan microscope. The refractive colors are a result of crossed polarizers in the illumination path above and below the specimen. A good explanation of this technique can be found on the microscopyu.com website here.

Seen with the unaided eye, these images look like just some white, powdery looking stuff dried on a glass slide. The microscope and illumination technique reveals the hidden beauty."

Jerry A. Gleason
University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA