Microscopes allow us to take a peek at the multitude of life bustling away at a scale of less than a thousandth of a millimetre. Often to catch what is going on at such small dimensions, the cell or organism must be frozen in time using harsh chemical and physical treatments that ultimately kill the specimen. Watching living samples with the same level of detail is a more complicated endeavour. Using scanning electron microscopy, scientists have for the first time captured the fine details of an intact living organism, in this case a tick (pictured). This raises hope that other living organisms and cells could also be viewed in action at this resolution.
Written by Lux Fatimathas
BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences the website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biomedicine. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.
BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.