Surprising Worlds

Science books.  They are fun reading too!  Today I read Hidden Worlds: Looking Through a Scientist's Microscope.  It was written by Stephen Kramer and follows scientist Dennis Kuunkel's career — how he got started and the various things he does with microscopes.

I have to admit that sounds kinda dull, but the photos in the book and the descriptions accompanying them were actually quite interesting.  No lie.

The most interesting series of photos were of a mosquito of all things.  First there is the, yeah that is a mosquito, picture taken of what they look like through a loupe.  A simple lens you can carry around everywhere.  Then the microscopes get more and more complicated... a compound microscope, electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, and finally transmission electron microscopic pictures of a mosquito.  The most interesting to me were taken by the electron microscope.  The wings became intricate things of beauty.  Really there are different layers and they look like delicate lace and feathers.  Amazing.

Here is an electron microscope picture of a mosquito's wing taken by Tim Messick since you don't have the book in hand.  That way you can get the idea.

Anyway, the book isn't just about the mosquito pictures I wrote about, but about how the pictures are taken and what you can learn about how the world works by using microscopes and your curiosity.

"A scientist who studies birds often sees and hears birds that other people never even notice.  A scientist who studies plants will observe things about trees and flowers that other people miss.  Years of looking through microscopes has given Dennis a good sense of where to look for the curious and beautiful hidden worlds in nature.  He sees things that most people walk right past.  One of the best ways to learn how to see the hidden worlds of nature is to take a hike with Dennis."  page 46
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