Bacteria

[pwnell]

I know using the light microscope to photograph bacteria is pointless, but my curiosity to probe ever smaller prompted me to take this photo with a 60x oil objective. These bacteria started growing in stagnant marine water with a single Bryopsis algae present.




Crop.

[Charles Krebs]

Yes, but you've done it about as good as is possible.

I often find watching bacteria a little unnerving. I don't worry about the here and now... but I know in the end they will win!

[pwnell]

I often find watching bacteria a little unnerving. I don't worry about the here and now... but I know in the end they will win!

I know what you are saying. And to add insult to injury, they are quite a bit simpler biologically than us. Makes you wonder.

[Pau]

I know using the light microscope to photograph bacteria is pointless, ...

To get excellent anatomic details or for accurate taxonomy yes, but as general statement I must disagree. Think about pathology, water quality analysis, food quality control..., not the only technique of course but still an important tool. And if we think back to the heroic Pasteur and Koch time...

[pwnell]

To get excellent anatomic details or for accurate taxonomy yes, but as general statement I must disagree. Think about pathology, water quality analysis, food quality control..., not the only technique of course but still an important tool. And if we think back to the heroic Pasteur and Koch time...

My comment was really aimed at the aesthetic aspects of photomicrography - I do agree there are several other very useful applications for light microscopy of bacteria.