Images reveal the astonishing complexity of the microscopic world

A unique toolkit consisting of a butterfly net, tweezers, and a drawstring bag filled with small plastic vials is not common for a photographer, but for Michael Benson, it is essential. Over a span of six years, he meticulously collected specimens for his latest book Nanocosmos: Journeys in electron space. This book showcases a series of images that unveil the microscopic world with incredible precision and detail.

“I’m drawn to the boundary separating the known from the unknown, a realm usually associated with science,” explains Benson. “However, I explore this realm as an artist rather than a scientist.”

Despite his artistic approach, Benson has embraced tools typically used by physicists and biologists. Every image in Nanocosmos was created using powerful scanning electron microscopes (SEMs). These devices emit a focused beam of electrons to meticulously map the surface contours of tiny subjects. The resulting images capture these submillimeter specimens with such clarity that they appear otherworldly.

Take, for instance, the image of an Asilidae robber fly alongside a flowering plant from Alberta, Canada. Together, they measure just over 1 centimetre in width. Thanks to SEM technology, intricate details such as each hair on the fly’s body, the claws on its legs, and even the individual receptors that make up its eyes are vividly visible.

Benson’s journey with SEMs began in 2013 during his time at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab. “Mastering the SEM involves a steep learning curve, and it took me several years to achieve proficiency,” he shares. Prior to imaging, all subjects must be coated with a molecule-thin layer of platinum to prevent charging in the electron beam. Additionally, meticulous drying is required to preserve surface details.

Displayed above is Benson’s striking image of a wing of the Erythemis simplicicollis dragonfly, viewed from the tip downwards. This species is native to the eastern two-thirds of the US, southern Ontario, and Quebec, Canada, where this specific specimen was once located. The width of its wing measures approximately 3 millimetres.

Below, Benson captures a single-celled marine organism, Hexalonche philosophica, from the equatorial Pacific. Despite its minuscule size of 0.2 millimetres from end to end, the intricate details are intricately preserved.

Another fascinating marine organism, Ornithocercus magnificus, is showcased below. This species of plankton is commonly found in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Florida and measures a mere 0.1 millimetre in width.

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