NOTHING RIVALS THE POWER OF THE VISUAL IMAGE TO STIMULATE
WONDER AND IMAGINATION. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF MICROSCOPIC IMAGES OF
BIOLOGICAL STRUCTUIRE. THEY ARE SO
UNLIKE INANIMATE MATTER OR THE MACHINES AND CONTIRVANCES
OF TECHNOLOGY. AND YET THEY CONVEY IMPRESSIONS OF SUBTLE UTILITY AND DELICATE
EFFICIENCY UNSURPASSED BY ANYTHING MADE BY MAN. THEIR FEATURES ARE OTHERWORLDLY
AND RESIST METAPHORICAL COMPARISONS. AS A RESULT, THE MIND IS PROVOKED
AND STRUGGLES TO GIVE MEANING TO THE IMAGE. MANY STUDENTS OF BIOLOGY CAN
TRACE THEIR ORIGINAL RAPTURE WITH LIVING
THINGS BACK TO THEIR FIRST GAZE INTO THE MICROSCOPE.
THE MYSTERY AND POWER OF NATUREíS LITTLE THINGS TO AROUSE THE INTELLECT
REMAINS UNDIMISHED.
R.C. WAGNER
MICROSCOPIST