Science

‘Under the Microscope’: New Web Series Reveals ‘Stunning Close-Ups’

University of Cambridge Under the Microscope Web Series

Eye spy a fruit fly's spiky eye.

The University of Cambridge has begun a new web series to give people a look at the cutting-edge science of the “natural and man-made world in stunning close-ups”. We have the first three videos in the series.

You‘ve probably never seen the difference between a beetle’s and a fruit fly’s eye before. Most likely, it has never even crossed your mind that there was a difference. In this short video, you’ll see both up close and learn how insect eyes have inspired motion-sensing equipment and other technologies:

Would you believe that the entire foot of a fruit fly is the same width as a strand of human hair? It is, but don’t write it off as simplistic. It’s a complex appendage with sensors to smell and feel touch and a crazy claw that allows the fly to land upside down:

How does studying the development of mice help us learn more about human pregnancy? Here Erica Watson tells you how:

Stay tuned to Cambridge’s YouTube channel for upcoming episodes on killer T-cells, nano-wires, fish-skeletons and more in the coming months. The university will post a new episode to the series every Monday and Thursday.

This article has been updated since its original posting.

Comments (41)

  • Americanman2012
    Posted on January 30, 2012 at 8:52am

    Ignorance breeds sensorship!! I posted a prolife comment showing links of aborted babies and it was pulled from the site. So very free speech, open mindedness , yes this is sarcastic . If you put an article about the beauty of nature, then you are delusional, if you think human life that is being killed off if OK and should be avoided in this forum!!

    http://www.priestsforlife.org/resources/abortionimages/fig20baby7.jpg

    Report Post »  
  • Quechan
    Posted on January 29, 2012 at 1:04am

    Really amazing what complexity makes up the insect world. I’d love to see a continuing series similar to this featuring many familiar insects.

    Report Post »  
  • Nanaswords
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 1:15pm

    Amazing what our scientists’ have been gifted to discover…today ! Bring on this type of studies…The more we learn…the more we will realize that the “big bang” theory is infantile !!! Same as the theory of global-warming and global-freeze and so- on and so-on ! Man’s politics …trying to control the world….get real…and face the reality of Truth …direct from new no-previous agenda research ! Just simple open studies ! That will be true progress for us all !!!

    Report Post »  
    • Tifn8r
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 2:05pm

      Agreed!
      NOTHING that goes “BANG” has ever created anything.

      Creation is a process that involves forethought, patience, love, and attention to detail.

      Creation doesn’t involve explosions. That’s called “demolition.”

      You have to be in complete denial of reality to think otherwise.

      Report Post » Tifn8r  
    • lillymckim
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:51pm

      #3 is Waxmans first baby picture

      Report Post » lillymckim  
    • danielwe77
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:03pm

      Well said.

      Report Post »  
    • PubliusPencilman
      Posted on January 29, 2012 at 12:07pm

      “NOTHING that goes “BANG” has ever created anything.”

      Whoops–I think you forgot nuclear fission. You know… what powers the sun.

      Report Post »  
    • CalloftheWild
      Posted on January 29, 2012 at 8:03pm

      The sun hasn’t went bang, yet! Has it?

      Report Post » CalloftheWild  
  • crawdaddy
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 11:56am

    Hey! Anyone from Florida…. Vote Santorum if you’re even thinking about it Give him the push he needs to win with little money! The genuine underdog. Who do you think is more opposite of Obama’s lack of character, which is at the heart of the issue ( I wouldn’t do anything if I was congress either…get blamed and thrown out under the bus?). If you’re sick of these 2 and think ron paul is a nut however brilliant in the economy (no offense, God love ya). Vote Santorum, he has the most integrity out of those guys; plus, he has balls. They might not be as grandeous as Newts, but he’s not timid in the least. You know he will never compromise to even go Towards the left or the radicals (if you believe in them). If he hasn’t yet, he won’t. Don’t forget, he better be this way to have 7 KIDS and run for President! Anyone with kids can understand that! Sorry libs, it doesn’t matter what you think. You’re outnumbered 2:1. Guess the county had enough. Vote Santorum!! Pass it forward.

    Report Post »  
    • aggiebrewer
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 3:46pm

      While I agree that Santorum is the guy to vote for….What does your post have to do with this story?

      Report Post »  
    • coot
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:42pm

      Darlin’, I’m a staunch traditional Catholic who has been involved deeply in pro-life work from time to time and I regret having to say that Santorum scares me. Every time I’ve heard him speak, he sounds DESPERATE to go to war. But what’s even worse was his comment about dead Iranian scientists being a “wonderful thing”. It literally took my breath away. I’ve never heard any pro-lifer speak that way. Hopefully he’s just caught up in the heat of political rhetoric, but unfortunately, his words will live forever on the internet.

      Report Post »  
  • Americanman2012
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 10:45am

    It is amazing how these liberal ,so called educated phenom’s are all fascinated and so inspired by the wonders of nature, yet when it comes to their uncontrollable appetite for irresponsible sex, and the sweeping under the carpet of their gifts brought about by their lust, will turn their back on millions of beautiful unborn children,that are aborted every year, which if seen under a microscope in early stages would be a wonder to look at, and develop into the greatest gift of all , children.
    This stupidity is a product of having college educated ignorance running our society, where they will make laws to not kill rats in Washington DC and relocate them, but refuse to allow abortion of humans to stop !! Higher education has brought delusion and mental illness to a destructive end of society!!!

    Report Post »  
    • TurdFerguson1
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 11:47am

      Wow, you said it brother. I agree with you 110%.

      Report Post » TurdFerguson1  
    • lukerw
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 12:53pm

      It is not the Knowledge… but the Indoctrination by Teachers & Professors of the Radical type!

      Report Post » lukerw  
    • Elaine P
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:53pm

      Amen brother, you nailed it. Your comment dead on.

      Report Post »  
  • ShyMan
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:57am

    Cool videos.

    Report Post » ShyMan  
  • elihu
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:13am

    Amazing comments here; from the profound to the disgusting. We could do without the disgusting…

    Report Post » elihu  
  • AB5r
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:04am

    It is “interesting” how random mutations resulted in such complex systems.

    Report Post » AB5r  
  • grannyrecipe
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:50am

    God is awesome!!

    Report Post » grannyrecipe  
    • Lonescrapper
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:41am

      Oh yes he is – and we are obviously morons because we can’t figure out that the eye of a fruit fly was not manufactured at DOW and is therefore biodegradable.

      Report Post » Lonescrapper  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:41am

      He sure is! Even these simple photos make it hard for me to believe that some people won’t even accept intelligent design. As if all these different creatures are just some cosmic accident.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • Mr.Fitnah
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:49am

    What is this a 20 year old story?
    You can buy these machine cheap on Ebay.

    Report Post » Mr.Fitnah  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:21am

      Yeah!!! I can now see very small dead things really close up. I wonder how many federal tax dollars were spent on that.

      Report Post » 4xeverything  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 1:12pm

      4XEVERYTHING
      That would be British tax Pounds.

      Report Post » Stoic one  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on January 29, 2012 at 9:07am

      Are you sure? We Americans pay to teach Chinese prostitutes not to drink so much. Do we know how many other ridiculous foreign endevours US tax dollars pay for?

      Report Post » 4xeverything  
  • One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 2:49am

    “Would you believe that the entire foot of a fruit fly is the same width as a strange of human hair?”

    You mean a STRAND of human hair I believe? Tsk Tsk Tsk Blazers… :(

    Way too many grammatical and spelling errors of late here, but don’t feel too bad, it’s a rash all over the web frankly. So if you wish to be like everywhere else, keep going..Otherwise, I’d be glad to proofread your stuff since I read most of it anyhow. And I’ll give ya a good rate too. ;-)

    Report Post » One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew  
    • BehindBlueEyes
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:42am

      Thank you Mr. Perfect. We all await your critique and profound comments.

      Report Post » BehindBlueEyes  
    • Cranky
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:23am

      @ BEHINDBLUEEYES
      “Thank you Mr. Perfect. We all await your critique and profound comments”

      OMPWC, or “Mr. Perfect” as you call him, is right. What he is referring to is the overall “Dumbing Down” of Americans that is slowly creeping in.
      The standards of our society are lessening with each new crop of government school graduates (or, unfortunately, dropouts). I spot this sloppy spelling and grammer in almost everything I read these days.
      I’m not claiming to be perfect but I do keep a dictionary next to my computer and refer to it frequently.

      Report Post » Cranky  
    • Phantom II
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 10:30am

      So, One man progressive, what is your favorite formula in physics? Without a science degree, you are uneducated.Period. I don’t know of any engineer who can spell, Language structure and spelling is in direct conflict with the perfect symmetry of math and physics. English has many origins and early scribes were illiterate. What you subscribe to, is route learning. We engineers use a different part of our brain to communicate, a part of your brain which is dormant or deformed. I know a brilliant aerodynamicist at NASA that you would label as illiterate. He spell phonetically because his thought process won’t allow stupidity. Ones abilities with language are determined by the age of 3. You can’t conclude intelligence or education level by the way someone speaks or writes. This is the false yardstick that people like you measure others. Beware the orator, for he feeds you with an empty spoon. Ask any politician, lawyer or salesman, who are totally void of logic. A lawyers mind cannot grasp the significance of this particular Blaze story. We are governed by lawyers and therefore, we are led down the path of destruction in what is an alternate reality. It is unsustainable.
      Lets examine your handle, shall we? By your actions here, you wish to control others. This displays low self esteem. The grammar used in your handle suggest to me, that you claim to be a progressive. In your own words,’..a progressive wrecking crew’. Get it? As a progressive, you try to wreck Tea Party

      Report Post » Phantom II  
    • Marcia
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 10:44am

      I agree with One Man – I too, would volunteer my time to help proofread the Blaze’s copy BEFORE it is posted as a new article. WAY too many errors for a professional site. Otherwise, very interesting story.

      Report Post »  
    • ConserveChrist
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 11:51am

      I agree with him. I’ve been seeing tons of spelling errors and grammatical issues with the news articles of the Blaze. Just makes them seem less professional.

      Report Post » ConserveChrist  
    • COFemale
      Posted on January 28, 2012 at 1:13pm

      What’s that saying, “before you pluck out that splinter in your brother’s eye, you should remove the plank out of yours.”

      Look nobody is perfect. Typo’s happen even if you use spell check. Does it look bad, Yes. Does it mean you aren’t intelligent, NO. Is it the end of the world when it happens, NO.

      Some of you need to get off your high-horse.

      Report Post » COFemale  
    • Ballot_Box_Revolution
      Posted on January 29, 2012 at 1:33pm

      Have you guys read Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography?? By your standard he would be illiterate/dumb also….

      Report Post » Ballot_Box_Revolution  
  • ConfederateExile
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 2:04am

    I remember sitting in on a friend’s electronmicroscopy class while in grad school. And I thought THAT was amazing. Just think what changes a few decades can bring about. I can‘t wait for what we’ll be able to see in only ten more years! (…maybe God’s eye “winking” back at us?)

    Report Post » ConfederateExile  
  • banjarmon
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 1:09am

    Under the Microscope #2 looks like what’s in the WHITE HOUSE!!!!

    Report Post » banjarmon  
  • Suchiazski
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 12:42am

    If only we could go back to the 19th century and brag about our magnification technology. I bet Darwin would have been impressed, too.

    Report Post » Suchiazski  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on January 28, 2012 at 12:03am

    I think they found what spilled off Monica’s dress.

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
  • poverty.sucks
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:47pm

    Some kids begin to pay attention in biology courses, now we see propaganda yielding to animal rights while a child in the womb is deemed worthless.

    I am pro choice, I choose Christ, and I choose Gods gift of Life.

    Report Post » poverty.sucks  

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