'Disco' tardigrade parties under microscope, wins international photo prize

[Judi Lynn]

By Mindy Weisberger - Senior Writer 4 days ago

This fluorescent-stained image is to dye for



Fluorescent staining shows a tardigrade's full stomach.
(Image: © agide deCarvalho/Olympus Image of the Year Award)

An image of a tardigrade with a psychedelic light show in its guts took home a top prize in an international photo competition. Inside the microscopic and endearingly tubby "water bear," tiny internal and external structures are illuminated in brilliant fluorescent colors that glow like a disco dance floor.

The photo was captured by Tagide deCarvalho, manager of the Keith Porter Imaging Facility (KPIF) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and it was a regional winner in the 2019 Olympus Image of the Year Award, contest representatives said in a statement.

Every year, the competition awards "the best in life science imaging worldwide," celebrating images that combine visual impact and artistic beauty while also demonstrating the photographer's proficiency with microscopy, according to the statement.

"I knew the moment I saw this colorful specimen that it was going to be a remarkable image," deCarvalho said. "I love sharing the fascinating things I see in the microscope with other people."

More:
https://www.livescience.com/trippy-tardigrade-image-of-the-year.html

[Karadeniz]

1. With cosmetics, kinda cute!