Skip to main content

Thrifty Thursday: The Ant and the Watery Lens

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Thrifty Thursdays feature photographs taken with equipment costing less than $500.

[iPhone 4S - $336; water droplet - free]

One year ago I posted a short note describing how to turn your cell phone into a microscope using a droplet of water.


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


I haven't used the technique much since, but this afternoon I turned on the faucet, grabbed an ant, and captured this macro shot of the insect as she rested on a backlit leaf. It's not the crispest photo in the world, but hey. It's a drinkable lens.

 

Alex Wild is Curator of Entomology at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studies the evolutionary history of ants. In 2003 he founded a photography business as an aesthetic complement to his scientific work, and his natural history photographs appear in numerous museums, books and media outlets.

More by Alex Wild