the amazing macro photography of Lennart Nilsson
June 8th 2008 12:56
Lennart Nilsson is a Swedish photographer and scientist. Born in 1922 he is one of Swedens first photojournalists and has become famous for groundbreaking macro medical photos of subjects once considered unphotographable.
In 1969 Lennart Nilsson began using a scanning electron microscope to depict the body’s functions. He is generally credited with taking the first images of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and in 2003, he took the first image of the SARS virus.
Here is a selection of his most amazing work as he captures the cellular activity in cancer, bacteria, viruses, HIV, bird flue, and first trimester pregnancy.
For living cells outside the body Nilsson works remotely from outside a thermo-room which is kept at body temperature and it is critical not to have light or vibration interfering
Lennart Nilsson, Open Source
Lennart Nilsson, Open Source
Lennart Nilsson, PBS (regarding HIV)
In the mid 1950s Lennart Nilsson began experimenting with new photographic techniques to make extreme close-up photographs. These advances, combined with very thin endoscopes that became available in the mid 1960s, enabled him to make groundbreaking photographs of living human blood vessels and body cavities.
Lennart Nilsson achieved international fame in 1965, when his photographs of the cellular beginnings of human life appeared on the cover and on sixteen pages of Life magazine. The photographs made up a part of the book, A Child is Born (1965), which sold eight million copies in the first four days after publication.
Lennart Nilsson worked for twelve years on the story that appeared in Life Magazine in 1965 that projected him to fame. To take photographs inside the human body he used an wide angle endoscope (about 100 degrees) with an electronic flash, one of the first endoscopes was an American model with special strobe lighting at the front.
A German optical company called Storz revolutionised endoscopes making models with diameters of 0.6mm and 0.8mm. Photos of human embryos are taken by inserting an endoscope through an incision in the uterine wall (as opposed to the cervix) at the same time as a laparoscope is performed in an amniocentesis.
Lennart Nilsson, PBS
The human embryos used to take photographs outside the body came from women's clinics in Stockholm and in Göteborg. Specimens which are not alive are prepared under the scanning electron microscope.
The first endoscope, of a kind, was developed in 1806 by Philip Bozzini with his introduction of a "Lichtleiter" (light conductor) "for the examinations of the canals and cavities of the human body". Endoscopes were not used on humans until 1822 in the USA. The use of electric light was a major step in the improvement of endoscopy. The first such lights were external. Later, smaller bulbs became available making internal light possible. The hysteroscope was developed in 1908 to take advantage of internal light, and early endoscopic explorations of the abdomen and the thorax with laparoscopy (1912) and thoracoscopy (1910). Laparoscopy was used to diagnose ectopic pregnancy in 1937, and reliable gynecologic laparoscopies were able to be performed by 1944.
The first gynecologic procedures involving a laparoscope included exploratory laparoscopy to diagnose ovarian disease such as cysts, torsion, and cancer. Since then, more complex operations have been developed, including laparoscopic removal of a tubal pregnancy, harvest of eggs for in vitro fertilization, and laparoscopic removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) or the ovaries.
The endoscopes that Lennart Nilsson used were constructed with fiber optics and with lenses as small as 0.5mm
macro images by Lennart Nilsson, Copyright Boehringer Ingelheim International Gmbh.
In 1969 Lennart Nilsson began using a scanning electron microscope to depict the body’s functions. He is generally credited with taking the first images of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and in 2003, he took the first image of the SARS virus.
Here is a selection of his most amazing work as he captures the cellular activity in cancer, bacteria, viruses, HIV, bird flue, and first trimester pregnancy.
T-cells surrounding a cancer
T-cells become active fighters
For living cells outside the body Nilsson works remotely from outside a thermo-room which is kept at body temperature and it is critical not to have light or vibration interfering
macrophage (immune cells) extends towards multiplying bacteria
malaria inside red blood cells
bird flue
To take pictures of it in a new way– of the virus as an invader, to see it in sharp pictures in three dimensions– this is my dream.
Lennart Nilsson, Open Source
bird flue
I have been taught by a professor to enter a cell in a special way. We hope to see a virus putting out the RNA in a cell, telling the cell like a terrorist, ‘make copies of me.’
Lennart Nilsson, Open Source
HIV on white blood cell
When I saw the first image, I was really shaken. I saw something extremely sharp, because I had a new high resolution scanning electron microscope from Japan -- the resolution was unbelievable -- 5 or 6 ångstroms. So when I saw it, and just the sharpness of it, I thought, "this is something very remarkable." And when I pressed the button to take the pictures, I felt something very unusual, because this was a great killer in the world -- and is still a great killer in the world.
Lennart Nilsson, PBS (regarding HIV)
In the mid 1950s Lennart Nilsson began experimenting with new photographic techniques to make extreme close-up photographs. These advances, combined with very thin endoscopes that became available in the mid 1960s, enabled him to make groundbreaking photographs of living human blood vessels and body cavities.
shall we have a date? the egg and the sperm
Lennart Nilsson achieved international fame in 1965, when his photographs of the cellular beginnings of human life appeared on the cover and on sixteen pages of Life magazine. The photographs made up a part of the book, A Child is Born (1965), which sold eight million copies in the first four days after publication.
fertilised egg on day 6
Lennart Nilsson worked for twelve years on the story that appeared in Life Magazine in 1965 that projected him to fame. To take photographs inside the human body he used an wide angle endoscope (about 100 degrees) with an electronic flash, one of the first endoscopes was an American model with special strobe lighting at the front.
fertilised egg at 8 days begins to settle into the uterus lining
A German optical company called Storz revolutionised endoscopes making models with diameters of 0.6mm and 0.8mm. Photos of human embryos are taken by inserting an endoscope through an incision in the uterine wall (as opposed to the cervix) at the same time as a laparoscope is performed in an amniocentesis.
32 days
I have a direct connection with the inventors both in Germany and in Japan. So we are working together, I am often going over to Tokyo for discussions. And even to Germany to the Storz optic company -- we have been working together more than 25 years. If I have an idea, let's say, to make a new kind of endoscope with an extremely small diameter, I go to them and I discuss it with their engineers, with the inventors, the optical experts. And then later they send me some drawings, then I go back again and then they start to do the work.
Lennart Nilsson, PBS
40 days
The human embryos used to take photographs outside the body came from women's clinics in Stockholm and in Göteborg. Specimens which are not alive are prepared under the scanning electron microscope.
11 weeks
The first endoscope, of a kind, was developed in 1806 by Philip Bozzini with his introduction of a "Lichtleiter" (light conductor) "for the examinations of the canals and cavities of the human body". Endoscopes were not used on humans until 1822 in the USA. The use of electric light was a major step in the improvement of endoscopy. The first such lights were external. Later, smaller bulbs became available making internal light possible. The hysteroscope was developed in 1908 to take advantage of internal light, and early endoscopic explorations of the abdomen and the thorax with laparoscopy (1912) and thoracoscopy (1910). Laparoscopy was used to diagnose ectopic pregnancy in 1937, and reliable gynecologic laparoscopies were able to be performed by 1944.
The first gynecologic procedures involving a laparoscope included exploratory laparoscopy to diagnose ovarian disease such as cysts, torsion, and cancer. Since then, more complex operations have been developed, including laparoscopic removal of a tubal pregnancy, harvest of eggs for in vitro fertilization, and laparoscopic removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) or the ovaries.
Endoscope
The endoscopes that Lennart Nilsson used were constructed with fiber optics and with lenses as small as 0.5mm
macro images by Lennart Nilsson, Copyright Boehringer Ingelheim International Gmbh.
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Comment by Michaelie
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Those pregnancy pics are amazing, and old Lennart seems so sweet and cheery!
Very interesting post, Morgan.
Michaelie
Comment by Morgan Bell
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haha it does look pretty cool hey
i always think microbiology looks like planets and nebulas and the universe etc
and tell me a sperm doesnt slightly resemble a bacteria and and fertilised eggs look a bit like cancer? haha
Lennart seems like a cool old dude - pretty spritely for someone in their 80s . . . looking at microscopic things must be good for a mans health!
Comment by RubySoho
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Thought Zone
Comment by Morgan Bell
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a little half inch 7g asteroid at 11 weeks . . . the 40 days one about it is too small to show up on most ultrasounds
the more i look at the sperm and the egg the more i see a worm (snake?) and an apple haha
i find this cellular stuff fascinating!
Comment by Joanne Fedler
Thanks so much for this great post.
Jo
Comment by Morgan Bell
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thanks for stopping in and checking it all out . . . the man is pure genius!
i think photographing the diseases helps scientists understands the mechanisms by which they multiply, it is scary to think of all these little battles going on in our bobies all the time!
i imagine the pregnancy images would be assuring if you were pregnant as you would have a good idea of exactly whats going on . . . each shot is so artistically produced . . . im just amazed!
thanks Jo
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
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Fertilised egg day six looks like Earth from space to me.
Beautiful.
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Comment by Morgan Bell
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YES thats what i thought too!
it is awesome how much inner-space looks like outer-space . . . theres a whole little cosmos going on inside us!
i presume it was the artists intention to compare them, either that or an unavoidable coincidence?
thanks for stopping in and enjoying the images!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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oh yes i was referring to my last space mission aswell! hehe
Comment by Cheryl J
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Stunning collection Morgan.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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wow like embroidery, that paints a beautiful mental image . . . i know im a nerd but i would love one of his cellular works large and framed on my wall . . . they are so vibrant and dynamic!
i actually stumbled across Nilssons work when i was searching for a genuine picture of the size of the gestational development at the stage that the bulk of abortions are performed . . . i was going to respond to a particularly rude person after i saw a couple of my favourite female orblers being spoken to in a degrading fashion about their pro-choice stance . . . i find posting images of third trimester or fully formed babies in such debates to be disgraceful and insulting to the emotions/intelligence of women . . .
ill get off my soapbox now . . .
the end result was that i found a treasure trove of microscopic images and turned my outrage into something positive!
NOTE: i dont care if a woman is personally pro-life or pro-choice but it doesnt excuse insulting attacks or prejudice over the character, morals, or family of any woman . . . especially based on false information
Comment by Miswanderlust
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Wonderful pics! Very interesting indeed!
Mis
Comment by Morgan Bell
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thanks so much for stopping by!
im glad you enjoyed the pics!