So this is what is getting up your nose
Posted: October 19, 2011 Filed under: News Leave a comment »
Microscope images of daisy pollen (family Asteraceae). Daisies are mainly insect pollinated as suggested by the pollen grains' spiky shape. Spikes help pollen stick to insects' bodies. Image credit – Australasian Pollen and Spore Atlas.
Pollen may annoy allergy sufferers in springtime but, viewed under the microscope, a pollen grain is a thing of beauty.
Some of the smallest images come from the new microscope technology, the ‘Pollen Classifynder’ system, developed by Massey University in New Zealand.
CSIRO and the Atlas of Living Australia purchased the microscope and automated image detection system to rapidly identify pollen – the tiny DNA-carrying grains so vital to agriculture and biodiversity.
See more images HERE.
More information HERE.
