Life in Technicoral

A circular microscope photograph of a rugose coral thin section. Under cross-polarized light, the calcite mineral structure displays a mosaic of bright rainbow colors including pink, green, orange, and blue. Dark, thick skeletal walls divide the colorful sections into a branching, symmetrical pattern. The image is captured on an iPhone camera during an invertebrate paleontology lab.

Label

Life in Technicoral

Artist

Maya Roselli

Description

This is a photo of a rugose coral in thin section viewed under a microscope using cross-polarized light. The coral is comprised of the mineral calcite, which appears in a rainbow of colors when viewed in this type of light. I took this image on my phone while teaching an invertebrate paleontology lab, and it is one of my favorite specimens I get to teach students about.

Type

Mobile Phone Camera

Artist Affiliation

Graduate Student

Department

Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science

Area of Research

Geology

Research Group Site

The Squishy Lab

Date

2024