What is it?

What is it? • Instant coffee • Shaving razor • Human hair • Toothbrush bristle • Penny • Peppercorn • Tea bag • Tissue paper • Washing powder

The Black Widow is a cobweb spider. Their cobwebs are built in dark, out of the way places. The claw has three hooks, the middle one used to work the silk. Magnification x 500

Weevils, or snout beetles have their mouth at the end of their snout. This shows the weevil's compound eye and antenna. Magnification x 75

The cat flea feeds on the blood of humans as well as that of cats. The flea is flattened from side to side and this, along with the spines on its head, allows it to move rapidly through the fur of the cat. Magnification x 350

The mosquito's head is mostly compound eye, made up of many tiny lenses. Each lens sees a slightly different picture, making up a mosaic. This is very efficient at noticing very slight motions. Magnification x 200

Flies use their feet for many purposes. The claws can grab to hold on. The small hairs will adhere to smooth surfaces through surface tension. Other hairs allow flies to taste with their feet. Magnification x 300

This cross section of a fern leaf allows us a view of the inside of its cells. The electron microscope reveals many of the cells' structural details not noticeable with the light microscope. Magnification x 1000

Bladderwort is a plant that lives in fresh water where nutrients are scarce. It supplements it's diet with an occasional insect or other small organism. When prey touches the trigger hairs, the bladder expands, sucking in the animal. It is then dissolved within the bladder. Magnification x 100

Porcupine quills are sharp as needles.Unlike needles, quills have backwards facing barbs . Magnification x 50

The dentist drill is covered with tiny diamond chips. Diamonds are the hardest substance known and will easily wear away tooth particlesas the drill spins at high speeds. Magnification x 50

Hypodermic needles must be sharp in order to pass through the skin easily. Looking down the barrel of this tiny needle shows it is not as smooth as it first appears. Magnification x 100 and 150

Toilet paper - the long, thin fibres you see here are really elongated cells of the pine tree. The trees are cut down, chipped up and pounded to separate the fibres from the rest of the tree material. Magnification x 500

At a glance, this stuff appears to stick as if by magic. However, magnified 35 times, it is easy to see where the stick comes from. One side contains the hooks (left side), the other has the loops that catch on the hooks. Magnification x 35

Common everyday items take on a new dimension at high magnification. In this photo, a staple is seen where it ripped through the fibers of a yellow sticky note paper. Magnification x 35

The raised wall of cells is the vein of this bean plant. Veins are used to transport food and water throughout the leaf as well as for structural support.Veins usually occur on the underside of leaves. This leaf is upside-down. Magnification x 350

Midges are tiny insects related to the flies. The males have large, plumose antenna which they use to locate a female of the same species. These antenna are so delicate and sensitive that they can distinguish the air vibration of a female's wings from all others. Magnification x 50

The mineral salt has a cubic crystal shape. This grain of kosher salt is composed of many cubes stuck together. With its large surface area, it can absorb more moisture. This makes it ideal for curing meats, which involves absorbing blood from raw meat. Magnification x 75

The bristles of this mascara brush are covered with dried mascara and flakes of skin. Magnification x 35