What the hell is this? Strange and surprising images spread.

Under the scanning electron microscope, a mosquito's foot is 800 times bigger. Steve Gschmeissner/RPS, the bug with the devil's horn? Some kind of elaborate pasta? A tropical flower with a hint of evil?

None of the above. This photo recently circulated on Reddit is actually a mosquito's foot.

I got more than 32,000 support votes in a blog post on Reddit, and the background of this photo is just that. But this photo was actually taken by a scanning electron microscope made by photographer Steve Gershmeisner. Short-listed in the 20 16 Royal Photographic Society International Scientific Picture Competition. Gschmeissner said: "Since then, a lot of information has appeared on the Internet, probably because it is unexpectedly complicated. [Magnificent Microphotography: 50 Small Miracles]

This photo shows the end of a mosquito's leg, including a paw, scales and a mat with hair attached. According to Gschmeissner's photos, these scales are all over the mosquito's body, but they are particularly dense near the feet, which may help protect the limbs and enable mosquitoes to land on the water, where these insects lay eggs.

"Insects are great because they have these subtle details," said Gschmeissner.

Scientific artist Gschmeissner holds a degree in zoology from the Royal College of Surgeons in London and has decades of experience in cancer research using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). He retired 10 years ago and began to make full-time SEM images, and said that since then, he has sold about 25,000 images. His clients range from art collectors and media companies to working scientists and album cover designers.

"There is even a fashion collection based on my images, so all kinds of strange things," said Gschmeissner.

A scanning electron microscope emits an electron beam to an object to be imaged, which is plated with gold (a metal), so that electrons scatter from the surface and return information about its contour. Because they use electrons, sem has very high resolution and can even image nanostructures. Mosquito's feet are magnified 800 times. )

Micro-world Gschmeissner used this technology to explore various micro-worlds, many of which appeared on his website "World Features". There are spiders, millipedes, wasps, maggots and ants in his collection. He photographed details of yeast cells, algae and hemp leaves. Gershmeisner said that because of his background in cancer research, human microanatomy is a hot topic. He photographed the blood drops in his blood with a scanning electron microscope, revealing impressive details of red blood cells and platelets.

He also photographed people's invisible neighbors, from bacteria found on rags and mobile phones to microbes living in our mouths and kidneys-not to mention mites that you really don't want to know. Call your eyelashes home. He saw ominous-looking cancer cells in skin, blood and bones. He also photographed pollen, parasites and household pests.

Gschmeissner took the time to take these photos on the scanning electron microscope of London Central Pharmacy. SEMs doesn't capture colors, so he colors images in Photoshop, sometimes for naturalistic appearance, and sometimes for more prominent artistic atmosphere.

"I was lucky, I did what I liked," said Gschmeissner. I still enjoy it and get * * * from it. When you first put something into a microscope, you never know what you will see. You will still see what you don't want to see. When I am bored, I will stop, but I am almost 70 years old and I am still doing it.