New Light

Watching the first moments of a new life has been a dream of biology for many years, but life is often too fragile to observe. This action-packed video of delicate dividing embryos (of the species Caenorhabditis elegans) was made possible by a revolutionary technique called lattice light-sheet microscopy. Criss-cross patterns of laser light spread gently through horizontal 'sheets' of the embryo, highlighting manmade fluorescent molecules involved in early cell division (coloured green and red). Lowering the risk of damage often caused by laser radiation, the technique enables high-resolution images of microscopic life to be taken very quickly. Highlighted in blue (from eight seconds onwards), images are reconstructed into never- before-seen videos of live embryos dividing in their 3D environment. Conceived by the team of Eric Betzig, a winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, this ground-breaking new technology is poised to reveal many more of life’s previously-hidden wonders.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Video by Eric Betzig and colleagues
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• Copyright Science 2014
• Research published in Science, October 2014