popular science

YOUR MAJESTIC MODELS

Under magniication,
the bug revealed an
iridescent-green body
with geometric markings.
Captivated, Biss decided to
use his cameras—which he
usually points at celebrities
and athletes for high-end
magazine covers—to cap-
ture the brilliant majesty of
these hectic hexapods.
Focusing on tiny subjects
is tricky. Depth of ield is
hard to achieve at these
zoom levels. Biss built a
camera rig with a micro-
scope lens. Then he mounted
it on a rail that moves it 10

microns (one-seventh the

width of a human hair) at

a time. In this way, he takes

up to 10,000 images of each

bug and later stitches them

together with software.

Today, Biss’ “microsculp-

tures” hang in art galleries.

Each of his digital iles also

lives online for anyone to

access. This magazine isn’t

physically large enough for

us to show off exactly how

detailed and crisp these

images really are. But unlike

other bug pics you may

have seen, these could be

blown up to billboard size.

Entomologists

estimate Earth’s

bug population at

around 10 quin-

tillion. That’s

19 zeroes, people. But while

insects, with an estimated

6 million species, account for

one of the largest biomasses

on our planet, most pass us

by with a buzz on their part

and a “Yagh!” on ours.

PhotographerLevon Biss’

has always wanted a closer

look. He became obsessed

with bugs when he and his

son trained a microscope

on a ground beetle.

POPSCI.COM.AU 51