6. Delving Deeper

Though not all the 'tree cams' left visible images on the paper, the physical contact between trees and the paper allowed for a chemical record of the trees to be captured.

 

Photographic paper contains a thin layer of gelatine,  which is an organic substance absorbed by micro-organisms. There was little sign of this interaction to the naked eye, but when viewed under a microscope, worlds of activity were revealed.

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Here is a collection of images taken through a reflective microscope, showing in great detail otherwise-invisible traces of fungi, algae, and other microbes. 

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