比恐龙出现还早的古老细胞，在电子显微镜下看起来十分惊艳，就像是色彩艳丽的外星生物。
By Daily Mail
《每日邮报》记者
Last updated at 10:19 AM on 19th April 2011
2011年4月19日
They might look like a gallery of alien creatures, but these stunning pictures actually show ancient cells that have been magnified up to a million times.
这些令人震撼的图片是放大百万倍后的古老细胞，他们就像在美术馆看到的外星生物。
The incredible images were taken using an electron microscope, and coloured to create a mesmerising catalogue of weird and wonderful life.
图片由电子显微镜拍摄，并添上了颜色，呈现出了一系列怪诞神奇的生命。
They feature diatoms, single cells just 0.002-inches-long which are thought to pre-date the dinosaurs.
图中的生物是单细胞硅藻，只有0.002英寸长，出现于恐龙时代前。
Memorizing: The ancient cells were magnified up to a million times using an electron microscope before being coloured to create stunning patterns of natural life
纪念：古老的细胞先在电子显微镜下放大一百万倍，然后经过上色呈现出多彩的生命形式。
Puckerup: This image of an elongated and curved cell appears to resemble a lusciouspair of rich pink and red lips, or even a neon sign, it is that bright
折叠：该图是一个拉长、弯曲的细胞，像一对性感的粉红嘴唇，或者说像霓虹灯，因为它很亮。
Oceanographer Dr Paul Hargreaves teamed up with artist Faye Darling tocreatethe stunning works of art.
海洋学家Paul Hargreaves博士和艺术家Faye Darling一起创造了很多惊的作品。
Aparticle beam of electrons is used to illuminate the tiny organismbefore a 3Dpicture is taken. The image is then 'colourised' by Mrs Darlingusing a varietyof digital paint programmes.
微小的组织细胞会被电子束照亮，然后合成3D影像。接着Darling女士通过一些数字颜料给图片上色。
What started as a hobby has become a part-time occupation for thegrandmother of two from Rhode Island U.S.
Darling女士来自美国罗德岛，是两个孩子的祖母，开始对这项技术只是当做兴趣，但后来变成了工作。
'Itmay take me as little as three to four hours to complete one image,but I haveworked as long as 25-30 hours on one image,' she said.
她说：“一般一张图要3到4小时就能完成，但我却用了25至30小时在每张图上。”
Twopeas in a pod: Many of the tiny cells are just 0.002-inches-long and arethought to pre-date the dinosaurs.
豆荚里的两颗豌豆：在恐龙时代前出现，只有0.002英寸长的细胞
Zap:A particle beam of electrons is used to illuminate the tiny organism before a3D picture is taken. The cells are then coloured to produce the impressiveeffect
活力：组织细胞被电子束照亮，然后合成3D图像。给细胞图上颜色是为了使其更有吸引力。
Kaleidoscope:This selection of seven different cells have been coloured shades of blue,purple and turquoise to create an attractive group of molecules
万花筒：7个不同的细胞，分别涂上了蓝色、紫色和青绿色，十分招人喜爱。
'What inspires me is being able to turn rather unusual black and white images andtransform them into sparking little gems that make people take notice of them.
“这是一项令人激动的工作，我们把奇特的黑白照片转换成大放异彩的微生物，这样就有很多人会关注它们。”
'Italso makes me happy to know the Dr. Hargraves uses some of the images toaccompany his lectures especially to new students who are just beginning tohave an interest in oceanography and marine biology.
“当得知Hargraves博士授课时使用我的图片，我非常高兴，很多刚开始对海洋学和海洋生物学感兴趣的学生能看到这些照片。”
'Ihope that people will be interested in the shapes, and then will be curiousenough to find out what they are, and how they function.'
“我希望人们能对细胞的外形产生兴趣，然后研究它们的机理。”
