Fruit fly embryo photo wins science photography prize

By Mark Johnson of the Journal Sentinel
Oct. 22, 2010 2:22 p.m. 

Drosophila melanogaster, better known as the fruit fly, is one of the most studied organisms in science, but hardly pinup material.

Nonetheless, a postgraduate student at University of Sheffield, recently received the close-up photo award in the Society of Biology's Photographic Competition.

Samantha Warrington's photo captured the fruit fly embryo, just 20 hours old. She took the photo during research on a confocal light microscope. The fruit fly embryo is about the size of the eye of a needle.

Here's Warrington's winning photo: