Myristic Acid
Winner of "Best Overall"
Inter/Micro 2013 Conference

This photo won "Best Overall" at the Inter/Micro 2013 conference. It will be on the cover of an upcoming issue of “The Microscope” and on the cover of the 2014 conference program book. According to Julian, "the subject is myristic acid, an organic acid. It melts a low temperature then recrystallizes in fantastic forms that are never the same. The dramatic colors are produced when the crystals are viewed using polarized light. Myristic acid is named for Myristica fragrans – better known as nutmeg! Three quarters of nutmeg butter is composed of the triglyceride form of myristic acid. It is also found in many common plant oils and butter fat. And it looks pretty darn cool in the microscope."

Photographer: Julian C. Gray