Micro-Critters Up Close: Rutgers Student Captures Amazing Footage

NEWARK, NJ — Every once in a while, Rutgers University student Julia Van Etten heads down to a pond in New Jersey and chucks a plankton net into the water. She pulls it out and takes the contents back to the lab, where she peeks at the drops of water under a microscope.

And that’s where the magic begins.

For years, Van Etten has been capturing the curiosity of scientists and art lovers alike with her vividly detailed photographs of common microorganisms like tardigrades and gloeotrichia, which she’s dubbed “couch microscopy.” Her Instagram account – where she displays her stunning videos and photos – has amassed more than 25,000 followers.

But it’s the doctoral candidate’s work with red algae that ultimately caught the eye of NASA.

Recently, with the aid of a grant from the Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology program, Van Etten embarked on a three-year research project that will probe the secrets behind red algae. She hopes the results will yield some insight into the unique microorganism, which not only grows – but thrives – in harsh conditions such as the primordial hot springs of Yellowstone National Park.

Red algae have a unique ability to “steal” genes from the microorganisms around them, which has enabled them to evolve and adapt in areas with extreme temperatures, high acidity and without any direct sunlight. These incredible capabilities may hold clues into how life first evolved on Earth, Van Etten says.

Aside from her work with red algae, the Rutgers scientist also helped to spearhead a research and teaching project at Rutgers–New Brunswick's Genome Cooperative that looked into the possibility of harnessing the power of algae for human needs. It’s similar to work being done by ExxonMobil and other companies, which are seeking to use algae for fuel production and other applications.

As it turns out, some of the great, unsolved mysteries of science may lurk in places as humble as a parking lot puddle in New Jersey, according to Van Etten.

“Major research groups are going to the ends of the earth to search for diverse beautiful species to uncover and of course that's really important, but there are literally undiscovered species right in our backyards that need to be found as well,” Van Etten said.

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ART UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

Viewed under a microscope, tiny critters can turn into works of art, according to Van Etten.

Her “couch microscopy” endeavor began as an art project, which Van Etten launched in 2017 after late-stage Lyme disease forced her to delay her start date at Rutgers for a year while she recovered. Unable to spend time studying algae out in the field, she worked on locally collected samples and viewed them with a home microscope – hence the name.

Most of the work is done with inexpensive equipment that can be purchased online, making couch microscopy a hobby that anyone can pick up, Van Etten said.

However, the colorful images and video that she captures are anything but ordinary. In fact, some of them are downright otherwordly.

As Van Etten mused in a recent video showing freshwater plankton at 200 times magnification:

"A single milliliter of water can be home to millions of viruses and bacteria and thousands of protists. There are thought to be one hundred billion galaxies in our universe. Space seems so vast and it is but if you do the math, then that means there are hundreds of billions of living cells (and viruses) in just one hundred liters of water. The total volume of the ocean is estimated to be 1.35 billion trillion liters. There’s a lot of stuff right here that needs to be explored."

Other microorganisms such as tardigrades, commonly known as "water bears," can teach us poignant lessons about the effects of climate change, Van Etten says.

Van Etten's work has inspired many who view it to take a closer look at that miracles that exist right under their noses.

"Planaria are so cute!" one fan commented on a video showing one of the free-living flatworms.

See some additional photos below, via the Couch Microscopy Instagram account.

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