Nature's Creativity

Comparing something to a grain of sand is usually supposed to mean that it’s small or insignificant, but Dr. Gary Greenberg’s awesome pictures made using a microlens aims to turn this stereotype on its head. His photographs of minuscule grains of colorful sands magnified up to 300 times reveal that sand under a microscope can be a mesmerizing view.

The sand composition can vary drastically depending on where it’s from. The coastal beach sands in Hawaii, where Dr. Greenberg is located, are very likely the subjects of his amazing micro-photography. The tiny pebbles in his images are full of remnants from various tropical sea organisms large and small. The sand on other coasts, depending on the temperature, surf conditions and marine environment, may include an entirely different set of rocks, minerals and organic matter.