Description

A view into the microscopic structure of fossilized bone from a Merychippus, the three-toed ancestor of the modern horse that grazed California grasslands 14 million years ago. The Merychippus’ growth is recorded in the bone and its age can be measured by counting its yearly deposited growth rings.

Image size: 2.0mm x 0.6mm

20µm thin section of ~14 million year old proximal phalanx from a Merychippus sp. from the middle Miocene Barstow Formation, Mojave Desert, California.

Imaged under blue cross polarized light to reveal the concentric layers of fossilized collagen fibers in every osteon, at a higher resolution than is possible with white light. Panorama of several images.

Omax microscope, 20x, Canon camera adapter, 2x, Canon EOS Rebel T5i, ISO-200, 1/13 sec.