Understanding Tears Through Microscopy
Exploring tears under a microscope not only reveals their complex structure but also helps to understand their crucial role in both emotional expression and physical health.
This microscopic examination uncovers a world of variation based on the type of tear and its function within the human body.
Types of Tears and Their Composition
Tears are a fascinating biological substance comprised mainly of water, but they also contain oils, enzymes, antibodies, proteins, and minerals, all of which play a vital role in maintaining the health of the cornea.
They fall into three distinct categories: basal tears, reflex tears, and [emotional tears](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-microscopic-structures
Tears Under the Lens: Art, Science, and Symbolism
Tears carry a universal symbolism, representing the spectrum of human emotions from deep grief to exuberant joy.
Beyond their symbolic resonance, tears have also become a subject in the intersection of art and science, revealing patterns as intricate as the experiences prompting them.
Microscopic Photography of Tears by Rose-Lynn Fisher
Photographer Rose-Lynn Fisher has undertaken a remarkable project titled “The Topography of Tears.” Using a light microscope, Fisher explores the varied landscape of dried tears.
Her work illuminates the unique and complex structures that form when tears dry, the patterns reminiscent of aerial views of the earth, akin to branches of a river or the vast expanse of an ocean.
Her photography project not only provides a visual exploration of tear anatomy but also invites reflection on the collective human experience of emotion, with each tear telling a story as personal as a fingerprint.
Analyzing the Patterns: From Nature’s Art to Human Experience
The crystallized salt found in dried tears creates branched crystalline patterns that form due to factors such as chemistry, evaporation rate, and ambient conditions like temperature and humidity.
These factors result in diverse patterns, some evoking the random, abstract forms found in snowflakes, while others reveal patterns of erosion that mirror larger scale environmental processes.
The patterns seen under the microscope connect the microscopic with the monumental, suggesting that the same forces that shape our planet and nature’s artworks also play a role in creating the empirical language written in our tears, whether from an onion tear or moments marked by joy or sorrow.