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ENDOSCOPIC VIDEO OF HUMAN EMBRYOS 3 WEEKS, 6 WEEKS, AND 7 WEEKS FOLLOWING
FERTILIZATION. THE FOOTAGE IN THIS SECTION CONTAINS NO ANIMATION. IT IS ACTUAL
PRENATAL MEDICAL IMAGERY.

THIS IMAGE IS AVAILABLE IN 49 LANGUAGES. POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

See languages

2023 Viddy Awards
Gold Winner

2023 Accolade Global Film Competition
Award of Excellence
Documentary Program Series

2023 Accolade Global Film Competition
Award of Excellence
Educational/Instructional/Training

2024 Creative Excellence Award
Website Design

An Education Resource Fund documentary titled The Science of Life Before Birth
has been named a 2023 Viddy Gold film award winner. The Viddy Awards recognize
“Outstanding achievement in video and digital skills.” The Viddy Awards
competition is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and
Communication Professionals (AMCP) organization. This international group
consists…

Awarded to ERF for our

See Baby Grow Pregnancy Tracker

Honoring Excellence In
Digital Creativity, Branding + Strategy

“AVA” stands for "audio-visual arts." The awards are presented through the
Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The AMCP began in 1995
as a means to honor outstanding achievement and service in the communications
profession.

See Baby Grow App

Best Mobile App Awards

Nominee for Best Mobile App

Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby
Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences
(IADAS), is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on
the Internet. IADAS, which nominates and selects The Webby Award Winners, is
comprised of Internet industry experts. The Education Resource Fund (ERF) has
been honored for its See Baby Grow prenatal science app in the 2024 “Education,
Science, & Reference” Webby Award category.

Physicians (especially OB/GYNs, pediatricians, and family practice doctors), as
well as healthcare professionals generally, may wish to download the following
Pregnancy Tracker video for display on a TV monitor in their waiting rooms and
exam rooms, etc. This 4.5 minute, award-winning video features rare endoscopic
and sonographic embryonic and fetal scans which span the entirety of pregnancy.
The film can be programmed for looping on most TVs.

DOWNLOAD VIDEO

Please see below a comprehensive video archive containing nearly 22 hours of
prenatal, endoscopic medical scans. Each scan depicts never-before-seen human
embryos and fetuses, alive in the uterus, as they progress through each stage of
prenatal development. The image bank features a searchable index listing
approximately 6,000 of the anatomic structures and/or systems viewable in the
video archive. Each search term is linked to the endoscopic video clip which
images its corresponding structure and/or system, chronologically ordered by
weeks following fertilization. The program is intended as a reference resource
for use by clinicians, academics, researchers, and medical and nursing students,
as well as students in the health sciences at undergraduate and graduate levels
of study. The architecture of this interactive system is designed to accommodate
continuous expansion.

Biologically speaking, “human development begins at fertilization,” when a woman
and a man each combine 23 of their own chromosomes through the union of their
reproductive cells. The DNA in the 46 chromosomes of the resulting embryo
(zygote stage), then only one cell in size, already contains some 3 billion base
pairs of digital data, the genetic blueprint for the entire human body...

The human heart will beat 3 billion times over the course of an average
lifespan.

The human circulatory system contains 20-30 trillion blood cells at any given
time.

The human brain contains 100 billion neurons.

The neurons in the human brain are linked to one another by 100 trillion
synaptic connections.

HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES OF EMBRYOS AND FETUSES DEVELOPING IN UTERO

FOLLOW THE SCIENCE - FERTILIZATION THROUGH 12 WEEKS

“By convention, obstetricians date pregnancy from presumed first day of the last
normal menstrual period (LMP). This is gestational age, which in embryology is
superfluous because gestation does not begin until fertilization of an oocyte
occurs. Embryonic [or fetal] age [also described as fertilization or
conceptional age] begins at fertilization, approximately 2 weeks after the
LNMP…. The day on which fertilization occurs is the most accurate reference
point for estimating [embryonic or fetal] age ….” The Developing Human,
Clinically Oriented Embryology, Moore, Persaud & Torchia, Elsevier, 10th Ed.
(2016). Unless otherwise noted, all embryonic and fetal ages in Education
Resource Fund curricular materials are estimated in weeks/months following
fertilization.

SCIENCE DOCUMENTARY FILMS

SEE BABY GROW (HIGHLIGHTS EDITION) – SPANISH

Highlights edition
9 minutes
SPANISH

THE SCIENCE OF LIFE BEFORE BIRTH

Full-length documentary
49 minutes
ENGLISH

SEE BABY GROW

Medium-length edition
28 minutes
ENGLISH

SEE BABY GROW (HIGHLIGHTS EDITION)

Highlights edition
9 minutes
ENGLISH

THE SCIENCE OF LIFE BEFORE BIRTH – SPANISH

Full-length documentary
49 minutes
SPANISH

SEE BABY GROW – SPANISH

Medium-length edition
28 minutes
SPANISH

SEE BABY GROW (HIGHLIGHTS EDITION) – SPANISH

Highlights edition
9 minutes
SPANISH

THE SCIENCE OF LIFE BEFORE BIRTH

Full-length documentary
49 minutes
ENGLISH

AWARD-WINNING PREGNANCY TRACKER

Launch Pregnancy Tracker

THE INTRICATELY INTERACTIVE CHOREOGRAPHY OF CONCEPTION

1. Male initiated:
Up to 600 million sperm are deposited in the birth canal, of which only 200
reach the fertilization site in the uterine tube. The Developing Human:
Clinically Oriented Embryology, 10th ed., K. Moore et al., Elsevier (2016), pp.
25-26.

2. Male initiated: An enzyme produced by...

ERF’S SEE BABY GROW APP CONTENT HAS BEEN VIEWED MORE THAN 13.6 MILLION TIMES AS
OF APRIL 5, 2024. MORE THAN 1,400 COMMENTS HAVE BEEN POSTED. VIEWERS ARE FROM AT
LEAST 173 COUNTRIES.

To obtain the See Baby Grow App for Apple (iOS), download from the Apple App
Store at the foregoing QR Code, or this
link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/see-baby-grow/id1633494975.

To obtain the See Baby Grow App for Google Play (Android), download from Google
Play App Store at the foregoing QR Code, or this
link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.seebabygrow.erf.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

MAKE SCIENCE FUN FOR KIDS

CHILDREN’S SCIENCE DOCUMENTARY FILMS

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN – ENGLISH (INDIAN NARRATORS)

29 minutes
ENGLISH (INDIAN NARRATORS)
Share Video

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN

30 minutes
ENGLISH
Share Video

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN – SPANISH

35 minutes
SPANISH
Share Video

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN – CHINESE (SIMPLIFIED)

34 minutes
MANDARIN CHINESE (SIMPLIFIED)
Share Video

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN – CHINESE (TRADITIONAL)

34 minutes
MANDARIN CHINESE (TRADITIONAL)
Share Video

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN – HINDI

32 minutes
HINDI
Share Video

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN – ENGLISH (INDIAN NARRATORS)

29 minutes
ENGLISH (INDIAN NARRATORS)
Share Video

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN

30 minutes
ENGLISH
Share Video

COLORING BOOKS

COLOR USING YOUR FINGER ON A PHONE, OR YOUR FINGER OR STYLUS ON A TABLET, OR
YOUR MOUSE AND CURSOR ON A COMPUTER, OR YOUR CRAYONS ON PHYSICAL PAGES YOU PRINT
OUT ON PAPER.

PRINT COLORING PAGES

AUTO-FILL ZONE COLORING

‹›

COLOR WITH FINGER OR STYLUS

‹›

"I hold a multiple subject teaching credential in the state of California and I
have been a public elementary school teacher since 2004. My primary focus has
been Kindergarten, First and Second grade.

I recently examined the ERF coloring pages which depict embryos and fetuses
developing in utero. This is an amazing interactive resource for children of all
ages. It's extremely user friendly. The high-resolution prenatal images next to
the coloring book line drawings are fantastic! This is an instructive resource
that can be used effectively in the classroom setting.

I also reviewed the ERF site where I watched the children's version of the ERF
prenatal video. Like the coloring pages, the children’s edition of the ERF
prenatal science documentary is also an amazing resource! All content is
age-appropriate for even the youngest children."

Ellarose Pinkus

PUZZLES

ASSEMBLE A PUZZLE YOURSELF

WORD SEARCHES

CURRICULAR CONTENT

COLORING BOOKS

QUIZZES

LESSON PLAN OPTIONS

LECTURE NOTES

MILESTONE WORKSHEET

Embryoscopy, fetoscopy, and high-resolution ultrasound imagery, showing
embryonic and fetal development.

Pregnancy Week 1

Pregnancy Week 2

Pregnancy Week 3

Pregnancy Week 4

Pregnancy Week 5

Pregnancy Week 6

Pregnancy Week 7

Pregnancy Week 8

Pregnancy Week 9

Pregnancy Week 10

Pregnancy Week 11

Pregnancy Week 12

Pregnancy Month 4

Pregnancy Month 5

Pregnancy Month 6

Pregnancy Month 7

Pregnancy Month 8

Pregnancy Month 9

SUBTITLES IN 92 LANGUAGES FOR ERF VIDEO
"THE SCIENCE OF LIFE BEFORE BIRTH"

CHOOSE YOUR PREFERRED SUBTITLE LANGUAGE HERE:

Afrikaans Albanian(Shqip) Arabic(العربية) Armenian(Հայերեն) Assamese(অসমীয়া)
Azerbaijani(Azərbaycan) Belarusian(Беларуская) Bosnian(Bosanski)
Bulgarian(Български) Burmese(မြန်မာ) Catalan(Català) Chinese (Simplified -
中文（简体）) Chinese (Traditional - 中文（繁體）) Haitian Creole Croatian(Hrvatski)
Czech(Čeština) Danish(Dansk) Dutch(Nederlands) English Estonian(Eesti)
Finnish(Suomi) French(Français) Georgian(ქართული) German(Deutsch)
Greek(Ελληνικά) Guajarati(ગુજરાતી) Hausa(Hausa) Hebrew(עברית) Hindi(हिन्दी)
Hungarian(Magyar) Indonesian(Indonesia) Italian(Italiano) Japanese(日本語)
Javanese(Jawa) Kannada(ಕನ್ನಡ) Kashmiri(کٲشُر) Kazakh(Қазақ тілі)
Mongolian(Монгол) Khmer(ខ្មែរ) Kinyarwanda(Kinyarwanda) Korean(한국어)
Kyrgyz(Кыргызча) Lao(ລາວ) Latvian(Latviešu) Lithuanian(Lietuvių)
Macedonian(Македонски) Malagasy(Malagasy) Malay(Melayu) Malayalam(മലയാളം)
Marathi(मराठी) Nepali(नेपाली) Norwegian(Norsk) Punjabi(ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) Pashto(پښتو)
Persian(فارسی) Polish(Polski) Portuguese(Português) Romanian(Română)
Russian(Русский) Serbian(Српски) Shona(ChiShona) Sindhi(سنڌي) Sinhala(සිංහල)
Slovak(Slovenčina) Slovenian(Slovenščina) Somali(Soomaali) Spanish(Español)
Swahili(Kiswahili) Swati(Swati) Swedish(Svenska) Tagalog(Tagalog) Tajik(Тоҷикӣ)
Tamil(தமிழ்) Telugu(తెలుగు) Thai(ไทย) Turkish(Türkçe) Turkmen(Türkmen dili)
Ukrainian(Українська) Urdu(اردو) Uzbek(O‘zbek) Vietnamese(Tiếng Việt) Yoruba(Èdè
Yorùbá) Zulu(IsiZulu)

We have prepared the script of “The Science of Life Before Birth” in 92
different languages. You can download a PDF of each of those translations by
following the links below.

* Afrikaans
* Albanian
* Arabic
* Armenian
* Assamese
* Azerbaijani
* Belarusian
* Bengali
* Bosnian
* Bulgarian
* Burmesese
* Catalan
* Creole
* Croatian
* Mandarin (Simplified)
* Mandarin (Traditional)
* Czech
* Danish
* Dutch
* English
* Estonian
* Finnish
* French
* Georgian
* Ganda
* German
* Greek
* Gujarati
* Hausa
* Hebrew
* Hindi
* Hungarian
* Igbo
* Indonesian
* Italian
* Japanese
* Javanese
* Kannada
* Kashmiri
* Kazakh
* Khmer
* Kinyarwanda
* Khalkha
* Kirundi
* Korean
* Kurmanji
* Kyrgyz
* Lao
* Latvian
* Lithuanian
* Macedonian
* Malagasy
* Malay
* Malayalam
* Marathi
* Nepali
* Norwegian
* Pashtu
* Persian
* Polish
* Portuguese
* Punjabi, Eastern
* Punjabi, Western
* Romanian
* Russian
* Serbian
* Shona
* Sindebele (Ndebele)
* Sindhi
* Sinhala
* Slovak
* Slovenian
* Somali
* Spanish
* Sorani
* Swahili
* Swati
* Swedish
* Tagalog
* Tajik
* Tamil
* Telugu
* Thai
* Turkish
* Turkmen
* Ukrainian
* Urdu
* Uzbek
* Vietnamese
* Yoruba
* Zulu

* Previous
* Next

View all languages

SEE BABY GROW APP VIDEO

The See Baby Grow app video depicts embryos and fetuses, alive in the uterus,
throughout every stage of pregnancy. These preborn babies have been scanned
using embryoscopy and fetoscopy medical imaging technology, as well as
high-resolution, research-grade sonography. The narration describes
developmental anatomy and physiology as it unfolds through all three trimesters
of pregnancy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are a medical practitioner or science educator/researcher, or a student,
please consider offering an endorsement for this project.

Add an endorsement

PROFESSIONAL ENDORSEMENTS

Professional reviews neither state nor imply institutional endorsement.

* "This excellent production is a scientific portrayal of the beginning of
human life and its continuum of growth and development through birth and the
neonatal period. This app, "the biology of Prenatal Development", is
intuitive. I use this tool when I counsel patients and when I teach students.
I highly recommend and endorse its distribution and usage in the classroom,
examination room and hospital."

Patrick Marmion, MD, MPH
Associate Clinical Professor
Medical Education and Clinical Sciences
Washington State University
College of Medicine
* “Beautifully done.”

Richard H. Sandler, MD
Gwynn Rawding Patterson, MD FACOG (Fellow of the American Congress of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Sierra Vista, AZ
* “This video is absolutely amazing! See Baby Grow is a most beautiful and
accurate depiction of life from conception through birth and demonstrates
scientifically the intricacies of human development. As a pediatrician for
the past 40 years, I confess I learned new facts about human development,
including the concept that fetuses who hear loud noises in utero can
experience hearing loss. I highly recommend the use of this video to teach
human development - in both scientific and nonacademic settings.”

Jane E. Anderson, MD
Clinical Professor of Pediatrics - retired
University of California, San Francisco

* “The video is simply breathtakingly beautiful. In a world where we are
bombarded with images that both intentionally and unintentionally distort
truth, (leaving the viewer worse off for having looked), here are images that
are honest, and accurate—making the video a valuable teaching tool. However,
the video is also valuable simply because it is beautiful. This blend of
truth and beauty leaves the viewer better off for having looked.”

Robin Pierucci, MD, MA
Neonatologist
Medical Director, NICU
Bronson Children’s Hospital
Clinical Assistant Professor
Western Michigan University, Homer-Stryker School of Medicine
* “What a great video! As both a physician and homeschool mom of two teenage
sons, I highly endorse the See Baby Grow app. It provides clear scientific
evidence of the growth and development of a unique human being. Mothers can
now effectively show even their youngest children the amazing beauty of a
developing human ….”

Jeannine C. Kofford, MD

* “Exceptional graphics and videography make this a ‘must see’ video for anyone
wanting to know more about the incredible journey from fertilized egg to
newborn. A great learning tool for those in the healthcare professions as
well. Beautiful work!”

Jeffrey A. Keenan, MD, HCLD
Professor, Dept. of OB/GYN
Director, Division of Reproductive
Endocrinology and Infertility,
Univ. of Tennessee Medical Center
* “The See Baby Grow app video is excellent and would enhance medical education
and the understanding of embryological growth from a perspective that has not
been available in combined form with contact embryoscopy, 3D ultrasonography
and computerized graphics that allow the learner to fully understand and
appreciate the complex developmental and structural changes throughout
intrauterine development up until birth. The video depiction of fertilization
involving sperm and egg are also well done. I cannot recommend this video
more highly to others to watch and change their perspective on life that we
cannot see and appreciate. Amazing.”

Scott L. Stringfield, MD
American Board of Family Medicine
Associate Director, Via Christi Family Medicine Residency Program
Clinical Associate Professor, University of Kansas Medical School – Wichita,
KS
* “The See Baby Grow video is an example of the high-quality tool for education
on human growth and development from the moment of conception until birth,
according to modern science. “I am convinced that it will be very useful in
preconception care, in the preparation for family life in schools, and in
prenatal classes. It may be used also in pre and postgraduate teaching of
medical personnel. “I would like to recommend this beautiful and persuasive
visual aid.”

Bogdan Chazan, MD, PhD
Former Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Warsaw, Poland
MaterCare International, Saint John’s Canada
* “Beautifully done.”

Gwynn Rawding Patterson, MD
FACOG (Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
Sierra Vista, AZ
* “ERF.Science gives us a stunning inside story on the miracle of human
development from the one-in-a-million uniqueness of fertilization to the
clear views of developing fingers, toes and a beating heart at a mere 4
weeks.”

Gregory J. Brewer, PhD
Professor of Neuroscience
* “This video is amazing. It is a beautiful depiction of the wondrous journey
of the growing baby in the womb from fertilization onward. As an OB/GYN, I
find this video to be riveting and beautiful and have already shared it with
others.”

Caroline Hedges, MD, MA, MPH

* Previous
* Next

POST THE FOLLOWING PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT FACTS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA:

THE ERF PRENATAL VIDEOS FEATURED AT WWW.ERF.SCIENCE ARE UPDATED AND EXPANDED
VARIANTS OF THE SCIENCE DOCUMENTARY TITLED "THE BIOLOGY OF PRENATAL
DEVELOPMENT."

BIOLOGY OF PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT FILM AWARDS

CINE GOLDEN EAGLE

PLATINUM REMI AWARD

GRAND REMI - "BEST OF SHOW"

BEST OF SHOW | AWARD OF EXCELLENCE | AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

GRAND REMI

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

SILVER TELLY AWARD

Principal Technical Advisor:

Mark T. Cullen, M.D.

Technical Review:

James H. Baker, Ph.D.
Enid Gilbert-Barness, M.D.
David H. Bernanke, Ph.D.
Mark J. Holterman, M.D., Ph.D.
David L. Bolender, Ph.D.
Paul A. Krieg, Ph.D.
Professor Stuart Campbell, D.Sc.
Maria Michejda, M.D,
Bruce M. Carlson, M.D., Ph.D.
Maurice J. Pescitelli Jr., Ph.D.

Julian E. De Lia, M.D., M.B.A.
Charles L. Saxe, Ill, Ph.D.
Charles H. Ellis Jr., Ph.D.
Mark F. Seifert, Ph.D.
Ona Marie Faye-Petersen, M.D.
Allan R. Sinning, Ph.D.
David W. Fontaine, M.D.
Bradley R. Smith, Ph.D.
Ravmond F. Gasser, Ph.D.
Sam R. Voora, M.D.

ENDORSEMENTS OF THE BIOLOGY OF PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

“This video production is a uniquely crafted portrayal of human embryofetal
development that is completed by a succinct, but very accurate, description of
the process. It is a joint effort that has utilized the expertise…

ONA MARIE FAYE-PETERSEN, M.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PATHOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SCHOOL AT BIRMINGHAM*
HEAD, UAB MICRODISSECTION LABORATORY FOR PERINATAL PATHOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY, ANATOMIC DIVISION

“The Biology of Prenatal Development provides an amazing view of human embryonic
and fetal development. It would be a great supplement to developmental biology
courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and medical school level.”

DEBORAH J. ANDREW, PH.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CELL BIOLOGY
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE*

“The combination of exquisite images and a clear, carefully researched text
makes this video an unparalleled resource for all who are interested in the
mysteries of life before birth.”

BRUCE M. CARLSON, M.D., PH.D.

DIRECTOR AND RESEARCH PROFESSOR, INSTITUTE OF GERONTOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN*
PROFESSOR, CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDICAL SCHOOL*

“Truly unlike anything I’ve seen before in the area of human development. The
graphics, mixed with tape of actual intrauterine developing fetuses, makes the
biology of human development…..human! I would offer it to both science…

JULIAN E. DE LIA, M.D., M.B.A.

MEDICAL DIRECTOR
THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE TREATMENT OF TWIN TO TWIN TRANSFUSION
SYNDROME
ST. JOSEPH REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER*
CLINICAL ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN*

“This video provides a splendid review of prenatal human development from
fertilization to birth. The intrauterine videophotography and imaging is
exquisite and breathtaking and allows the viewer to witness the different stages
and external features…

MARK F. SEIFERT, PH.D.

PROFESSOR OF ANATOMY AND CELL BIOLOGY
INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE*

“This is a well conceived and executed video. The use of different types of
images is well thought out and effective. The text is accurate and well chosen.
This video is particularly appropriate for an…

CHARLES L. SAXE, III, PH.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CELL BIOLOGY
EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE*

“The Biology of Prenatal Development does a wonderful job of presenting and
describing the milestones of human development from conception to birth. The
video sequences and animations provide beautiful visual representations of the
concepts described through…

BRADLEY R. SMITH, PH.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR, BIOMEDICAL VISUALIZATION GRADUATE PROGRAM
SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN*
SENIOR ASSOCIATE RESEARCH SCIENTIST
DEPARTMENT OF RADIOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDICAL SCHOOL*

“This video is a significant contribution for the education of the general
public about human prenatal life. The many colored images of living, moving
embryos and fetuses reveal the remarkable beauty of life inside the…

RAYMOND F. GASSER, PH.D.

EMERITUS PROFESSOR, CELL BIOLOGY AND ANATOMY
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER*

“An excellent program. Should be very useful for pathologists, obstetricians,
ultrasonographers, [and] perinatologists.”

ENID GILBERT-BARNESS, M.D

PROFESSOR OF PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE
PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS
PROFESSOR OF OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE*

“The Biology of Prenatal Development video provides a uniquely accessible visual
overview of prenatal human development.”

PAUL A. KRIEG, PH.D.

PROFESSOR OF CELL BIOLOGY & ANATOMY
PROFESSOR OF MOLECULAR & CELLULAR BIOLOGY
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE*

“After reviewing this video, I find it to be a first class presentation that
would ideally set the stage for the study of development at all levels of
education.”

ALAN R. SINNING, PH.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ANATOMY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER*

“This beautifully produced video provides an impressive overview of human
development from conception to birth in a very clear, concise presentation. The
informative and engaging format includes a continuous timeline to emphasize the
sequence and…

DAVID H. BERNANKE, PH.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ANATOMY
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA*

“This visually compelling video provides important insights into the dynamism of
the developing human embryo. The images can be used to supplement existing
teaching tools in courses on developmental biology.”

MARK J. HOLTERMAN, M.D., PH.D., FAAP, FACS

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF SURGERY
DIVISION CHIEF, PEDIATRIC SURGERY
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AT CHICAGO*

“The Biology of Prenatal Development is an excellent overview of key features of
human embryonic development. It contains amazing video sequences of human
embryos combined with helpful animations and very understandable narration. It
reveals the mystery…

DAVID L. BOLENDER, PH.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF CELL BIOLOGY, NEUROBIOLOGY AND ANATOMY
GRADUATE FACULTY, PROGRAM IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN*

ONA MARIE FAYE-PETERSEN, M.D.

DEBORAH J. ANDREW, PH.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CELL BIOLOGY
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE*

“The combination of exquisite images and a clear, carefully researched text
makes this video an unparalleled resource for all who are interested in the
mysteries of life before birth.”

BRUCE M. CARLSON, M.D., PH.D.

DIRECTOR AND RESEARCH PROFESSOR, INSTITUTE OF GERONTOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN*
PROFESSOR, CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDICAL SCHOOL*

JULIAN E. DE LIA, M.D., M.B.A.

MARK F. SEIFERT, PH.D.

PROFESSOR OF ANATOMY AND CELL BIOLOGY
INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE*

CHARLES L. SAXE, III, PH.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CELL BIOLOGY
EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE*

“The developmental period before birth is increasingly understood as a time of
preparation during which the developing human acquires the many structures, and
practices the many skills, needed for survival after birth. As our understanding
of early human development advances, so too will our ability to enhance
health––both before and after birth.”

The Biology of Prenatal Development, a documentary film originally distributed
by the National Geographic Society

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following science documentaries, medical textbooks, and medical journal
articles are among the many educational resources which provide useful
information regarding the biology of prenatal development:

RECOMMENDED SCIENCE DOCUMENTARIES

* National Geographic: In the Womb - Multiples
* National Geographic: The biology of prenatal development.
* National Geographic: In The Womb
* Education Resource Fund: The Science of Life Before Birth
* BBC: Nine Things that Shape Your Identity Before Birth
* BBC: Life and Birth
* PBS: 9 Months That Made You
* Discovery: From Conception to Birth

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* Next

RECOMMENDED MEDICAL TEXTBOOKS

* Larsen's Human Embryology 6th Edition
* Fetal and Neonatal Physiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse 1st Edition
* Human Embryology and Developmental Biology
* The Developing Human
* Callen's Ultrasonography in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 6th Edition
* Discovery: From Conception to Birth: A Life Unfolds
* Fetal Imaging
* Langman's Medical Embryology 14th Edition

* Previous
* Next

MEDICAL JOURNAL ARTICLES

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS: “HOW YOUR FETUS GROWS
DURING PREGNANCY”

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION: “UNDERSTANDING THE MATERNAL‐FETAL
ENVIRONMENT AND THE BIRTH OF PRENATAL PEDIATRICS”

NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE:“PROTECTING MOTHERS AND BABIES — A DELICATE
BALANCING ACT”

COMPARATIVE EMBRYONIC AND FETAL ANATOMY

View 3D Organ Structures Search 3D Organ Index
View 3D Organ Structures

SEE 12 OF YOUR BABY'S VITAL ORGANS DEPICTED IN EMBRYONIC, FETAL, AND ADULT AGE
STAGES AND ILLUSTRATED AS 3D MODELS WHICH YOU CAN ROTATE ABOUT THEIR VERTICAL,
HORIZONTAL, ETC. AXES

Search 3D Organ Index
Heart: 8 week embryonic
1. Aortic arch
2. Right ventricle
3. Left ventricle
4. Right atrium
5. Left atrium

The heart is the first functional organ in vertebrate embryos.

Heart: 16 week fetal
1. Pulmonary artery
2. Pulmonary vein

Heart: Adult
1. Aorta
2. Right atrium
3. Right ventricle
4. Left ventricle
5. Left atrium

The heart is a muscular organ in most animals, which pumps blood through the
blood vessels of the circulatory system. Blood provides the body with oxygen and
nutrients, as well as assisting in the removal of metabolic wastes. In humans,
the heart is located between the lungs, in the middle compartment of the chest.

Brain: 8 week embryonic
1. Myelencephalon
2. Cerebral hemisphere
3. Rhombencephalon

During weeks 8 to 10, the cerebrum begins its development in earnest. Neurons
proliferate and begin their migration throughout the brain. The anterior
commissure, which is the first interhemispheric connection (a small one), also
develops. Reflexes appear for the first time during this period.

Brain: 16 week fetal
1. Cerebral hemisphere
2. Optic chiasm
3. Cerebellum

In the second trimester, the fetal brain begins to direct the compression of the
chest muscles and movement of the diaphragm. These are like practice breaths and
are controlled by the brainstem. Sucking and swallowing begin around week 16,
and by week 21 the fetus can swallow amniotic fluid.

Brain: Adult
1. Brain left hemisphere
2. Brain right hemisphere
3. Brainstem
4. Cerebellum
5. Olfactory nerve
6. Putamen
7. Fornix

The brainstem provides the main motor and sensory nerve supply to the face and
neck via the cranial nerves. Of the thirteen pairs of cranial nerves, ten pairs
(or twelve, if the diencephalon is included in the brainstem) come from the
brainstem. The brainstem is an extremely important part of the brain as the
nerve connections of the motor and sensory systems from the main part of the
brain to the rest of the body pass through the brainstem. This includes the
corticospinal tract (motor), the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway (fine
touch, vibration sensation, and proprioception), and the spinothalamic tract
(pain, temperature, itch, and crude touch). The human brain is the central organ
of the human nervous system, and with the spinal cord makes up the central
nervous system.

Pulmonary system: 8 week embryonic
1. Hyoid cartilage
2. Trachea cartilage
3. Larynx

Stages of normal human lung development: During the first stage (0-7 weeks,
embryonic stage), the lung arises as a ventral diverticulum of the primitive
foregut endoderm with the lobar and segmental bronchi appearing at the fifth
week and arteries and veins developing as avascular buds. There then follows the
pseudoglandular stage (8-17 weeks) when branching of the airways and vessels
takes place.

Pulmonary system: 16 week fetal
1. Thyrohyoid membrane
2. Thyroid cartilage
3. Hyoid cartilage
4. Heart connections
5. Pulmonary system

The respiratory system has conducting and gas exchange components, with the
bifurcating airways and accompanying pulmonary arteries conducting air and blood
to peripheral capillary-lined airspaces for gas exchange.

Pulmonary system: Adult
1. Apex
2. Oblique fissure
3. Horizontal fissure
4. Inferior lobe
5. Trachea

The pulmonary system includes the lungs, the bronchial tree, and the pulmonary
vessels. The typical respiratory rate for a healthy adult at rest is 12–18
breaths per minute. The respiratory center sets the quiet respiratory rhythm at
around two seconds for an inhalation and three seconds exhalation. This gives
the lower of the average rate at 12 breaths per minute.

Eye: 8 week embryonic
1. Eye ball
2. Eyelid

The eyes have moved forward on the face. At 8 weeks, the eyelids start to form
and fuse together to protect the other developing eye structures.

Eye: 16 week fetal
1. Eye ball
2. Eyelid

Although eye development can be considered to commence around day 22, when the
optic sulci (optic primordium) appear as shallow grooves or pits in the inner
aspect of the neural plate or neural folds and the embryo is around 2 mm in
length with eight somites, the group of cells that constitute the eye primordium
or eye field have already begun to express a set of eye field transcription
factors (EFTFs).

Eye: Adult
1. Lens
2. Eye ball

The human eye is a sensory organ, part of the sensory nervous system, that
reacts to visible light and allows us to use visual information for various
purposes including seeing things, keeping our balance, and maintaining circadian
rhythm.

Eye (cross-section): 8 week embryonic
1. Hyaloid artery
2. Eyelid
3. Inner layer of optic cup (visual retina)
4. Mesenchyme
5. Lens fiber

Cells differentiate into specific types according to their projected role in the
visual process, such as rods and cones, with axons from the retinal ganglion
cells forming the optic nerve. It takes six months for the retinal layers to
grow from the neural ectoderm. The macula needs four or five months just to
begin, and it will mature six months after birth.

Eye (cross-section): 16 week fetal
1. Lens
2. Sclera
3. Choroid
4. Retina
5. Optic nerve

Eye (cross-section): Adult
1. Lens
2. Pupil
3. Iris
4. Cornea
5. Retina
6. Conjuctiva

Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision,
the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several
photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and
convert it into electrochemical impulses in neurons. In higher organisms, the
eye is a complex optical system which collects light from the surrounding
environment, regulates its intensity through a diaphragm, focuses it through an
adjustable assembly of lenses to form an image, converts this image into a set
of electrical signals, and transmits these signals to the brain through complex
neural pathways that connect the eye via the optic nerve to the visual cortex
and other areas of the brain.

Ear: 8 week embryonic
1. Cochlea
2. Incus
3. Malleus
4. Stapes
5. Tympanic membrane (ear drum)

The ear is a composite structure with multiple embryonic origins , the external
and middle ears arise from the first and second pharyngeal arches and the
intervening pharyngeal cleft , membrane and pouch.

Ear: 16 week fetal
1. Cochlea
2. Incus
3. Malleus
4. Stapes
5. Tympanic membrane (ear drum)

The ear is a composite structure with multiple embryonic origins. The external
and middle ears arise from the first and second pharyngeal arches and the
intervening pharyngeal cleft, membrane, and pouch.

Ear: Adult
1. Tympanic membrane
2. Ossicles
3. Vestibulo cochlear nerve
4. Labyrinth
5. External auditory meatus

The ear is the organ that enables hearing and, in mammals, body balance using
the vestibular system. In mammals, the ear is usually described as having three
parts—the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear consists of
the pinna and the ear canal. The middle ear includes the tympanic cavity and the
three ossicles. The inner ear sits in the bony labyrinth, and contains
structures which are key to several senses: the semicircular canals, which
enable balance and eye tracking when moving; the utricle and saccule, which
enable balance when stationary; and the cochlea, which enables hearing. The ears
of vertebrates are placed somewhat symmetrically on either side of the head, an
arrangement that aids sound localization.

Heart & bronchial airways: 8 week embryonic
1. Hyoid cartilage
2. Thyrohyoid membrane
3. Thyroid cartilage
4. Pulmonary system
5. Aortic arch
6. Heart
7. Heart connections

Heart development (also known as cardiogenesis) refers to the prenatal
development of the heart. This begins with the formation of two endocardial
tubes which merge to form the tubular heart, also called the primitive heart
tube. The heart is the first functional organ in vertebrate embryos. The
respiratory system has conducting and gas exchange components, with the
bifurcating airways and accompanying pulmonary arteries conducting air and blood
to peripheral capillary-lined airspaces for gas exchange.

Heart & bronchial airways: 16 week fetal
1. Thyrohyoid membrane
2. Thyroid cartilage
3. Hyoid cartilage
4. Heart connections
5. Heart
6. Aortic arch
7. Pulmonary system

Heart & bronchial airways: Adult
1. Aortic arch
2. Right atrium
3. Right ventricle
4. Left ventricle
5. Left atrium
6. Pulmonary trunk

A bronchus is a passage or airway in the lower respiratory tract that conducts
air into the lungs. The first or primary bronchi to branch from the trachea at
the carina are the right main bronchus and the left main bronchus. These are the
widest bronchi, and enter the right lung and the left lung at each hilum. The
main bronchi branch into narrower secondary bronchi or lobar bronchi, and these
branch into narrower tertiary bronchi or segmental bronchi. Further divisions of
the segmental bronchi are known as 4th order, 5th order, and 6th order segmental
bronchi, or grouped together as subsegmental bronchi. The bronchi, when too
narrow to be supported by cartilage, are known as bronchioles. No gas exchange
takes place in the bronchi.

Heart & lungs: 8 week embryonic
1. Hyoid cartilage
2. Thyrohyoid membrane
3. Trachea cartilage
4. Pulmonary system
5. Heart connections
6. Aortic arch
7. Heart
8. Larynx

Heart & lungs: 16 week fetal
1. Thyrohyoid membrane
2. Thyroid cartilage
3. Hyoid cartilage
4. Heart connections
5. Heart
6. Aortic arch

Heart & lungs: Adult
1. Trachea
2. Aortic arch
3. Thyroid cartilage
4. Hyoid bone
5. Thyroid membrane

The normal resting adult heart rate is 60–100 beats per minute. The typical
respiratory rate for a healthy adult at rest is 12–18 breaths per minute. The
respiratory center sets the quiet respiratory rhythm at around two seconds for
an inhalation and three seconds exhalation. This gives the lower of the average
rate at 12 breaths per minute.

Digestive system: 8 week embryonic
1. Liver
2. Intestine
3. Urinary bladder
4. Stomach
5. Lesser omentum
6. Pancreas
7. Dorsal mesoduodenum
8. Mesoduodenum
9. Gallbladder

Both the epithelium and the parenchyma of glands associated with the digestive
tract (e.g., liver and pancreas) are derived from endoderm. The muscular walls
of the digestive tract (lamina propria, muscularis mucosae, submucosa,
muscularis externa, adventitia and/or serosa) are derived from splanchnic
mesoderm.

Digestive system: 16 week fetal
1. Dorsal mesoduodenum
2. Liver
3. Gallbladder
4. Stomach
5. Lesser omentum
6. Intestine
7. Spleen

As a result of cephalocaudal and lateral folding of the embryo, a portion of the
endoderm derived from gastrulation is incorporated into the embryo to form the
primitive gut.

Digestive system: Adult
1. Small intestine
2. Large intestine
3. Stomach
4. Pelvis
5. Diaphragm
6. Esophagus
7. Pancreas

The digestive system plays a fundamental role ensuring liquids we ingest are
broken down into useful nutrients and chemicals. The digestive tract consists of
the mouth, or oral cavity, with its teeth, for grinding the food, and its
tongue, which serves to knead food and mix it with saliva. Then, there is the
throat, or pharynx; the esophagus; the stomach; the small intestine, consisting
of the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum; and the large intestine, consisting
of the cecum, a closed-end sac connecting with the ileum, the ascending colon,
the transverse colon, the descending colon, and the sigmoid colon, which
terminates in the rectum. Glands contributing digestive juices include the
salivary glands, the gastric glands in the stomach lining, the pancreas, and the
liver and its adjuncts – the gallbladder and bile ducts.

Liver, spleen, pancreas: 8 week embryonic
1. Spleen
2. Liver
3. Stomach
4. Gallbladder
5. Pancreas
6. Dorsal mesogastrium
7. Lesser omentum

Liver, spleen, pancreas: 16 week fetal
1. Liver
2. Spleen
3. Pancreas
4. Stomach
5. Gallbladder

The liver, gallbladder, and biliary duct system arise as a ventral outgrowth
from the caudal end of the foregut early in the fourth week of development. This
outgrowth, known as the hepatic diverticulum, extends into the septum
transversum, which is the future diaphragm. The hepatic diverticulum grows
rapidly and divides into cranial and caudal portions. The larger cranial portion
forms the primordium of the liver parenchyma. Proliferating endodermal cells
develop into cords of hepatocytes and into the epithelial lining of the biliary
system.

Liver, spleen, pancreas: Adult
1. Liver
2. Spleen
3. Pancreas
4. Stomach
5. Gallbladder

The pancreas and bile duct (biliary) systems together form an important part of
the digestive system. The pancreas and liver produce juices (pancreatic juice
and bile) which help in the process of digestion.

Female reproductive system: 8 week embryonic
1. Gonad
2. Kidney
3. Mesonephric duct
4. Mesonephric tubes
5. Mesonephros
6. Mullerian ducts
7. Rectum
8. Ureter

In the first stage of gonadal development, it is impossible to distinguish
between male and female gonads. Thus, this is known as the indifferent stage.
The gonads begin as genital ridges – a pair of longitudinal ridges derived from
intermediate mesoderm and overlying epithelium. They initially do not contain
any germ cells. Male and female reproductive systems develop in close relation
to the urinary tract.

Female reproductive system: 16 week fetal
1. Gonad
2. Kidney
3. Bladder
4. Ureter
5. Hydatid
6. Rectum
7. Ovarian ligament

In the female there are no Leydig cells to produce testosterone. In the absence
of this hormone, the mesonephric ducts degenerate, leaving behind only a
vestigial remnant – Gartner’s duct.

Female reproductive system: Adult
1. Uterus
2. Broad ligament
3. Fallopian tubes
4. Ovarian ligament
5. Suspensory ligament of the ovary
6. Uterosacral ligament
7. Cardinal ligament
8. Urinary bladder
9. Sacrum
10. Rectum

The female reproductive system is made up of the internal and external sex
organs that function in reproduction of new offspring. In the human the female
reproductive system is immature at birth and develops to maturity at puberty to
be able to produce gametes and to be able to carry a fetus to full term.

Male reproductive system: 8 week embryonic
1. Bladder
2. Gonad
3. Kidney
4. Mesonephric duct
5. Mesonephric tubes
6. Mesonephros
7. Mullerian ducts
8. Pelvis
9. Rectum
10. Sacrum

Male reproductive system: 16 week fetal
1. Bladder
2. Gonad
3. Kidney
4. Mesonephric duct
5. Mullerian ducts
6. Pelvis
7. Rectum
8. Sacrum
9. Ureter

In the first stage of gonadal development, it is impossible to distinguish
between the male and female gonad. Thus, this is known as the indifferent stage.
The gonads begin as genital ridges – a pair of longitudinal ridges derived from
intermediate mesoderm and overlying epithelium. They initially do not contain
any germ cells. Male and female reproductive systems develop in close relation
to the urinary tract.

Male reproductive system: Adult
1. Bladder
2. Gonad
3. Kidney
4. Mesonephric duct
5. Mullerian ducts
6. Pelvis
7. Rectum
8. Sacrum
9. Ureter

In the first stage of gonadal development, it is impossible to distinguish
between the male and female gonad. Thus, it is known as the indifferent stage.
The gonads begin as genital ridges – a pair of longitudinal ridges derived from
intermediate mesoderm and overlying epithelium. They initially do not contain
any germ cells. Male and female reproductive systems develop in close relation
to the urinary tract. Until approximately 7 weeks gestation, the human embryo
remains sexually bipotential. Subsequently, in males, testis-inducing factors
cause differentiation from the default female phenotype.

IMAGING THE UNIMAGINABLE

The Education Resource Fund’s (ERF) composited embryonic and fetal pictures are
derived from many smaller images, “stitched” together in much the same manner
employed by NASA to combine satellite photo “tiles,” in a process which forms a
large “mosaiced” image. Many research institutions use related technology to
image otherwise unimageable (and unimaginable) objects and processes.

A mosaic image of the lunar South Pole, with individual photo tiles
electronically stitched together to create one enormous panoramic view. Photo
credit NASA

Note: ERF does not use animated imagery to depict any structures or processes
which are capable of being filmed, photographed, or scanned.

ENDOSCOPES

ERF’s embryo and fetus imagery was initially derived by teams of physician
researchers and clinicians employing endoscopy (and its subsets, embryoscopy and
fetoscopy) to diagnose and treat prenatal disorders in utero.

An endoscope with related equipment.

Endoscopes are medical imaging devices which permit high-resolution observation
of tissues and processes inside the human body. Prenatally, they can be used to
produce minimally invasive scans imaged through, but from outside, the amnion.
When clinically necessary, more invasive scans may be performed by surgically
entering the abdominal cavity, uterus and amniotic sac. At the distal end of
these instruments is an objective lens designed for imaging. At the proximal
end is an eyepiece, or sensor, which enables viewing.

HOW THEY WORK

These scopes generally consist of a tube which encloses a relay lens system (in
rigid endoscopes) or a fiber bundle (for fiber-optic, or flexible, endoscopes)
for illumination and to transmit an image from the objective lens inside the
body to the proximal end outside.

Said differently, endoscopes use optical elements to direct light to the area
sought to be illuminated and transmit the resulting image to the eye or
detector. Rigid endoscopes generally offer superior resolution or
magnification. But an endoscope’s objective lens is only approximately 1/5 of
an inch in diameter, and this relatively small size substantially narrows the
observer’s field of view (even with the addition of supplemental lenses such as
“negative” or “prism” optics, etc.).

CONSTRAINTS

This limitation is further compounded by the need to use the scope in very
confined spaces, with only short distances separating the objective lens from
the anatomical structures being imaged. Consequently, only a small segment of
the embryo or fetus is observable at any point along the timeline of the scan.

An endoscope’s construction must also accommodate frequently conflicting design
considerations. The resulting compromises can involve not only fields of view,
but depths of field (meaning thickness of the plane of focus) and image
illumination and magnification, as well as distortion issues (i.e., stretched or
compressed perspective), etc.

WORK-AROUNDS

Therefore, to produce a high-quality, single image of the entire embryo or
fetus, large numbers of smaller, more detailed pictures must be joined together
in a manner suggestive of the process by which puzzle pieces are assembled to
form a completed picture.

This technique employs a complex proprietary process which combines segmental
scans to create a final, multi-source composited image. The resulting picture
is digitally adjusted to preserve each segment’s original color, resolution,
contrast, proportions, illumination, etc. Technicians also correct for
vignetting (image degradation involving content loss at the periphery of the
frame).

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING & ULTRASOUND

The British medical journal Lancet has published a prenatal magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) study similarly involving the creation of 3D pictures to diagnose
and treat congenital heart problems in utero. The BBC reports that “A series of
2D pictures of the heart are taken from different angles using an MRI machine”
to image the fetus.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment with digital images of scanned
tissue.

The story explains that “Sophisticated computer software pieces the images
together, adjusts for the beating of the heart and builds … [a] 3D image of the
heart.” A pediatric cardiologist describes the resulting 3D images as
“beautiful.”

This MRI research is part of a fetal diagnostic project which is also exploring
scans using “four ultrasound probes at the same time – current scans use one –
to get a more detailed picture.” This process produces a more wholistic
composited image.

Research-grade ultrasound scanning equipment.

NASA COMPOSITES IMAGERY (SINGLE MEDIUM)

ERF’s imaging process is conceptually similar to the technologies used by the
National Atmospheric and Space Administration (NASA) to produce wide-area
satellite images of the earth’s surface. Until the launch of the Deep Space
Climate Observatory Satellite (DSOVR), which now orbits the earth at a distance
of one million miles, NASA had no camera positioned sufficiently far from our
planet to capture the globe’s entire sunlit surface in a single photograph.

As previously noted, an endoscope’s objective lens must also operate too near to
an embryo or fetus to permit its entire anatomy to be imaged in a single frame.
This same constraint complicates the capture of satellite imagery. Previous
pictures of the earth could, therefore, only be created using digital
“stitching” technology to make one large composite image from many smaller
segments. Scientists sometimes describe this final image (or “data set”) as a
“mosaic,” comprised of large numbers of individual tiles.

HYBRID IMAGERY (MULTI-MEDIA)

A satellite picture can also be augmented by aerial photography (cameras on
aircraft operating within the earth’s atmosphere) to improve resolution. Hybrid
images of this sort can be created by superimposing black and white imagery (for
still higher resolution) over color pictures of the same area, the latter to
optimize chromic (color) fidelity.

In this connection, the scientific press reports that the Landsat Image Mosaic
of Antarctica (LIMA) “combined over one thousand precise, calibrated satellite
images with other data from the continent’s surface to create a single picture
of the entire continent.” The high magnification factor (think telephoto lenses
which enlarge image objects) of each of these puzzle pieces yielded a composite
picture depicting more detail than could have been captured in a single photo
shot with a wide-angle lens.

Landsat satellite cameras generate composited images of the earth’s surface
during multiple passes with continuous scans per pass.

APPLICATIONS IN ASTRONOMY

NASA uses this mosaicking process to image celestial bodies of nearly every
description. The Juno spacecraft made composite images of Jupiter; InSight of
Mars; Cassini of Saturn; and Hubble of the Sombrero Galaxy.

An exquisitely detailed depiction of a challenging subject, whether
prohibitively small or large, near or far, may involve vastly more complexity
than meets the eye, and there exist nearly countless examples of comparably
creative combinations of imaging techniques.

ENTAMOLOGICAL USES

NASA is not alone in its use of this imaging technique. A Wall Street Journal
story, July 30, 2022, titled "Breathtaking Bugs at the Museum,” describes an
exhibition of “macrophotography prints [which] makes us appreciate these small
creatures’ beauty on a large scale.” The article explains the creation of large
format prints “in an exhibit called ‘Extinct and Endangered, Insects in Peril.’”
The imaging process is called “macrophotography,” and it took an average of
“three weeks and as many as 10,000 files for the photographer to make an
individual image.”

A digital camera with bellows, reversal rings, macro couplers, and focusing
mechanism, typically used for extreme closeups of exceedingly small objects.
Photo credit B&H Photo

A digital camera’s closeup macro rings.

A tube lens of the type used for extreme closeup photos of exceedingly small
objects. Photo credit B&H Photo

The photographer used a digital camera “to which he attached a bellows, a tube
lens and a microscope objective (basically a very high-powered magnifying
glass).” The process requires that the “subject insect … be divided into as
many as 20 or 30 sections, each of which is photographed separately.” Lighting
is critically important “because eyes, legs, wings, etc. reflect light
differently ….” The photographer consequently “devised different lighting
regimes for each.”

Even more remarkably:

The macrophotography camera setup has an extremely shallow depth of field, so
the lens is electronically advanced toward the subject in seven-micron
increments (a micron equals one millionth of a meter) taking 400 or 500 digital
pictures that are then merged to create an image in sharp focus from front to
back.

The article adds that, “Paradoxically, smaller insects require more files than
larger ones.” In the aggregate, “the section images are joined to make a file
that may be as large as eight, nine or 10 gigabytes … The detail is stunning ….”

A research-grade microscope.

A topically related story was posted by the journal Nature, March 10, 2023,
titled, “Gigantic map of fly brain is a first for a complex animal.” First
published in the journal Science, the project was made possible when:

Researchers spent a year and a half capturing images of the brain of a single
six-hour-old Drosophila larva with a nanometre-resolution electron microscope.
Using a computer-assisted programme, they then pinpointed the neurons and
synapses and spent months manually checking them.

A high-power, electron microscope.

Science reported a related July 19, 2018, story titled, “In a ‘tour de force,’
researchers image an entire fly brain in minute detail.” The imaging
methodology was, so to speak, mind-boggling:

[Researchers] soaked a fly’s brain in a solution containing heavy metals, which
bind to the membranes of neurons and to proteins at the synapses …. [Next the
team used] a diamond knife [to] cut the brain into about 7000 slices, each of
which was struck with a beam of electrons from the microscope to create an
image.

The process required a camera that could capture 100 frames per second, a
robotic system to scoot each brain slice into place with nanometer precision,
and software to stitch together the resulting 21 million pictures. The result
is a reconstruction that lets researchers zoom in on the features of an
individual synapse.

FROM THE SMALLEST TO THE LARGEST

The Orange County Register carried a similar article, February 18-19, 2023,
titled, “See how the world’s largest photograph was created in Irvine [CA].”
The picture involved 6 photographers working for 8 months to create a
“panoramic view of … the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro ….”

A commercial, pinhole camera, sometimes used for stitching together individual
photos to create a pantographic image of one very large object. Photo credit
marekuliasz/Shutterstock

Using an ancient “pinhole camera” concept, the process captured “images of every
single building” on the 4,800-acre base. The picture was created from about
500,000 individual images, shot from distances of 50-75 yards between the camera
and the object being photographed. Each negative was then painstakingly exposed
on one solid piece of muslin cloth, 31 feet tall and 111 feet long. The
end-result was a single, giant, composite, historically significant photograph
of virtually the entire military facility.

IMAGING IMPLICATIONS FOR NEUROLOGY IN HUMANS

The journal EHP, Environmental Health Perspectives, November 20, 2018, published
an article titled, “The Brain before Birth: Using fMRI [functional magnetic
resonance imaging] to Explore the Secrets of Fetal Neurodevelopment.” In this
case, the imaging technology is used to study the trillions of neural
connections, called the connectome, which link the “billions of threadlike
fibers [that] crisscross the brain.”

The author explains that “fMRI is not perfect,” and that the images “generated
by the technology must be manipulated to correct for distortion and to scale
brain scans to a consistent, comparable template.” Equally problematic is the
fact that “technical issues potentially result in artifacts that may not be
recognized as errors.”

OCEANOGRAPHIC RELEVANCE

Arstechnica.com/science, May 17, 2023, posted an essay titled “3D ‘digital twin’
showcases wreck of Titanic in unprecedented detail.” Previous film of the wreck
employed low-resolution cameras, and a 1997 documentary produced by James
Cameron used “miniature models and special effects … since Cameron couldn’t get
the high-quality footage he needed for a feature film.” The new pictures of the
ship were obtained using two submersibles as camera platforms, mapping

… every millimeter of the wreck, including the debris field spanning some three
miles. The result was a whopping 16 terabytes of data, along with over 715
still images and 4K video footage. That raw data was then processed to create
the 3D digital twin. The resolution is so good, one can make out part of the
serial number on one of the propellers.

‘This model is the first one based on a pure data cloud, that stitches all that
imagery together with data points created by a digital scan, and with the help
from a little artificial intelligence, we are seeing the first unbiased view of
the wreck.’

One of the producers explained to BBC News that “you have to map every square
centimeter—even uninteresting parts, like on the debris field you have to map
mud, but you need this to fill in between all these interesting objects.”

Submersible research craft with digital imaging equipment, generally used for
deep sea exploration and composite photography. Photo credit
maliao/Shutterstock

On the same topic, a May 17, 2023 insider.com story, headlined “First-ever full
3D scan of the Titanic on the sea bed reveals the ruined ocean liner in
incredible detail,” describes the production as “the largest underwater scanning
project in history.” It explains that “Previous footage has only allowed you to
see one small area of the wreck at a time,” but this “model will allow people to
zoom out and look at the entire thing for the first time ….”

METEOROLOGICALLY RELATED IMAGE PROCESSING

The Wall Street Journal, February 17, 2023, ran a story headlined “El Niño
Likely to Form By Summer ….” It described the process by which weather
forecasts are also made using composite imagery:

NOAA meteorologists make predictions of the ENSO cycle using statistical models
that compare historical records with current ocean and atmospheric conditions.
They also use computer models that combine data from satellites, ocean buoys,
ships’ weather balloons and land-based stations into algorithms that form a
picture, or map of what the future state of the atmosphere looks like based on
the model’s calculations.

A weather satellite of the type currently used to collect meteorological data.

IMAGE PROCESSING MAKES INVISIBLE DEEP SPACE PHENOMENA VISIBLE

According to gizmodo.com, on July 12, 2022, “the first full-color images from
the Webb Space Telescope showed countless nebulae, galaxies, and a gassy
exoplanet as they had never been seen before.” The article, headlined “Are the
Colors in Webb Telescope Images ‘Fake’?” answers an emphatic “NO!” As it turns
out, “Webb only collects infrared and near-infrared light, which the human eye
cannot see ….”

The story goes on to explain that:

Image developers on the Webb team were tasked with turning the telescope’s
infrared image data into some of the most vivid views of the cosmos we’ve ever
had. They assign various infrared wavelengths to colors on the visible
spectrum, familiar reds, blues, yellows, etc. But while the processed images
from the Webb team aren’t literally what the telescope saw, they’re hardly
inaccurate.

James Webb satellite telescope used for extensively processed, deep space
imaging.

By way of further explanation, “Astronomy is often done outside the visible
spectrum, because many of the most interesting objects in space are shining
brightly in ultraviolet, x-rays, and even radio waves.” Instruments such as
Webb were “designed to extend the power of our vision, to go beyond what our
eyes are capable of doing, to see light that our eyes are not sensitive to.”

Using infrared light to image objects enables astronomers to “penetrate thick
clouds of gas and dust in space, allowing researchers to see previously hidden
secrets of the universe,” and then convert that monochromatic light into
wavelengths visible to the human eye. Even more image processing is then
necessary because “Webb’s raw images are so laden with data that they need to be
scaled down before they can be translated into visible light.”

The Wall Street Journal, July 13, 2023, published a spectacular image of the
“Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, the closest star-forming region to earth … seen in
a composite of separate exposures acquired by the James Webb Space Telescope
using its NIRCam instrument.” As described above, the original image was
monochromatic, but later processed to colorize it, and thereby make it visible
to the human eye.

An even more arcane imaging technology is described in a Wall Street Journal
article dated July 3, 2023, and titled “Launched Space Telescope To Study Dark
Universe.” The story details the process by which “dark matter” is imaged:

Only 5% of the universe is made of matter that we can see [ironically, according
to NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, only 5% of the
earth’s oceans have been explored]. Now the European Space Agency’s Euclid
mission will help probe the rest of what’s out there – what scientists call dark
matter, which holds the cosmos together, and dark energy, which is responsible
for our universe expanding …. Both are undetectable using traditional
telescopes and astronomy.

A satellite telescope of the type (Euclid, for instance) used for deep space,
dark matter, composited imaging.

The imaging challenge which must be overcome to create the intended “picture” is
that dark matter “neither emits or absorbs light,” it can only be detected
indirectly, “by observing the effects of its gravity in space.” That indirect
process involves Euclid sensing “the position and shape of a distant galaxy,
[and the fact that] the light from that cosmic structure will get bent ever so
slightly by the dark matter between it and the telescope, and scientists can
note that deviation.”

So whether we look up or down, in or out, many of the most important features of
our universe can only be seen, at a cosmic or even sub-atomic level, by applying
exceedingly complex image processing technologies.

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