Bit of a change of pace for the blog this morning – rather than a large dollop of skepticism served with a side dollop of sarcasm, topped with a tiny dollop of seriousness (yes, I do consider all of our posts definable in terms of dollops. Dollop dollop dollop), we have something a little fun and light-hearted for you, from our good friend Prof. Dowling.
Below is an image captured by the good Prof. and his electron microscope. Your task, quite simply, is to tell us: What Is It?
Leave your answer below and we’ll announce the correct answer next week…




#1 by Gittins at January 21st, 2010
It looks like paper to me, which comes in wads rather than dollops.
#2 by Betty D at January 21st, 2010
I’d say paper too, but i cheated a bit with google image search. With google I can do all things.
#3 by AexMagd at January 21st, 2010
While paper seems to be popular so far I’m going to go against the grain.
Balls. It’s a really really close-up shot of balls.
#4 by Bonobo at January 21st, 2010
It’s Water Memory? You’ve discovered the neural network on a water molecule.
#5 by Damian at January 21st, 2010
Is it a close-up of some fibreglass?
#6 by Julia at January 21st, 2010
Without resortign to cheating, I’m guessing it’s a scab
#7 by Sion Hughes at January 21st, 2010
It’s crying out for some bolognese!
#8 by Tom W at January 21st, 2010
I’ll be boring and go for paper too, perhaps a box of homeopathic pills?
#9 by Ross C at January 21st, 2010
the Flying Spaghetti Monster, shot from below so you can’t see his meatballs?
#10 by Andy at January 22nd, 2010
Another vote for paper. Or possibly cardboard
#11 by Yorkshire Skeptic at January 22nd, 2010
I’m going to say skin just to be different!
A bit off topic, but worth sharing… it looks like those dowsing rod bomb detectors that we’ve been flogging to Iraq are FINALLY being exposed as the woo it really is:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8471187.stm
Score one for reason and empiricism!
#12 by david smith at January 24th, 2010
looks a little bit like cellulose fibres although maybe not straight enough.
anyway i’m gonna say a cell wall.
#13 by savocado at January 25th, 2010
an image captured by the good Prof. and his electron microscope \stupid joke
#14 by Jon d at January 25th, 2010
Looks a lot like how I remember paper under an optical scope looking when I was a kid, something with a bit of texture and absorbancy to it – old style School kids rough book or bogroll.
#15 by Simon Mac at January 30th, 2010
Is it a close-up of a human hair?
#16 by MadCatMan at January 30th, 2010
Non woven polyethylene cloth?