The color of micro-organisms (fungi, bacteria, algae, and such) is due to different colored substances in the cells. For instance, bacteria use variants of chlorophyll (the green in plants) but absorb light of different wavelengths creating natural colors of purple, pink, green, yellow, orange, and brown.

While a few of the images have been color enhanced or stained with dyes for better viewing under a microscope, and the Petri dishes contain and added vivid color of a growth medium, microbiology is a wonderful source of color inspiration.

Photo by estherase



Photo by estherase

Photo by estherase


Photo by Toby Ciranjiiva Tatsuyama-Kurk

Photo by euthman


Photo by euthman

Photo by DavidJThomas

Photo by DavidJThomas

Photos by AJC1 & AJC1

Photos by AJC1 & AJC1

Photo by AJC1

Photo by AJC1

Color-enhanced scanning electron micrograph showing Salmonella typhimurium (red) invading cultured human cells.

Header photo by estherase

Sources: madsci.org & microbeworld