1998 APRIL MYSTERY IMAGE

This is a scanning laser confocal image of handmade silk paper. The colors are a result of two different lasers exciting different fibers. The different fibers emit two different wavelengths (color) of light. If you look carefully you will see green specks. Those are particles from the "sizing" that is added to paper to keep inks from bleeding when you write on them.
(Photo by C.J. Kazilek)

Congratulations to Tiffany from Desert Vista for guessing the image. Also credit to all the other students from Desert Vista with all their answers.

For those of you that are curious, here are some numbers from our list of guesses.

• 20% guessed that the image was something to do with cloth.
• 13% guessed that it was some type of paper.
• 9% guessed that the image was either bacteria or fungus.
• 4% guessed that it was either grass or twigs.
• 4% guessed that it was some kind of skin.
• 4% guessed that it was part of a plant.

Some of the creative single answers are listed below.

• Silly string.
• Deflated balloons
• Wart's on a witch's nose.
• Velcro.
• Protons and electrons moving at certain speeds.
• Spaghetti.
• Magnified picture of tapeworms.
• Strands of rope from a murder scene.