[ajahndon (OP)]

Don Porter  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Dr. Chris and all,

I'm a long-time newbielink:http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/ [nonactive] - I love the newbielink:http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/ [nonactive] and the content.  Another thing that keeps me listening are the delightful accents, especially of the ladies on the newbielink:http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/ [nonactive].  I have a question based on an the following childhood experience:

As a child interested in anything science, for Christmas in the mid 1950's, I received a microscope set.  The whole family spent Christmas morning viewing common household items, including sugar and salt from the table.  These were all tan looking rough cube shapes, the sugar being shiny and more rounded while the salt was duller looking.  We were about to move on to other items when one salt crystal came into view.  Arranged diagonally on the slide, it filled the viewfinder. But standing in the centre, stretching top corner to bottom corner, was the extremely distinct image of an angel in a red robe.  I can only equate its clarity to stained glass images seen in large cathedrals.  Her face and curls of her blond hair were easily seen, as well as folds in the long robe, and grayish white textured wings folded behind her.  At waist level she seemed to be holding an open book, even the gilded edges of the pages and a black cover were visible.  No halo, no movement.

All family members saw it and it remained until my younger sister bumped the table which jarred the salt on the slide.. and the image was gone.  I looked at salt crystals probably hundreds of times in the following years but never saw any hint of a recognizable image.  I realize it must have been just a trick of the light, not a spiritual sign.  I've grown up as an agnostic and consider myself to be a true skeptic in most matters - I still place my full faith and confidence in science over anything else.

I have posted this story and request for comment to several sites displaying micro photography and other science-related sites - including Scientific American's site.  All I'd appreciate is a bit of discussion or comment whether any professionals have ever seen recognizable images within crystals or other materials under their microscopes.  After 15-20 posts I have never received even a comment or courtesy acknowledgement.  Please feel free to pass this on to anyone you think might offer a comment or just find it interesting.

Please keep up the great work on the newbielink:http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/ [nonactive], and please say "hello from the states".

Thanks,
Don in Florida
What do you think?

[JimBob]

It was probably a refracted or reflected image off of another crystal or a piece of  into the ocular of the microscope. Peering down them for long periods of time when younger and at university I have seen many strange things including what very well could have been a reflected or refracted image from many items. As this was Christmas, there was probably statues or pictures of angels around, even as a tree ornament.

[RD]

As this was Christmas, there was probably statues or pictures of angels around, even as a tree ornament.

Great minds think alike  []  ... http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=22567.0

[Don_1]

I would go along with JB's assessment also. Or it could have been simply a trick of the light. Once seen by one, the power of suggestion would help others to see the same thing. Look at a cloud and all you see is a cloud, until someone suggests they can see a face in the cloud, then the power of suggestion will make you see the same thing.

[lyner]

They thought there were canals on Mars for the same reason, I believe.