Peacock Feathers Under a Microscope Look Like Nothing You’ve Ever Seen

If you’ve ever seen a peacock spread its feathers revealing a stunning, colorful display, you’d know there’s not much that can match that beauty.

But what if you looked at the feathers up close? I’m talking really close, like with 10 times the magnification.

Photographer Waldo Nell did just that. He used an Olympus BX 53 microscope at 10 times the magnification to take hundreds of photos of peacock feathers. With the several hundred photos, he was able to piece them together to make these stunning shots. The photos were all taken at different focal lengths in order to “extend the depth of field,” according to Colossal.

The feathers look more like colorful copper wire spun together and braided. If you didn’t know it was a peacock feather, you might think you were looking at jewelry or some type of metal, rather than the delicate feathers of a bird.

The next time you see a peacock, just remember the intricate structure that goes into creating their feathers.