Beautiful microscope photographs of drugs, legal and illegal: LSD, caffeine, GHB, meth, and more.

Xeni Jardin 1:46 pm Tue Jul 14, 2015

MDMA Crystals ∅ Cross polarisation microscope with 200x enlargement.

MDMA Crystals ∅ Cross polarisation microscope with 200x enlargement. Photo: Maurice Mikkers/Medium.

In Medium's wonderful “Micrograph Stories” series, several spectacular photo-set of legal and illegal drugs, as revealed through microscope photographs.

Maurice Mikkers says the experience of photographing these illicit compounds sparked his interest in researching the online drug trade.

Photo composite: Maurice Mikkers/Medium.

Photo composite: Maurice Mikkers/Medium.

Caffeine crystals; formed out of 100% caffeine powder dissolved in demineralised water, made visible by using a cross polarised light microscope with an Berek filter.

Caffeine crystals; formed out of 100% caffeine powder dissolved in demineralised water, made visible by using a cross polarised light microscope with an Berek filter. Photo: Maurice Mikkers/Medium.

∢ LSD Crystals ∅ Cross polarisation microscope with 40X enlargement.

∢ LSD Crystals ∅ Cross polarisation microscope with 40X enlargement. Photo: Maurice Mikkers/Medium.

∢ GHB Crystals ∅ Cross polarisation microscope with 100X enlargement.

∢ GHB Crystals ∅ Cross polarisation microscope with 100X enlargement. Photo: Maurice Mikkers/Medium.

∢ Amphetamine Crystals ∅ Cross polarisation microscope with 40X enlargement.

∢ Amphetamine Crystals ∅ Cross polarisation microscope with 40X enlargement. Photo: Maurice Mikkers/Medium.

∢ 2C-B Crystals ∅ Cross polarisation microscope with 200x enlargement.

∢ 2C-B Crystals ∅ Cross polarisation microscope with 200x enlargement. Photo: Maurice Mikkers/Medium.

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