The germ of new life

The world-famous photographer Lennart Nilsson has presented mankind a unique project that depicts in details germ of new life. These are 23 photos that show step by step process of the germ and development of a baby. It took Mr. Nilsson 10 years to record embryo’s evolution with the help of photo, from its conception to birth.

Photographer has received international recognition in 1965. Then one of the popular American magazines published 16 pages with Nilsson’s photos where he pictured a human embryo. Thereafter these photos were also published in all well-known magazines of Europe and brought their author a world fame.

Since early childhood not cars and toy soldiers were favorite toys of Lennart Nilsson but microscope and camera. Nilsson wanted to show the world all the beauty of human body not in a classic form but on a cellular level.

First pictures of the human embryo Nielson has made in 1957 but their quality left much to be desired, so the master decided not to show them to the public. Subsequently photographer got a cystoscope - a medical device that allows to examine the bladder from the inside. It allowed Nilsson to make the most accurate and colorful pictures. Master attached camera and a light guide to the cystoscope and made thousands of pictures of baby's life inside the womb.

In such a way a unique project by Lennart Nilsson was born with the help of which photographer was able to show the world the mystery of the origin of human life.

Sperm cell being in uterine tube is moving opposite to egg cell

Egg cell

Sperm-egg collision

One of 200 million sperm cells search into the egg

Sperm cell in cut. Tip of sperm cell contains all genetic material

In a week embryo reaches a womb sliding down Fallopian tube

In one more week embryo fastens to womb’s mucosa

22^nd day of embryo’s development. Gray matter is a future cerebrum

Reaching the 18^th day embryo’s heart starts beating

 28^th day after  fertilization

5 weeks, length is 9 mm, face with spaces for mouse, nostrils and eyes is already can be seen 

40 days. External embryo’s cells mixing with womb’s upside create placenta

8 weeks

10 weeks. Blepharons is already half-opened. In some days they will be formed in full

10 weeks. Baby starts using hands to examine his environment

16 weeks

It can be seen blood - vessels through the thin skin

18 weeks. Baby is able to perceive sounds of outside world

19 weeks

20 weeks. Length is about 20 cm. Hair starts growing on the head

24 weeks

6 months

36 weeks. In a month baby will draw the first breath.

 http://www.lennartnilsson.com/