The microlens art works displayed in the Physics and Astronomy department were created for the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition and produced by Pearl John.

The data which inspired these art works was provided by scientists and astronomers working with lasers, magnetism, astronomy and particle physics. Pearl has explored with different time periods from very short intervals of time through to aeons. Some of the data shows records of “pico-second” laser pulses - produced in trillionths of a second - whilst other images are produced with data from events which occurred millions of years ago in a black hole.

Pearl John is an artist who uses holography and lenticular imaging to illustrate passing time. She is the Public Engagement Leader and SEPnet Outreach Officer for Physics and Astronomy at the University of Southampton and is a PhD student in the Modern Holography Group at De Montfort University, Leicester.