Welcome to the archive of the Jena Collection of X-ray movies
The archive contains more than 50,000 x-ray radiographs of a broad variety of animals, recorded by Martin S.
Fischer and his
co-workers since 1993 at the Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena.
Some earlier recordings made at the Zoological Institute of the University in Tübingen are also included. Until 2001, the X-ray
radiographs were recorded at the Institute of Scientific Media Production in Göttingen, and since 2006 at the high-resolution X-ray
fluoroscopic system in Jena, financed by the German Ministry of Education and Research.
With the access to our collection, we aim the public to participate in the diversity of our research and
utilization of this unique
technique. It allows to visualize the motion of the skeleton, normally hidden under the skin, and together with other technologies
such as the measurement of forces or the activity of muscles, it provides to us a deep understanding into the function of movement.
We use our insights into this function to answer questions about evolutionary transformations, but also to assist in medical
research and to develop new technical solutions in the field of bionics. All this stands on a comprehensive network of
collaborations with many national and international institutions. However, the collection of X-ray radiographs is intended not only
for researchers worldwide but also for the use in teaching and education for kids and adults. So, teachers, producers of public
media, designers of museum exhibitions and artists are invited to use this unique collection. Its content may inspire new and
uninspected fields of creation and by this, is intended to bring a benefit to the broad public.
