Genesis Under a Microscope11.02.2019

During this six-minute-long journey you will see a single-cell zygote develop into a fully formed alpine newt. The time-lapse documentary Becoming was produced by Dutch artist Jan van IJken. 

Becoming is focused on the early stages of animal life. In a microscopic close-up, we see the single cell multiply and develop into a complex organism, with a beating heart and fully functional vascular system. The film managed to capture and illustrate every stage of embryogenesis, compressing a three-week-long process into six minutes of time-lapse footage. 

In his shorts, Jan van IJken often explores themes of nature and wildlife, as well as the relationship between humans and animals. His credits include

, a brief study of starling murmurations and

Facing Animals

, which focused on the complex ties that bind animals and humans.