Chicken embryo

Vincent Pasque, University of Cambridge

The ethereal organism in the centre of this image is a newly fertilised chicken, captured just two days into its embryonic existence. The surrounding haven of blood vessels, known as a vasculature, acts as a tiny life support mechanism to the developing creature, which at this stage is roughly the size of a five pence piece. This network of veins and arteries connects the chicken to the rest of the egg, enabling the embryo to feed on the rich underlying yolk. The embryo already displays a tiny heart and brain. The trailing bottom half of the organism will become the chicken’s body on which its wings and legs will emerge