Insectos al detalle: vecinos urbanos

The Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales hosts from 8 May 2026 the exhibition of a photographic and scientific project by Máher Fahim Fernández that uncovers the extraordinary beauty of

From 8 May 2026, the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales is hosting an exhibition featuring a photographic and scientific project by Máher Fahim Fernández that reveals the extraordinary beauty of the small arthropods living alongside us in urban environments.

Produced in collaboration with the MNCN, the exhibition presents common species from the Iberian Peninsula that usually go unnoticed in everyday life. Through spectacular photo-compositions created from hundreds or even thousands of photomicrographs, visitors can observe insects and other arthropods with a level of detail impossible to appreciate with the naked eye.

The exhibition transforms the usual way of observing these animals, allowing them to be viewed head-on as if the spectator had been shrunk a hundred times over. Thanks to this technique, colours, textures and structures that normally remain hidden are revealed, offering a fresh perception of these tiny urban dwellers.

Each image incorporates complex lighting systems tailored to the specific characteristics of each species, highlighting transparencies, volumes and anatomical details in a way that is impossible to reproduce under natural conditions. The project also highlights the importance of digitising scientific invertebrate collections for their conservation and outreach.

Máher Fahim Fernández, the author of the exhibition, is a biologist specialised in biodiversity, an expert in scientific imaging and a professional photographer. He considers himself a very observant and patient person, two essential qualities for both research and photography.