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Purified TMV in aqueous buffer. Top phase is isotropic, bottom is nematic.
(left) Viewed in white light, two transparent liquids are observed.
(right) Viewed under crossed polars the isotropic phase is dark. The nematic phase is due to interference between the polarized light. The container is cylindrical so there are more interference lines near the outer edges where the path length rapidly increases.
Photos from Fraden.