Photographer/filmmaker Brett Foxwell, who has expertise with both stop-motion and time-lapse techniques, created this very surprising video by shaving logs down layer-by-layer, then stitching still shots of the cross-sections together:

Writes Foxwell:

I became fascinated with the possibilities of a sci-fi world based on the alien forms to be found within this material [wood] that grows all around us. While brainstorming this world, I came upon the concept of the WoodSwimmer. This is a deep scan of both the material of wood and the time embedded in its structure.

It was a challenging technique to perfect, but once I did, I was able to shoot short sequences that move the camera through samples of hardwood, burls and branches. The result is beautiful imagery both abstract and very real. In the twisting growth rings and the swirling rays, a new universe is revealed.

Foxwell's personal brand is BFO PHoto, and you can see more of his work here.