MICSCAPE - Exploring the miniature world

Issue 228 : April 2015   (ISSN 1365 - 070x)     Monthly, next issue May 13th 2015.
 

Image of a bed bug by Stefano Barone.

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About Micscape

Micscape Contacts
 Micscape Editor:
 David Walker

Microscopy-UK
 parent site coordinator:
Maurice Smith

Please do not contact the above for image permissions. Each article contributor retains the copyright to their material so should be contacted directly via the link in the relevant article. Thank you.

Comments on Micscape and contributions welcomed.
Contributions: Any modern format welcomed i.e. pdf. doc/docx with embedded images, or html + jpegs.

 

 

Photomicrography and art. Article and pictures - Stefano Barone (Italy). We welcome a new contributor this month. Stefano discusses the interface between science and art in photomicroscopy, illustrated with striking images taken using his Zeiss Axio Imager microscopes.

A different perspective on the art of seeing - Dale Jeffrey (Canada). We welcome a new contributor this month. Dale presents an essay that discusses the merits of slowing down the pace of our busy lives to better appreciate nature at all its scales.

Optical staining, part 1 - Alejandro Arriel Garcia Arriaga (Mexico). Alejandro illustrates how post image capture software techniques can be used to enhance subjects. Multi formats available.
Unusual Norman mounts - Peter Paisley (Australia). Link left is to DOCX format. Alternative converted to DOC format. View in Web Layout. Peter proposes an explanation for the unusual monograms on J T Norman type labels and the likely true mounter.

Panoramic stitching in photomicrography - Michael Reese Much (USA). Mike illustrates the capabilities of the powerful freeware Microsoft Image Composite Editor (ICE). Multi formats available.
Winter is for microscopy - Anthony Thomas (Canada). With insects being scarce, Anthony shares some of his other microscopical studies of aquatic habitats during the winter months. Multi formats available.

DIY fluorescence effect, part 1 - Alejandro Arriel Garcia Arriaga (Mexico). Alejandro shows how colour transposition techniques within image software can produce post image capture fluorescence type effects. Multi formats available.
It’s a bird, it’s a worm–no, it’s Chirodota - Richard Howey (USA). The sea cucumber looks rather unappealing to study on the macro scale, but Richard illustrates that it is a fascinating subject on the microscopic scale.
Can there be an ethic for the Internet: A brief rant - Richard Howey (USA). Richard comments on the unaccredited use of his work and commonly by academics.

Examples of photo-stitching and focus stacking - Mol Smith (UK). Mol shares examples of his own image stitching and techniques.

Some fly macros - Anthony Thomas (Canada). Anthony shares some of his stunning stacked imagery of insects. Multi formats available.

Victorian microscopy ca. 1860 - a hands-on comparison of microscopy techniques then and now. Part 1 - Qualitative polarised light microscopy - David Walker (UK). An article in an occasional new series which illustrates how an 1860's Ross No.2 microscope compares with a modern research microscope.
Less well known microscopists: An occasional series. A short introductory note is offered with a selection of primary and secondary sources.

Dr. Henry Power (c.1626 - 1668) - author of the first book published in English on microscopy in 1663 - compiled by David Walker (UK). Power's 'Experimental Philosophy in Three Books' predates Hooke's more famous 'Micrographia' by up to two years. Power lived and worked two miles from David's home at the still standing splendid 'New Hall', Elland.

 

Club news:
Quekett Microscopical Club (QMC) 150th Anniversary year in 2015.
Congratulations to the QMC which was founded in 1865. The Club offers a wide variety of resources for microscopists, both professional and amateur—a peer reviewed journal 'The Quekett Journal of Microscopy' and the 'Bulletin' (for members), publication archives dating back to its foundation on DVD with index available for purchase by members and non-members, meetings in the UK. Visit the Club's attractive website at www.quekett.org for further information.

Leeds Microscopical Society Morley meeting 2015.
"The annual Morley meeting of the LMS will be on 6th June this year. It is to be held jointly with the Quekett to help celebrate their 150th anniversary. There will be a Quekett display in the morning followed with a talk by the Quekett president, Carel Sartory in the aftenoon.
Directions to the venue can be found on the LMS website leedsmicroscopical.org.uk. Anyone needing display/sales tables should contact Mike Smith."
With thanks to Mike for this news item. See the LMS website for his email contact.

We are delighted to receive contributions small or large from microscopy enthusiasts whether a novice or expert. If you have an image, tip or article, why not share it, this magazine is what you make it!

Archive
Look for that elusive article on our site:
 Micscape Magazine past issues online (read articles online using the original illustrated index for each month).
 Article Library (browse articles by category)
 Automated Search (a search engine for keyword searches in all articles)
 Contributor index (a list of all Micscape contributors to date)
News - special notices - misc.

 

External links. Below are some of our favourites, which includes sites with extensive links and/or resources for the optical microscopy enthusiast.

External Microscopy forums:  Places to discuss the hobby or to raise queries.
www.photomacrography.net forums, galleries, articles on macroscopy and photomicrography.
www.quekett.net/forum/index.php forum for both Quekett Microscopical Club members and other enthusiasts.

Yahoo groups: a 'P' denotes current and archived messages are public i.e. not limited to members.
 Amateur Microscopy P (started November 2008)
Yahoo Diatom Forum P
Microscope P (>1500 members, very active)
Microscopehobby P (started Apr 2005)
Wild M20 microscope
 microcosmo (for Italian speaking enthusiasts)
CombineZ P stacking software forum created by the software's author

Mikroskopie-Treff.de (Extensive German microscopy forum; some English categories.)
 Mikrobiologische Vereinigung München e. V. Wide range of articles and resources in German.
Le Naturaliste French based forum and image gallery for micro / macro but open to non French speaking international contributors.

Other sites (also see Societies and Clubs page.)
Royal Microscopy Society Journal, 'infocus' and other resources for members and the community.
Quekett Microscopical Club Journal, Bulletin and meetings for members.
 Light Microscopy Forum links and articles
Little Imp Publications public domain books on CD. (Hosted by Savona Books).
Mikroskop Museum German website with resources on microscopes / makers .
Molecular Expressions awesome optical microscopy resources
Dennis Kunkel's SEM images stunning images
Diatoms Ireland - resource site by Leszek Wolnik
Leitz museum an illustrated resource compiled by Robert Allen
Microbe hunter a free monthly microscopy enthusiast magazine edited by Oliver Kim
Microscopies online magazine and Forum for French speakers
Micrographia articles, projects for the enthusiast
Microscopy Today journal with online archive
Modern Microscopy online journal by McCrone Group
Fun Science Gallery projects, articles on optics
Independent Generation of Research (IGoR) - Wiki style resource for citizen scientists to share their work.
G. Couger's microscopy links extensive links
Lens On Leeuwenhoek - extensive resource online by Douglas Anderson
Collected Letters of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek ('Alle de Brieven ..') transcribed and free online at DBNL.
A Cabinet of Curiosities a resource on Victorian microscope slides by Howard Lynk
www.viewsfromscience.com projects by Ely Silk e.g. chilled stage for crystal growth studies and LED fluorescence
'Diatoms Ireland' resource by Leszek Wolnik
Historical makers of microscopes and microscope slides Brian Stevenson's extensive resource .
Victorian slide makers
Cambridge rocking microtome resources including manual

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Micscape is a free magazine for enthusiasts funded by Microscopy-UK and dedicated to non-commercial microscopy.
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