MICSCAPE - Exploring the miniature world

Issue 317 : August 2022 (ISSN 1365 - 070x)      Monthly, next issue September 13th 2022.


Filter holder for the substage made from a slide mailer.
Image by Robert Hill.

 


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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.

A DIY filter stacker and its use in oblique illumination - Robert Hill (UK) describes a condenser filter holder using a slide mailing box. PDF

Mildew on oak - Fritz Schulze (Canada) explores a feature that frustrates gardeners. PDF

Made by Mother Nature - Christian Autotte (Canada) explores the plant structures that inspired Velcro. PDF

Winter and microscopy. Part 2 - Richard Howey (USA) describes and illustrates subjects that can be found.

What Zeiss is it? - Christian Autotte (Canada) seeks information and manual on the Zeiss stand he has assembled. PDF

A microscopical alphabet of images - Richard L. Howey (USA) shares a gallery of subjects.

From the archives ten years ago. September 2012 issue.

David vs Goliath - a tiny parasitoid wasp and its caterpillar host explored by Tony Thomas (Canada). (Acrobat pdf format.)

Playing with the LOMO microscope using different condensers - Bill Resch (USA) illustrates brightfield and darkfield condenser use with diatoms.

Some notes on Watson's early mounters - (2022, the now sadly late) Peter Paisley (Australia) discusses and illustrates potential early suppliers of prepared slides to the Watson firm. (In doc format.)

A close up view of a foliose lichen - Brian Johnston (Canada) explores a lichen on the macro and microscopic scale.

The stereo microscope. Part 3 - Common main objective stereo microscopes - R. Jordan Kreindler (USA) continues his series on this important instrument. (In Acrobat pdf format.)

Resolving Amphipleura pellucida using LED flashlight illuminators - (2022, the now sadly late) Ted Clarke (USA) illustrates the use of this lighting to resolve this classic test object.

Three illustrated articles on makers of prepared microscope slides by Brian Stevenson (USA). (In Acrobat pdf format.)
Arthur John Doherty 1860 - 1906
- a professional slide maker offering a wide variety of subjects.
Hubert John Gray 1882 - 1963
- a slide maker offering a variety of subjects of variable quality.
Joseph Wellington ca. 1800 - 1864
- a maker who made attractive papered slides of distinctive design.

Pickled Plankton, Polychaetes, Platyhelminths, Phoronids, Pisaster, Porifera, Placozoa, Protozoa, and Pyrosoma - Richard Howey (USA) discusses and illustrates the range of fascinating organisms that can be found in preserved marine samples.

Focus stacking in light microscopy - Michael Much (USA) illustrates the value of stacking for histology subjects.

The Reichert Zetopan and Neozet microscopes - notes and comparisons - Ian Walker (UK) compares the features of the very well documented Zetopan with the rarer but contemporary Neozet. Information on the Neozet is welcomed (e.g. manual, brochures).

Exploring the cultivated silk moth Bombyx mori. Part II:  Further microscopical studies of aspects of the life cycle with notes on Leeuwenhoek's observations - David Walker continues an exploration of an insect intensely studied by the early workers. SEM imagery courtesy of Oliver Meckes, 'Eyes of Science'.

Other articles: Reprint from the 'Beyond Magazine', a science e-zine for the young and young at heart edited by the late Marly Cain-Fryman:

On lunar landings ... and scrapbooks - David Walker (UK) reflects on a scrapbook kept when aged 13 and the potential value of modern equivalents.

    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).
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News - special notices - misc.


External links. Updated April 2020. 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.

groups.io (formerly Yahoo groups):
Amateur Microscopy
Diatom Forum
Microscopy as a hobby or profession
Wild Microscopes

Facebook groups:
Amateur Microscopy (>21000 members, very active). Also specialist groups e.g. for users of given maker's microscopes (e.g. Zeiss, Olympus, Wild, Vickers). Also try a Facebook Group search with keywords like microscope or microscopy to find these.

Other:
Microbe hunter the website ably run by Oliver Kim has built up a popular and valuable forum with help for both the beginner and more advanced user.

Listservers:
Algae-L
'Forum for marine, freshwater and terrestrial algae'. Access to Archives possible for non-subscribers.
Diatom-L 'Research on the diatom algae.' Access to Archives for subscribers only. Link was current March 2016. Many online diatom resources point to an outdated Indiana Univ. listserver. (With thanks to Rob Kimmich for the current link.)

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.

The Amateur Diatomist archive This magazine resource ably created and administered by Steve Gill has now been ported to the Microscopy-UK site with Steve's permission as the former host server is now not available.
As well as all the issues in pdf format there are a wealth of other resources in the Downloads section including by noted workers such as Barber and the complete 532 page book 'An Introduction to the Microscopical Study of Diatoms' by Robert B. McLaughlin.

Diatoms of the Arid South West Originally hosted on the website of New Mexico State University, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Services. Archived with permission from Dave Richman, resource editor, and C. Scott Bundy of the NMSU.

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 collated by Steve Gill formerly on CD and now free on Micscape.
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 microscopy enthusiast website, forum and 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 in English and Italian.
Independent Generation of Research (IGoR) - Wiki style resource for citizen scientists to share their work.
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
'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
www.willemsmicroscope.com Dutch enthusiast Willem Cramer's website
David Jackson's Better Microscopy blog. Regularly updated free resources extending from his 'Better Microscopy' series of books.
Stefano Barone's Diatom Shop
sale of his own prepared and arranged slides of diatoms, radiolaria, forams and scales.
www.testslides.com website devoted to Stefano Barone's Diatom Lab test slides.
Darwin Biological a UK company for 'biological education' supplies. Including live cultures of protozoa and algae.
Microscopie van de Natuur Dutch microscopy resource site by Rolf Vossen.
 

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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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