MICSCAPE - Exploring the miniature world

Issue 304 : July 2021 (ISSN 1365 - 070x)      Monthly, next issue August 13th 2021.



Head louse.
Image by James R. Stewart.

 

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Micscape Editor:
David Walker
Email: micscape AT ntlworld DOT com

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.

Microscopical exploration nine. Vintage prepared slides from the 1960s - James R. Stewart (UK) revisits his original toy microscope and slides set. PDF

A prickly subject - Christian Autotte (Canada) explores safely acquired porcupine spines. PDF

The tenacity of life - Richard L. Howey (USA) shares a wide ranging essay on this topic.

Repair of the seizing control of a Nikon Eclipse 800 microscope field iris - David Walker (UK) investigates a fault on this stand.

From the Archives. A quiet issue so a full August 2011 edition from ten years ago is offered below.

Make your own micropaleontology slides - Jay Phillips (USA) discusses and illustrates how to make various designs of high quality slides. Includes downloadable slide templates. (In Acrobat® pdf format.)

The great age of the Taschenmikroskop, part 2 - R Jordan Kreindler (USA) and Yuval Goren (Israel) present the second part of their series on selected designs of pocket microscopes with a modern assessment of their use. (In Acrobat® pdf format.)

A footnote on Hume - [the now sadly late Jul. 21] Peter Paisley (Australia) follows up his earlier article on this slide mounter with an aspect prompted by a reader.

A close-up view of a bellflower hybrid - Brian Johnston (Canada) illustrates the macro and microscopic features of this plant.

John Henry Martin 1842 - 1881 - Brian Stevenson (USA) discusses and illustrates aspects of this slide mounter and book author; Martin was the unfortunate recipient of what maybe one of the most barbed book reviews ever published. (In Acrobat® pdf format.)

The poor man's photomacroscope. Part 9 - photo gallery and conclusion - Paul James (UK) concludes his series with striking examples.

Slide maker “WLS” probably William Low Sarjeant, 1851-ca. 1930 -  Brian Stevenson (USA) discusses and illustrates aspects of this mounter's work. (In Acrobat® pdf format.)

The inner epidermis of the onion bulb’s cataphylls (the onion skin). Fixing with alcohols - [the now sadly late Jul. 21] Walter Dioni (Mexico) continues his series on this popular subject and how it can be used to explore different preparation and staining techniques.

Some ramblings on micro-technique. Part 2: Autumn ponds and ditches - Richard Howey (USA) presents an illustrated essay providing practical advice on this popular aspect of the microscopy hobby.

A close-up view of ''Little Princess" Spirea - Brian Johnston (Canada) illustrates the macro and micro features of this attractive plant.

Notes on a selection of old 'Podura' microscope slides, including two by G A Clout - David Walker (UK) presents examples of this popular test subject and how the slide variants reflect aspects of its history of use.

    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!

     

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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.

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
Klaus Kemp's 'Diatoms' website - offers regional strews and arranged prepared slides of diatoms, an 8 form test slide, radiolaria, insect scales etc and prepares arranged slides on commission.
'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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parent site coordinator:
Maurice Smith


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