MICSCAPE - Exploring the miniature world

Issue 247 : October 2016 (ISSN 1365 - 070x) Monthly, next issue November 13th 2016.


Image of his own arranged slide of radiolaria by Stefano Barone.

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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.

The radiolaria of Barbados, sea gems under the microscope - Stefano Barone (Italy) shares striking examples of these forms and illustrated with his own arranged slides. (Link is to English translation, the original Italian is here.) PDF

Sea capers, sea pickles, sea cucumbers and sea marrows: A brief introduction to Holothuroids - Richard Howey (USA) explores fascinating aspects of these marine organisms.

Virtual build - Forbes Pettigrew (Venezuela) virtually builds a Zeiss WL microscope using typical pricing from current eBay parts to assess a typical build cost. PDF

Tunicate tidbits: Ascidian spicules - Richard Howey (USA) describes and illustrates the attractive forms of these structures.

Homemade microscope  - Alejandro Ariel Garcia Arriaga (Mexico) describes and illustrates how to make a simple design. PDF

Easy and simple ways to take fun pictures - Bill Resch (USA) explores the macro mode of his digital camera. PDF

Near infrared microscopy - part 1  - Alejandro Ariel Garcia Arriaga (Mexico) explores the use of a commercial NIR capable camcorder. PDF

Micscape mini review - three budget commercial LED dimmers compared for microscopy projects - David Walker (UK) assesses three sub-£4 models, in particular for when multiple LED sources need to be independently controlled.

    Micscape, contributors from 30 (or so*) countries - The content of this magazine very much reflects what our contributors wish to share, so a big thank you once again to each for sharing their time, skills and enthusiasm. This month we welcome our first contributor from Venezuela, which brings the number of countries from which we have received contributions since we started up to 30 (372 contributors to date).
    We always welcome new contributors but, in particular, if a reader notices that their country from the chart below is not represented (or not well), why not be the first (or increase its presence)? We welcome contributions on macro or microscopy from contributors at any skill level. For example, we rarely share aspects of local collecting habitats for macro/micro fauna and flora, so with a phone camera/consumer digicam this would be a very accessible topic to share.
    (* For the sharp-eyed, depending on how formally regard the UK, N. Ireland and Jersey so let's say 30 or so.)

    First Micscape Yearbook nearing completion - Is there no limit to the energies of my colleague and site co-founder Mol Smith? Not only is he busy editing his fourth full-length feature film taken entirely on a DSLR, but has also been compiling our first ca. 100 page full colour paper Yearbook of Micscape articles (in addition to his behind the scenes work on the core admin of this large, complex website). Each of the articles has required complete resetting for the paper format in liaison with contributors, a mammoth task.
    The Yearbook will feature a selection of articles (ca. 20) from the past few years and will be available shortly. The possibility of future examples will depend on its take-up, so please support it if possible. Mol hopes to keep the cost to a minimum but without sacrificing quality and will be priced barely above production cost. A small profit would be used to aid the considerable running costs of this website.
    For any future Yearbooks, authors whose material we would like to share, would be contacted for permission and be fully involved with transcription to paper and final proofing.

    Update: October 23rd. The Yearbook is now available from Amazon worldwide. See this page for Contents, a look inside and links to purchase options.

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. Updated June 2016. 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.

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)
Wild M20 microscope
microcosmo (for Italian speaking enthusiasts)
CombineZ P stacking software forum created by the software's author

Facebook groups:
Amateur Microscopy (>1000 members, very active)

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 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
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
Stefano Barone's Diatom Shop sale of his own prepared and arranged slides of diatoms, radiolaria and forams.
Stefano Barone's 'Microworlds' blog regularly updated blog and diary where Stefano showcases and discusses the typical examples of the slides he has prepared.

Microscopy-UK and Micscape - established 1995
Micscape is a free magazine for enthusiasts funded by Microscopy-UK and dedicated to non-commercial microscopy.
© Onview.net Ltd, Microscopy-UK, and all contributors 1995 onwards. All rights reserved. Main site is at www.microscopy-uk.org.uk