MICSCAPE - Exploring the miniature world

Issue 270 : September 2018 (ISSN 1365 - 070x) Monthly, next issue October 13th 2018.


Stained hand cut cross section of Carex sp stem by Roland Luts.

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 Micscape Editor:
David Walker

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 study of the sedge Carex oederi subsp. oedocarpa (also known as Carex demissa) - Roland Luts (Belgium) shows how to prepare and stain hand cut thin sections for study under the microscope. PDF

Two odd mid 20th century microscopes for youngsters - Guido Santacana (Puerto Rico) describes and illustrates two models made by ATCO and Gilbert. PDF

Wild microscope M20 (part 2) - Michael Wilkman (Finland) shares further aspects of his setup of this classic microscope for both visual and photo / video use. PDF

Some experiments with LED arrays - Les May (UK) describes and illustrates his homemade light source using these solid state devices. PDF

September 7th is Van Leeuwenhoek day and The discovery of the microworld by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek in the Berkelse Meer - background information and supporting document by Wim van Egmond (Netherlands) celebrating the first report of aquatic microorganisms in Van Leuwenhoek's letter to The Royal Society dated Sept. 7th 1674. PDFs

Chip on board, (COB), LED microscope illuminator for older microscopes: The empirical amateur (EA) approach - Robert Hill (UK) describes and illustrates his use of these solid state devices as a light source. PDF

Further photomicrography on stamps: SEMs, histology, botany, microbiology - includes an attractive new set issued by Greece in 2018 celebrating both the scientific and artistic aspects of histological specimens, compiled by David Walker (UK).

    In Focus
    September 7th was the first Van Leeuwenhoek Day as proposed by Wim van Egmond. Robert van Es shares photographs from this very successful lake dipping meeting at the original collecting site on the Facebook Amateur Microscopy Group page. Includes a surprise appearance of the young Antoni dressed in the splendid attire of the period and using an example of his microscope.

    A microscope is soon to land on a near earth asteroid! All being well on October 3rd 2018 a 'hyperspectral microscope' 'MicrOmega' will be landing on the asteroid Ryugu as part of the MASCOT lander's instrument package. Itself part of the Hayabusa2 mission. There will be four landers on the asteroid. Resolution of the microscope stated to be 20 microns. (Link above is to the CNES site describing instruments. The Wikipedia entry describes the background to the Hayabusa2 mission with further links).

    The KAGM (Royal Antwerp Society for Micrography) are having a 'large microscopy demonstration day' on October 13th 2018 and all are welcome to celebrate their 85th year since founding. Details in English in this pdf. Thank you to Jef Schoors (KAGM Secretary) for the information.

     

    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
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 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 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 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 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
 parent site coordinator:
Maurice Smith
 
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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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