MICSCAPE - Exploring the miniature world

Issue 339: June 2024 (ISSN 1365 - 070x)      Monthly, next issue July 13th 2024.

 

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

Spicules - Jean-Marie Cavanihac (France) describes and illustrates examples of these intriguing structures. PDF

Parasites part 6: Trematode tricks - Ed Ward (USA) continues his extensively illustrated series on these organisms. The GIF animations for the snails described on p. 34 are here. PDF 56 pages

Microscopical exploration thirty three. A brief comparison of objectives old and new - James Stewart (UK) presents an illustrated comparison.  PDF

John Goodsir: A pioneer in microscopic observations in medical science - essays and compiled resources by Michael Tracy (USA) who is a descendant of this pioneer.

Roatan 10. Running the ranch - G. Joseph Wilhelm (Honduras) shares an update on fitting out his newly finished lab for microscopy. PDF

Topical tip. Making a card phase plate for the filter tray of a condenser - plates for higher mag. objectives can often be made with simple card crafting by David Walker (UK).

Topical tip. Using aluminium mirror film for corroded plane mirrors - a cheap, passable alternative to replacing or resilvering an antique mirror by David Walker (UK).

Exploring the Diatom Lab test slide Pinnularia dactylus var. dariana (A. Schmidt) Cleve 1895 at 400 nm - David Walker (UK) pushes his Zeiss Photomicroscope III and optics with a resolution test tougher than Amphipleura pellucida.


From the Archives. An issue fourteen years ago in June 2010.



Imaging protists. Problems and suggestions - (the now sadly late) Richard Howey (USA) provides advice for photographing these potentially tricky subjects.

A close-up view of the 'Origami' columbine - (the now sadly late) Brian Johnston (Canada) illustrates this plant's interesting features on the macro and microscopic scale.

Microscopists, health, and war against narcotics and terrorism - (the now sadly late) Walter Dioni (Mexico) comments on the increasing difficulties experienced by enthusiasts when obtaining reagents, with suggestions for future approaches.

An overview of human cells for light microscopists. Part III - human eyes and insect eyes - Mol Smith (UK) continues his multi-part series on the value of 3D modelling in microscopy education.

A convenient method of photomicroscopy - Wan Yu (China) shares simple methods of digital photomicrography using a student microscope.

A 10 minute use of a microscope - Bill Resch (USA) finds good reasons on the microscopic scale for being wary of eating some still 'in date' cooked meat.

Spike's Gallery 4. A selection of images of unicellular organisms - Spike Walker (UK) shares a striking selection of images which illustrate the value of different contrast enhancement techniques.

Safe mounting media for microscopy. Ten years after. Part 2. - (the now sadly late) Walter Dioni (Mexico) continues his reassessment of the relative merits of the mountants he described in an earlier series, to see which have good archival properties. This month he assesses gum arabic and other resinous media.

Those other Suter slides - (the now sadly late) Peter Paisley (Australia) presents convincing evidence for identifying some unattributed slides made by Suter.

A close-up view of the wildflower dandelion - (the now sadly late) Brian Johnston (Canada) illustrates the macro and microscopic features of this wild flower.

Topical tip: Notes on simple direct coupling adapters for attaching digital cameras to microscopes - David Walker (UK) shows some of the commercial designs available for attaching consumer digicams or DSLRs to a microscope; with comments on their relative merits.

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 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
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. Link to March 2020 mirror on the Internet Archive site. 
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
Historical makers of microscopes and microscope slides Brian Stevenson's extensive resource on Victorian slide makers.
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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Maurice Smith


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