Question: Is it possible to color something that is invisible to the eye? When you look at a prepared slide, do you notice the brilliant colors? Those colors are usually not present in the actual specimen, but rather something that scientists add to the slide. In addition to being beautiful, they help us to better observe and understand the tiny structures that a microscope reveals through magnification. Read on for a fun way to let your students discover the science and beauty of histochemistry with a Foldscope 2.0 and MicroRealms Explorer Cards! Figure 1. Picture of a fern rhizom ..read more

Recently I came upon some small flowers growing in the grass. There were groups of them and while each had a bright yellow center, the outer edges of the petals were white, light purple, or fuchsia. Of course I had to put them under my Foldscope 2.0. Read on to learn how to prepare flower petals for microscopic observation and to see what I saw! Figure 1. Picture of flowers used for this blog (Photo Credit: Cameron L. Stuart)   Preparing flower petals for microscopy is a simple procedure that yields big results! If the flower petals are thin enough to let light pass through them, yo ..read more

Question: What color are leaves? Spring is the time of year when people begin growing their gardens. And the joy of seeing a seedling poking through the soil makes it worth the effort! With all of the plants beginning their growth cycles as winter’s cold starts to recede, it is the perfect time to take out your Foldscope, improve your close observation skills, and take a look at plant leaves. This activity works whether you have a classroom set of Foldscope 2.0s or Foldscope Minis. So grab your Foldscopes and read on for a fun way to get your students outside, making observations, an ..read more

As spring gets closer and closer, people with seasonal allergies begin reaching for tissues for their runny noses. I decided to do some microscopic explorations of tissues with my Foldscope 2.0. Read on to find out what I saw! Figure 1. Picture of a box of tissues (Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart) What Are Tissues Made Of? The tissues I put under my Foldscope were soft to the touch and felt gentle on my nose. Which is why it can be hard to believe they are made from wood! The transformation from tree to tissue is a complicated process that leaves the tissue’s wood fibers hidden on the mac ..read more

It is March and spring flowers are starting to bloom. The flowers growing next to my house have prominent stamens topped with anthers covered in pollen. Of course, I wondered what the pollen would look like under my Foldscope! Figure 1. Picture of lenten-rose flower (Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart) How to Make the Slide Pollen is best viewed as a dry mount slide. This means that the sample is placed directly on the slide without adding any liquid. Pollen is easy to put on a slide. Take a clear sticker and gently touch the sticky side to the anther of the flower to pick up some polle ..read more

Question: Do artificial flowers look like real flowers under a microscope? Figure 1. Picture of flower petals (real and artificial) viewed under a Foldscope at 140X magnification plus 5X zoom on phone (Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart) Hands-on experiences are the best way to learn about the scientific world. Dr. Marie Clark Taylor understood this and promoted teaching botany by using real botanical samples and light microscopes in classrooms. Figure 2. Drawing of Dr. Marie Clark Taylor (Picture Credit: Color Me PhD) It is important for students to interact with real specimens to learn ..read more

In this blog, I put some flower petals under a Foldscope 2.0. What I saw absolutely blew me away! Figure 1. Picture of a bouquet of flowers (Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart) Flowers Under a Microscope Usually in a biology class, plants are put under a microscope so students can learn about the different parts of the plant. Scientists observe the different structures of plants to get a better understanding of how they function. And while these activities are important, if you limit yourself to just studying cellular structures, you will miss out on the beauty of the microscopic world ..read more

Question: What is a shadow? Go outside and stand underneath a tree. Look up and observe the leaves. Do the leaves glow a bright green when light passes through them or do they look dark? Hold up some leaves above the ground. Can you see their shadows? Read on for a fun way to discover how a Foldscope Mini can help you understand shadows and light!! Figure 1. Picture of a leaf viewed through a Foldscope Mini at 140X magnification plus 5X zoom (Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart) Background:  This activity focuses on three types of materials: transparent, translucent, and opaque. Some of ..read more

Did you get a Foldscope as a gift? Now that the excitement of such a great present has turned into curiosity, are you wondering how to begin your microscopy journey? Then this blog is for you! Read on to get some tips on how to get the most out of your Foldscope experience! Figure 1. Picture of Foldscope 2.0 and Foldscope Mini (Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart) Step 1: Open It Up! This may seem like a funny thing to suggest, but I have talked to many teachers, friends, and family members who have received Foldscopes and were afraid to open the box for fear of “messing it up.” Let me put your mi ..read more

One of my favorite celebratory foods is birthday cake. Recently I was enjoying a slice of birthday cake and I decided to sacrifice a small bit for microscopic study. And, yes, the sacrifice was completely worth it! Read on to find out what I saw under my Foldscope 2.0! Figure 1. Picture of a birthday cake (Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart) History of Birthday Cakes Did you know that ancient Egyptian, Roman, and Greek cultures celebrated birthdays with cake? Thankfully, this tradition continues today. Even though the cakes from long ago may look a bit different from the ones we see in bake ..read more