zeph pendleton

Cricket Leg

This past November, we worked with a group of Malagasy undergraduate, masters, and graduate students from Antananarivo, the capital of the nation. We assembled the Foldscopes together, and then prepared slides from plants and insects in the surrounding area. Many of the students we worked with will be going on to become high school teachers in other parts of the island, and we hope to maintain a relationship with these teachers as the project grows.


 Below is a video of a leaf sample prepared by Haja, a botanist. The leaf was carefully “peeled” allowing a better view of the structure of the cells. People are speaking Malagasy and French, and in this clip can be heard commenting on the stoma visible in the leaf.

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 
 <video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="1280" id="video-13413-1" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="IMG_9872.m4v" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13413/IMG_9872.m4v" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="IMG_9872.m4v" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13413/IMG_9872.m4v">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_9872.m4v
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

Foldscopes in Ranomafana, Madagascar

<a alt="IMG_5591.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5591.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_5591" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13417 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13417" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"14","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark III","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1447912864","copyright":"","focal_length":"40","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.00125","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_5591" data-recalc-dims="1" height="200" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5591.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 After working with the group of undergraduate, masters, and graduate students from the University of Antananarivo, we traveled together to a local high school in Kelilalina.


 <a alt="IMG_5592.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5592.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_5592" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13418 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13418" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"8","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark III","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1447912872","copyright":"","focal_length":"40","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.004","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_5592" data-recalc-dims="1" height="200" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5592.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 At Kelilalina we introduced high school seniors to the foldscopes, assembled them together, and went out in search of interesting samples.


 <a alt="IMG_5593.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5593.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_5593" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13419 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13419" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"8","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark III","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1447912880","copyright":"","focal_length":"40","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.004","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_5593" data-recalc-dims="1" height="200" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5593.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 Students were very enthusiastic, and picked up the techniques needed to use a foldscope very quickly. The group of students from the University of Antananarivo were instrumental in making sure that each high schooler was able to create and view slides.


 <a alt="IMG_5667.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5667.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_5667" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13420 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13420" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"5.6","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark III","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1447915485","copyright":"","focal_length":"40","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.008","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_5667" data-recalc-dims="1" height="200" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5667.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 We were also pleasantly surprised to find that many students had cell phones with cameras, and that some even had smartphones. This allowed us to take pictures to share.


 <a alt="IMG_9849.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_9849.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_9849" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13421 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13421" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.4","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 5c","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1447772634","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.12","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.058823529411765","title":"","orientation":"3"}' data-image-title="IMG_9849" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_9849.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 Students were also instructed to record the findings in their notebooks, and to create drawings of each of the samples they viewed. Images of the students drawings will be uploaded in another post.


 <a alt="IMG_5674.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5674.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_5674" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13423 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13423" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.8","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark III","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1447915893","copyright":"","focal_length":"40","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.025","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_5674" data-recalc-dims="1" height="200" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5674.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 We took group photos of the high schoolers and university students at the end of the day.


 <a alt="IMG_5690.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5690.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_5690" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13422 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13422" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"4.5","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark III","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1447917852","copyright":"","focal_length":"40","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0125","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_5690" data-recalc-dims="1" height="200" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5690.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="IMG_5692.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5692.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_5692" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13424 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13424" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"4.5","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark III","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1447917860","copyright":"","focal_length":"40","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0125","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_5692" data-recalc-dims="1" height="200" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13416/IMG_5692.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>

Foldscopes at Kelilalina, Madagascar

<a alt="IMG_0256.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13443/IMG_0256.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_0256" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13449 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13449" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.4","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 5c","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1456320023","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.12","iso":"50","shutter_speed":"0.0006269592476489","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_0256" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13443/IMG_0256.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 I was lucky enough to catch this nematode in a wet sample prepared from some moss and soil.

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 <video alt="IMG_0256" class="wp-video-shortcode gcloudimg" controls="controls" height="1280" id="video-13443-4" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="IMG_0257.MOV-2.m4v" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13443/IMG_0257.MOV-2.m4v" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="IMG_0257.MOV-2.m4v" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13443/IMG_0257.MOV-2.m4v">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_0257.MOV-2.m4v
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

 The soil and moss was collected in a small tube, and water was added. The mixture was left for several minutes, then a sample of water (40 uL) was removed and placed on a slide.


 <a alt="IMG_02581.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13443/IMG_02581.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_0258" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13445 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13445" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.4","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 5c","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1456321282","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.12","iso":"64","shutter_speed":"0.05","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_0258" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13443/IMG_02581.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 The slide was prepared as described in an earlier post by Manu: https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?p=3500


 I did not find it necessary to seal the edges around the coverslip, but I did use two layers of double stick tape on two sides of the coverslip. This created enough space between the slide and the coverslip for the water sample, and allowed any life in the sample the chance to move around.


 <a alt="IMG_5249.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13443/IMG_5249.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_5249" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13446 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13446" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.4","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1456321534","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.12","iso":"50","shutter_speed":"0.025","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_5249" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13443/IMG_5249.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 Overall this is a fairly easy process, and I would recommend trying it yourself!


 One thing to remember is that if you are holding the foldscope up to your eye, the slide will be vertical. Gravity will be pulling things towards the “bottom” of the slide, so start your search there!


 The video below shows the first place I found the nematode, right next to the tape holding the coverslip on.

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 540px;">
 <video alt="IMG_5249" class="wp-video-shortcode gcloudimg" controls="controls" height="960" id="video-13443-5" preload="metadata" width="540">
 <source alt="IMG_0252.MOV.m4v" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13443/IMG_0252.MOV.m4v" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="IMG_0252.MOV.m4v" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13443/IMG_0252.MOV.m4v">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_0252.MOV.m4v
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

zeph pendleton

Earth

Posts

Cricket Leg

Foldscopes in Ranomafana, Madagascar

Foldscopes at Kelilalina, Madagascar

C. Elegans from a sample of moss and soil

Locations

Statistics

Type of Sample

Foldscope Lens Magnification