Mitali

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What's in my fishbowl ? Part 1 - Snail eggs 

An Illuminating Update

Foldscope 2.0 !!!

सामाजिक जाणीव म्हणून सत्यविजय SRA संस्थेतील लहान मोठ्या विद्यार्थी ना मक्रोस्कोपी च्या माध्यमातून जसे संशॊधन करता येते तसेच संशोधन foldscope च्या माध्यमातून हि करता येऊ शकते व त्यांना कमी खर्च व कमी वेळेमध्ये चांगले संशोधन करता येऊ शकते याची जाणीव व्हावी व आवड निर्माण व्हावी म्हणून त्यांना मिक्रोस्कोपी व फोल्ड स्कॉपी यांची माहिती देण्यात आली व काही प्रमाणात प्रात्यक्षिक करू दाखविण्यात आले त्या करीता मिताली पाटील हिने सहकार्य केल


 -किशोर पाटील आणि सचिन पिलनकर


 सत्यविजय गृहनिर्माण संस्था

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लहान शास्त्रज्ञांना मिळाली फोल्डस्कोपची माहिती

Hi all,


 Quickly sharing this video of a gnat larva from soil. Few weeks ago we were asked to get soil samples for enriching nitrogen fixing bacteria. During visual inspection we found that there are some tiny worms in the soil.


 Google helped us identify them as Gnat larvae. They are infamous because of their ubiquitous presence in soil and the nuisance they create by infesting roots of plants. Although the Gnats themselves are harmless, the larvae can sometimes kill the plants by eating away the roots!

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 Wish I could capture better clips 🙁 but my phone’s storage became full!


 Have fun foldscoping!
 
 Mitali Patil
 
 Undergrad
 
 Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College.

Polarized Gnat larva!

Hello all,
 
 Did you know, the tomato and cherries get the colour on their skin by different ways ?
 
 Here is our experiment and its immediate replication.
 
 The power of foldscope and social media.


 On a rainy Sunday evening.. Deepak’s daughter suddenly decided to do some foldscope experiments.
 
 After a few random stints, they stumbled on tomato. They peeled out the skin and pulp and mounted them separately.
 
 The idea was to see what gives tomato skin its colour.
 
 Expecting the pigment inside the cells, they took some images and voila!
 
 

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 10.03.39 PM" class="wp-image-160307 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="160307" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 10.03.39 PM" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_160306/WhatsApp-Image-2019-06-30-at-10.03.39-PM.jpeg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Tomato Peel
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 
 The cells were empty and the yellow orange pigment was seeming outside the cells. The cells appeared packed, but empty and the pigment all around it.


 More interestingly the cherry skin had pigment inside the cells !!

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 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 10.05.12 PM" class="wp-image-160308 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="160308" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 10.05.12 PM" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_160306/WhatsApp-Image-2019-06-30-at-10.05.12-PM.jpeg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Cherry peel – pigment inside the cells
 </figcaption>
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 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 10.08.09 PM" class="wp-image-160309 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="160309" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 10.08.09 PM" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_160306/WhatsApp-Image-2019-06-30-at-10.08.09-PM.jpeg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Cherry peel – pigment inside the cells
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 
 He shared the images on our local foldscope WhatsApp group.


 Now starts the replication experiment and getting more clarity.


 Mitali:
 
 I was excited seeing the pictures sent by Deepak sir!
 
 It was very intriguing the way the cells appeared packed and without the pigment !! Or pigment outside ?
 
 I wanted to see it myself and verify it.
 
 I rushed and stole a tomato from the kitchen and tried it out myself. I peeled the tomato skin and focused on the thinnest peel I could get.


 The peel was just one cell layer thick! And I was taken for a shock. The cells had no pigement inside it at all.

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 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 11.13.13 PM" class="wp-image-160311 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="160311" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 11.13.13 PM" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_160306/WhatsApp-Image-2019-06-30-at-11.13.13-PM.jpeg"/>
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 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 10.44.07 PM" class="wp-image-160310 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="160310" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 10.44.07 PM" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_160306/WhatsApp-Image-2019-06-30-at-10.44.07-PM.jpeg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Tomato Peel (I see some large organelles in the cells but no pigment at all! Except for something at the periphery- I’m thinking it’s the Cell wall)
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 This is how we landed up replicating the experiment and proved that tomato skin cells have no pigment


 Focusing a thicker region made the skin appear yellow.

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 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 10.50.38 PM (1)" class="wp-image-160312 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="160312" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 10.50.38 PM (1)" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_160306/WhatsApp-Image-2019-06-30-at-10.50.38-PM-1.jpeg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Thick tomato peel – for some reason I don’t see multiple cells stacked to give a mesh-like look
 </figcaption>
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 Here is a picture of exactly 2 layers of cells.

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 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 11.01.57 PM (1)" class="wp-image-160313 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="160313" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2019-06-30 at 11.01.57 PM (1)" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_160306/WhatsApp-Image-2019-06-30-at-11.01.57-PM-1.jpeg"/>
 <figcaption>
 The peel that was single cell layer thick folded on itself looking very different from the thicker peel above)
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 Now I was curious to figure out what exactly is making the tomatoes red?


 Me and Deepak sir both individually took a look at the pulp

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 Scooping out the pulp was destroying the cells. He says they are fibers or fibrous cells. Nevermind. But I could still see some intact cells in the pulp so I decided to try sectioning the tomato.
 
 And here are the results!

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 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2019-07-01 at 12.00.24 AM" class="wp-image-160319 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="160319" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="160319" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2019-07-01 at 12.00.24 AM" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=160319" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_160306/WhatsApp-Image-2019-07-01-at-12.00.24-AM.jpeg"/>
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 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2019-07-01 at 12.03.53 AM" class="wp-image-160320 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="160320" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="160320" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2019-07-01 at 12.03.53 AM" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=160320" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_160306/WhatsApp-Image-2019-07-01-at-12.03.53-AM.jpeg"/>
 <figcaption>
 You can see some organge/red granules in the cells at the periphery
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</ul>

 
 I got much better pictures of the cells and they were in great shape!
 
 I could also see some granules inside these ‘pulp cells’ which I think are chromoplasts.
 
 Chromoplasts are like chloroplasts except they store carotene, xanthophyll and lycopene pigements as opposed to chlorophyll in chloroplasts.


 
 (I googled to find out which pigment is it exactly – It is Lycopene.)
 


 So this is our story of how we found out – what gives tomato it’s red colour? 😀
 
 Tomatoes have seprate chromsoplasts which gives its colour and not its skin cells.
 
 And that this is not how cherries get their red colour.


 Some tips for better imaging
 
 – I used 3 layers of scotch tape on my light module to diffuse the light. (more on diffusing light by Manu sir
 <a href="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?p=9289">
 here
 </a>
 .)
 
 – I mounted my sample in glycerol. It gives better images because of its refractive index.I always keep a bottle handy. It is cheap and one bottle lasts very long. However, I have never really compared the kind of data I get – Water vs Glycerol. (looks like a title for the next post!)


 Thanks for reading!
 
 – Deepak sir, Shradha and Mitali

What makes tomatoes red?

Ever since I joined CHG, Bangalore as a Master’s student, I’ve been surrounded by fruit flies in the lab. This is my first time handling these creatures and I am always amazed by how well these flies have been taken advantage of.
 
 One of the new things I’ve learnt here is to culture fruit flies and set up their crosses with different mutants. While I collected virgin flies for my crosses, I noticed that CO2 and ether treatments lead to expulsion of the egg from the abdomen of female Drosophila.

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 <figcaption>
 The fly looks exactly like this with the egg partially or almost completely expelled. (Image source:
 <a alt="frtfly.htm" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_183865/frtfly.htm">
 JAL COOKE
 </a>
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 I’ve been wanting to set up a time lapse with Drosophila eggs since a while now.


 What I first wanted to check was whether the eggs that are expelled after anesthesising the flies even hatch. If they do hatch, I could use these eggs to set up a time lapse.


 So, I collected the eggs and observed them for a few hours and surprisingly, they were actually developing!


 The next day I collected a few more eggs and then set up a time lapse.


 To my disappointment, the eggs dried up very soon :(( but I did capture some action!

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 <figcaption>
 4x time lapse of the egg.
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 I’ve gotten a few tips to image these eggs better. Will post the trial 2 soon 🙂
 
 P.s: The fly with tiny wings in the featured image is a virgin fly. It has just hatched out of a pupa and hasn’t opened its wings yet.


 Trial 2 will be with dechorionated eggs and some PBS to avoid dessication. Stay tuned!


 ~Have Fun Foldscoping!
 
 
 Mitali Patil
 
 Master’s student
 
 Centre For Human Genetics,Bangalore.
 
 Formerly at: Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College.

Hatching Drosophila Babies (Trial 1)

Last night I collected a few more Drosophila eggs for my trial 2. One of these eggs showed a lot of movement which was super exciting!!! But I decided to ignore this one. This is because I was dedicated to capture a timelapse from a very primitive stage of the embryo. I wanted to capture the entire thing!


 Butt, in the middle of the lapse with the primitive egg, I couldn’t control the excitement and went back to check on the funky egg to find that the larva was hatching!!!!


 I ran around calling all my friends and forgot to start the recording but I managed to capture a bit in the middle of all the excitement 😀

<figure class="wp-block-video">
 <video alt="InShot_20191103_121657440-2.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_184424/InShot_20191103_121657440-2.mp4">
 </video>
 <figcaption>
 
 
 </figcaption>
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 Have fun foldscoping!!


 ~Mitali

One baby hatched!!

Dear All,


 Hope you are doing good! I don’t know how to start this post without addressing the elephant in the room – the tiny corona virus that has lead to a pandemic of the COVID-19 infection. A lot of us are either self isolated, have someone who is in isolation or are just worried in general. It is difficult to not get worried when all that you’re hearing all day is how far and wide the corona virus is spreading!


 For a change, how about we take a look at prettier things around us?


 Since it is spring season, trees in the CHG campus are blooming with beautiful flowers. These were my inspiration behind the trichome spree! Especially the plants we will be focusing on in this post. I took these pictures weeks ago but am posting them today. College is shut and I’m back from Bangalore to my home in Mumbai! so maybe I can’t do more trichome spree posts but I urge all to take a closer look at the plants in your backyards 😀


 I noticed that this one plant in campus is covered in trichomes from top to bottom! from the leaves and buds to the flowers and everything. Trichomes everywhere!


 Here are pictures of the plant. I use google lens to ID the plants most of the times. It is quick and easy.
 
 Google lens identified this plant as the Red Flag Bush. Scientific name:
 
 Mussaenda erythrophylla
 

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 <img alt="IMG_20200209_145700" class="wp-image-189677 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189677" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581260222","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0044444444444444","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200209_145700" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200209_145700.jpg"/>
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 <img alt="IMG_20200209_145721" class="wp-image-189678 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189678" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581260242","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.00418410041841","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200209_145721" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200209_145721.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Notice the hairy appearance of the buds and leaves.
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_20200208_133040" class="wp-image-189679 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189679" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581168641","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.00069156293222683","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200208_133040" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200208_133040.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 The flowers have trichomes that are bigger in size compared to the ones on the leaves
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 One interesting thing is that, the green leaves have red trichomes on them.

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_20200209_173816" class="wp-image-189680 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189680" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581269896","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"320","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200209_173816" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200209_173816.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Notice the colour of the trichomes
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 I have taken a closer look at these trichomes on the leaves using my foldscope.

<ul class="wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped" data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/microcosmos.foldscope.com\/?p=189676"}'>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200207_181141" class="wp-image-189684 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189684" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189684" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581099101","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"250","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200207_181141" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189684" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200207_181141.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200207_181206" class="wp-image-189685 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189685" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189685" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581099126","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200207_181206" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189685" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200207_181206.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200207_182856" class="wp-image-189686 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189686" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189686" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581100136","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"250","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200207_182856" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189686" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200207_182856-2.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200207_182914" class="wp-image-189687 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189687" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189687" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581100154","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200207_182914" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189687" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200207_182914.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200207_183956" class="wp-image-189688 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189688" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189688" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581100796","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200207_183956" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189688" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200207_183956-1.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200207_182856" class="wp-image-189690 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189690" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189690" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581100136","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"250","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200207_182856" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189690" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200207_182856-3.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_20200207_181057" class="wp-image-189706 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189706" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581099057","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"250","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200207_181057" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200207_181057.jpg"/>
</figure>

 Here we can see two types of trichomes, ones that are completely red and ones that are red and transparent. Also, there’s a pattern to how these types are distributed on the leaves, the older and bigger trichomes always are red/pink whereas the young ones have this kinf of “phase separated” cytoplasm in the cells.
 
 Me and Suchith will be doing a few experiments to play around and figure out what is causing this phase separation. Is it a huge vacuole that is storing pigments? we hope to find out.


 The second tree that I saw was this pink trumpet tree. Scientific name:
 
 Handroanthus impetigenosus
 

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_20200202_142935" class="wp-image-189693 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189693" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1580653775","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.00025940337224384","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200202_142935" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200202_142935-1.jpg"/>
</figure>
<ul class="wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped" data-carousel-extra='{"blog_id":1,"permalink":"https:\/\/microcosmos.foldscope.com\/?p=189676"}'>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200206_231113~2" class="wp-image-189695 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189695" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189695" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581030673","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"1250","shutter_speed":"0.071428571428571","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200206_231113~2" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189695" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200206_2311132.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200206_234955" class="wp-image-189702 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189702" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189702" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581032996","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.041666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200206_234955" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189702" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200206_234955-1.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200206_235010" class="wp-image-189703 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189703" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189703" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581033010","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.047619047619048","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200206_235010" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189703" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200206_235010-1.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200206_235024" class="wp-image-189704 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189704" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189704" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581033024","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.035714285714286","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200206_235024" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189704" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200206_235024.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200206_235053" class="wp-image-189705 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189705" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189705" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581033053","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"320","shutter_speed":"0.027027027027027","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200206_235053" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189705" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200206_235053.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
 <li class="blocks-gallery-item">
 <figure>
 <img alt="IMG_20200206_234941" class="wp-image-189707 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189707" data-comments-opened="1" data-id="189707" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"ASUS_X01BDA","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1581032981","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.52","iso":"500","shutter_speed":"0.052631578947368","title":"","orientation":"8"}' data-image-title="IMG_20200206_234941" data-link="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?attachment_id=189707" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/IMG_20200206_234941.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 </li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="images (6)" class="wp-image-189709 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="189709" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="images (6)" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_189676/images-6.jpeg"/>
 <figcaption>
 I could not take a picture of the flowers but here’s an image from
 <a href="https://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/2142/pink-trumpet-tree/">
 google images.
 </a>
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 With this, I end the post and urge all to take up the trichome spree series and post pictures of all kinds of trichomes you come across 😀
 
 We can also try to make a nice trichome database like Laks sir’s pollen database.


 Stay safe!


 Have fun foldscoping!
 
 Mitali Patil
 
 (MSc) Centre for Human Genetics
 
 Previously at: Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, Mumbai.

Trichome Spree #1

<a alt="IMG_20160918_204303.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19008/IMG_20160918_204303.jpg">
 <img alt="img_20160918_204303" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19024 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19024" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1474143477","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0021231422505308","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="img_20160918_204303" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19008/IMG_20160918_204303.jpg" width="176"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="Screenshot_2016-09-18-16-45-31-445_com.miui_.videoplayer.png" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19008/Screenshot_2016-09-18-16-45-31-445_com.miui_.videoplayer.png">
 <img alt="screenshot_2016-09-18-16-45-31-445_com-miui-videoplayer" class="aligncenter wp-image-19018 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19018" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="screenshot_2016-09-18-16-45-31-445_com-miui-videoplayer" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19008/Screenshot_2016-09-18-16-45-31-445_com.miui_.videoplayer.png" width="169"/>
 </a>


 It had been drizzling a bit since morning yesterday and the sea had dried up leaving puddles of water with green filaments in it , so I decided to observe them under my foldscope and found these beautiful colonies of Vorticella on the surface of the algae.


 Here’s a video:

<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y5mepCSmksI?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>



 
 Here it is trying to catch a ciliate
 

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 
 <video alt="screenshot_2016-09-18-16-45-31-445_com-miui-videoplayer" class="wp-video-shortcode gcloudimg" controls="controls" height="720" id="video-19008-1" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="InShot_20160918_1930231.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19008/InShot_20160918_1930231.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="InShot_20160918_1930231.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19008/InShot_20160918_1930231.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/InShot_20160918_1930231.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

 
 Here the oral cilia are visible
 

<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I3uta894M2g?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>

 <a alt="DSC00414.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19008/DSC00414.jpg">
 <img alt="dsc00414" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19118 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19118" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"5.6","credit":"","camera":"DSC-HX60V","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1474525411","copyright":"","focal_length":"18.14","iso":"500","shutter_speed":"0.008","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="dsc00414" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19008/DSC00414.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="DSC00412.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19008/DSC00412.jpg">
 <img alt="dsc00412" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19117 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19117" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"6.3","credit":"","camera":"DSC-HX60V","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1474525378","copyright":"","focal_length":"95.87","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.00625","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="dsc00412" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19008/DSC00412.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 And this is the location from where i got the samples of algae, Prabhadevi beach. 🙂


 ~have fun foldscoping.

Vorticella

Hello everyone,

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19179" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_19179" style="width: 225px">
 <a alt="IMG_20160926_000653.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19178/IMG_20160926_000653.jpg">
 <img alt="img_20160926_000653" class="wp-image-19179 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19179" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"HM 1S","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1039348800","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.85","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="img_20160926_000653" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19178/IMG_20160926_000653.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-19179">
 The compound eyes.
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 Hope you’re all having fun with your foldscopes and observing amazing stuff. A few days ago, in the water I collected from a sea shore puddle,I found algae which had colonies of vorticella growing on it. Sadly, all of it has degraded now and what is left is a few molluscs and some of these creatures which are crustaceans . I decided to observe them as their movements were fascinating, they moved quite fast and weren’t easy to catch which is why I wanted to see them alive.Normal slides would’ve crushed them, so,I’ve used a cavity slide this time. I Couldn’t take very clear pictures because it kept moving but managed to get videos which you all may like.


 I could see its beautiful feet and the tail which it swayed as it moved across the watchglass. But then something absolutely gorgeous came to my sight.
 
 It was an egg in the gut of the organism (it probably held it in its pleopods).
 
 Because,from what I’ve read crustacean eggs are externally fertilized and are not laid soon after mating.

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 
 <video alt="img_20160926_000653" class="wp-video-shortcode gcloudimg" controls="controls" height="720" id="video-19178-1" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="InShot_20160925_192152.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19178/InShot_20160925_192152.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="InShot_20160925_192152.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19178/InShot_20160925_192152.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/InShot_20160925_192152.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

 It kept swaying its feet which kept the egg tumbling and rolling in the field. I was really worried that it may end up harming it.

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 1000px;">
 <video alt="InShot_20160925_192152.mp4" class="wp-video-shortcode gcloudimg" controls="controls" height="563" id="video-19178-2" preload="metadata" width="1000">
 <source alt="InShot_20160927_112617.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19178/InShot_20160927_112617.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="InShot_20160927_112617.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19178/InShot_20160927_112617.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/InShot_20160927_112617.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

 But then I managed to move it away from its pleopods and focus just on the egg.Here,
 
 I could see the movements inside the egg.
 



<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 <video alt="InShot_20160927_112617.mp4" class="wp-video-shortcode gcloudimg" controls="controls" height="720" id="video-19178-3" poster="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/InShot_20160925_211450_Moment3.jpg" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="InShot_20160925_215013.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19178/InShot_20160925_215013.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="InShot_20160925_215013.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19178/InShot_20160925_215013.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/InShot_20160925_215013.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

 I have saved this egg in a watch glass. Super exited to trace its development.


 ~Have fun Foldscoping. 🙂


 <a href="https://thewinnower.com/papers/5447-crustacean-and-its-egg" target="_blank">
 This post is open to read and review on The Winnower.
 </a>

Crustacean and its Egg

Hello everyone,


 In my last post I’d shared the videos of the crustacean and its egg which I saw under my foldscope. Here’s another video of further developed egg in which you can see the organism has started showing movements.We can see both of its compound eyes now and also the heartbeats and leg movements.

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 
 <video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="720" id="video-19347-1" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="InShot_20160930_0933351.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19347/InShot_20160930_0933351.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="InShot_20160930_0933351.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19347/InShot_20160930_0933351.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/InShot_20160930_0933351.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>


<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 <video alt="InShot_20160930_0933351.mp4" class="wp-video-shortcode gcloudimg" controls="controls" height="720" id="video-19347-2" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="InShot_20160930_1648151.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19347/InShot_20160930_1648151.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="InShot_20160930_1648151.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19347/InShot_20160930_1648151.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/InShot_20160930_1648151.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

 ~Have fun foldscoping. 🙂


 <a href="https://thewinnower.com/papers/5468-beating-heart-in-the-crustacean-egg" target="_blank">
 This post is open to read and review on The Winnower.
 </a>

Beating heart in the crustacean egg

Hello everyone,


 Flowers are beautiful and equally fascinating especially structures of different types of pollen grains and they way they interact with different fluids. This time I’ve observed the pollen grains of tuberose under my foldscope and also the petal epidermis.


 Here are pictures of the petal. There are even some stomata like structures  on the petals which is surprising because till date I’ve only heard about stomata on leaf epidermis.


 <a alt="IMG_20160927_225644.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20160927_225644.jpg">
 <img alt="img_20160927_225644" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19440 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19440" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1475017004","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0090909090909091","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="img_20160927_225644" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20160927_225644.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="IMG_20160927_225454.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20160927_225454.jpg">
 <img alt="img_20160927_225454" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19441 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19441" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1475016797","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="img_20160927_225454" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20160927_225454.jpg" width="297"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="IMG_20160927_212534.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20160927_212534.jpg">
 <img alt="img_20160927_212534" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19442 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19442" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1475011534","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0094339622641509","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="img_20160927_212534" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20160927_212534.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 Here are pictures of the pollen grains both dry and wet:


 <a alt="Screenshot_2016-10-05-21-31-54-125_com.miui_.videoplayer1.png" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/Screenshot_2016-10-05-21-31-54-125_com.miui_.videoplayer1.png">
 <img alt="screenshot_2016-10-05-21-31-54-125_com-miui-videoplayer1" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19463 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19463" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="screenshot_2016-10-05-21-31-54-125_com-miui-videoplayer1" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/Screenshot_2016-10-05-21-31-54-125_com.miui_.videoplayer1.png" width="300"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="IMG_20160927_210809.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20160927_210809.jpg">
 <img alt="img_20160927_210809" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19464 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19464" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1475010489","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"110","shutter_speed":"0.03030303030303","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="img_20160927_210809" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20160927_210809.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 Now, here’s a video of how the pollen grains interact with water..they swell up very quickly  so quick that its not possible to take the slide out from the foldscope, add water and observe them absorbing the water.  The video is real time and not a time lapse.

<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u3bHu_WU8Mw?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>

 So, I had to figure out a way in which I could capture the action.Here’s how I managed it


 1.) Tape together 3 coverslips in a row like so
 <a alt="IMG_20161005_1913491.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20161005_1913491.jpg">
 <img alt="img_20161005_1913491" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19447 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19447" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note 3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1475694829","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"3153","shutter_speed":"0.1","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="img_20161005_1913491" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20161005_1913491.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 2.) now once you tape them like this, you can place them on the slide
 <a alt="IMG_20161005_191457.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20161005_191457.jpg">
 <img alt="img_20161005_191457" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19449 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19449" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note 3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1475694897","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"3153","shutter_speed":"0.1","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="img_20161005_191457" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20161005_191457.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 3.) now here’s the trick
 
 m
 
 
 ount the pollen grains under one of the coverslips on the sides and not the central one.
 


 4.) focus the pollen grains under the foldscope. Now you’ll notice that since we’ve mounted the pollen grains under the coverslip at the end of the slide, one coverslip along with the slide will stick out of the foldscope like this


 <a alt="IMG_20161005_191625.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20161005_191625.jpg">
 <img alt="img_20161005_191625" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19452 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19452" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note 3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1475694985","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0045871559633028","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="img_20161005_191625" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20161005_191625.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 5.)when you focus the pollen grains you can mount your phone with the magnetic couplers so that you can see them on the screen .


 I haven’t mounted my phone here because magnets make my phone stop working 🙁 so, I have to take the videos through the lens directly by holding the phone with my hands.


 6.)once you’ve focused the desired area on your phone screen its time to add water under the coverslip like this.


 <a alt="IMG_20161005_191747.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20161005_191747.jpg">
 <img alt="img_20161005_191747" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19450 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19450" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note 3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1475695067","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0028571428571429","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="img_20161005_191747" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19439/IMG_20161005_191747.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 The water will come down under the lowest coverslip by adhesion and we’ll be able to view it on the screen. Tilt the foldscope a bit so that the water comes down and does’t start coming out from the sides of the top coverslip.


 On Lakshmi sir’s suggestion I tried doing this with glycerine. The process is much slower compared to water.


 Also, no flowers were plucked for the post 🙂 I’ve taken it from garlands.


 ~Have Fun Foldscoping. 🙂


 <a href="https://thewinnower.com/papers/5498-pollen-hunt-polianthes-tuberosa" target="_blank">
 This post is open to read and review on The Winnower.
 </a>

Pollen hunt ( Polianthes tuberosa )

Hello Everyone,


 Hope you’re all having fun. Its really cool how we get to observe all these beautifull things around us through our foldscopes which we otherwise ignore. We miss on soo much of knowledge and fun. This time I’ve found this  larva.I found it crawling on my shirt, didn’t scream out loud and shook it away but calmly took in the cavity slide and observed it. I could see its internal organs but couldn’t figure out what is what.


 <a alt="flylarvae_anatomy.gif" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19661/flylarvae_anatomy.gif">
 <img alt="flylarvae_anatomy" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-19675 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="19675" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="flylarvae_anatomy" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_19661/flylarvae_anatomy.gif" width="116"/>
 </a>


 However, I found this picture for anatomy of dipteran larvae and it does quite resemble the larva in the videos. The Hind intestine and the salivary glands are pretty clear, also, I suspect the bunch like structure could be the gastric cecae.

<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ihrO7Ef166g?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xHXZJXELX1U?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>

 Please help me identify this larva and guide me on more. I’d love to study it in more detail. 🙂


 ~Have Fun Foldscoping

Unknown Little Larva Found In Flowers

Hello Everyone,


 Dengue is one of the major problems India and the world has been facing recently. Thousands of people across the world are being affected by it and since there is no cure for it as yet,it proves to be lethal in later stages.Medical treatment does help if the disease is diagnosed early.


 Dengue is caused by the bite of a female Aedes mosquito which has been infected by the Dengue virus.It gets infected during a blood meal from a human already infected by the virus.Medical treatment does help if the disease is diagnosed early but in the later stages it may lead to hemorrhagic fever and death.I myself have suffered from Dengue and I know that it is very painful.It drops your platelet count drastically along with other common symptoms like fever, chills, nausea, terrible pain in the joints, sleeplessness, pain at the back of the eyes etc.


 So the question is ,
 
 How will our foldscope help us against Dengue
 
 ?


 Recently, I was observing samples from Winogradsky’s column in our lab.One of the columns was not covered properly with a plastic and there were many organisms swimming in it.I decided to observe them.It was a Larva of some insect.Laks sir helped us identify it as an Aedes Mosquito Larva.


 It was quite a reason to worry after knowing that there were so many Aedes Larva breeding in our own lab! Well atleast we could find out they were there and take care of it. 🙂


 <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/revwcWJcMB8?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
 </div>
 
 Wouldn’t it be awesome if all of us identified the larvae through our foldscopes and got rid of them?
 
 
 It’ll really help us to reduce the sources of the vector!how great is that!and one by one if we all get rid of the sources of Larva, we will eventually reduce the number of cases of infection !!
 
 
 Not only aedes Larva but we can identify the other ones as well 🙂 which will help us against Malaria and other diseases!
 
 <div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YypXOXa14sw?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
 </div>
 
 And one more thing before ending the post.When I was down with dengue, my platelet count had dropped drastically one thing that works like magic for this problem is juice of raw papaya leaves.J ust a teaspoon or two is enough for a day but it does help a lot.Do try this out if any of yours friends is suffering with the disease. 🙂
 
 
 ~Have fun Foldscoping.

Foldscope Against Dengue!

Foldscope in Ratnagiri- India (Maharashtra)

Hello everyone,


 This time I’ve tried projecting some slides.this was my first attempt so 🙂 sorry if they’re not clear enough
 <a alt="WhatsApp-Image-2017-01-15-at-8.09.27-PM-1.jpeg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/WhatsApp-Image-2017-01-15-at-8.09.27-PM-1.jpeg">
 
 </a>

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22292" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_22292" style="width: 169px">
 <a alt="WhatsApp-Image-2016-12-16-at-11.17.13-AM.jpeg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/WhatsApp-Image-2016-12-16-at-11.17.13-AM.jpeg">
 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2016-12-16 at 11.17.13 AM" class="wp-image-22292 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="22292" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2016-12-16 at 11.17.13 AM" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/WhatsApp-Image-2016-12-16-at-11.17.13-AM.jpeg" width="169"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-22292">
 petal of aster flower
 </figcaption>
</figure>


<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22294" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_22294" style="width: 225px">
 <a alt="WhatsApp-Image-2017-01-15-at-8.09.27-PM-2.jpeg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/WhatsApp-Image-2017-01-15-at-8.09.27-PM-2.jpeg">
 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2017-01-15 at 8.09.27 PM (2)" class="wp-image-22294 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="22294" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1484511211","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2017-01-15 at 8.09.27 PM (2)" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/WhatsApp-Image-2017-01-15-at-8.09.27-PM-2.jpeg" width="225"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-22294">
 Bubble in the slide (It was so symmetrical 🙂 looked beautiful )
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22293" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_22293" style="width: 169px">
 <a alt="WhatsApp-Image-2016-12-16-at-11.18.02-AM.jpeg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/WhatsApp-Image-2016-12-16-at-11.18.02-AM.jpeg">
 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2016-12-16 at 11.18.02 AM" class="wp-image-22293 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="22293" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2016-12-16 at 11.18.02 AM" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/WhatsApp-Image-2016-12-16-at-11.18.02-AM.jpeg" width="169"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-22293">
 Bubbles on the tape
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22310" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_22310" style="width: 300px">
 <a alt="IMG_20170117_004907-1.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/IMG_20170117_004907-1.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20170117_004907" class="wp-image-22310 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="22310" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1484613363","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"2720","shutter_speed":"0.1","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170117_004907" data-recalc-dims="1" height="201" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/IMG_20170117_004907-1.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-22310">
 Pollen grains
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 Also, here’s my first permanent slide. I’ve used nailpolish  as a mounting medium.Its been more than two weeks and its looking great.

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22296" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_22296" style="width: 283px">
 <a alt="WhatsApp-Image-2017-01-08-at-6.04.21-PM.jpeg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/WhatsApp-Image-2017-01-08-at-6.04.21-PM.jpeg">
 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2017-01-08 at 6.04.21 PM" class="wp-image-22296 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="22296" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2017-01-08 at 6.04.21 PM" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_22289/WhatsApp-Image-2017-01-08-at-6.04.21-PM.jpeg" width="283"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-22296">
 Mitosis in onion root tip
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 this picture was clicked after it was ready~


 please do share some tips for better projection 🙂


 ~Have Fun Foldscoping.

Projecting Slides

Hello everyone,


 A few days ago,in college, we were taught how to prepare a hay infusion broth.Our teachers have used pond water sample as an inoculum here.We were told to observe the organisms under our compound microscopes and obviously that was for a limited time which didn’t suffice my curiosity. I wanted to play around with these ciliates a bit more and try to identify them so I got home some of the sample and examined it under my foldscope to observe these amazing ciliates.



<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MOxV2A6yMN8?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_-DblCUlINg?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/abeUlt7Iwf8?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>

 ~Have Fun Foldscoping.

Tetrahymena Ciliates

Hello Everyone,


 This time I’ve observed this filamentous form which appeared to gliding just like the cyanobacteria we observed in Manu Sir’s post a few days ago. I could see it moving back and forth but not rotating. I haven’t been able to recognize what organism this is. Please help me identify it, I’d love to know what it is.My guess is Ulothrix.

<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper">
 
 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D-IuivJSo58?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>

 After a while it slowed down and appeared to undergo fragmentation. It happened very quickly and I was lucky enough to be able to capture it because I missed the first division where the entire fragment divided in two.

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 1000px;">
 
 <video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="563" id="video-24910-1" preload="metadata" width="1000">
 <source alt="trim-2-fina.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_24910/trim-2-fina.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="trim-2-fina.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_24910/trim-2-fina.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/trim-2-fina.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

 The water sample has been collected from Prabhadevi Beach in Mumbai and both the videos are real time.


 ~Have Fun Foldscoping


 
 Mitali Patil.
 


 
 (First Year Undergraduate from Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai ,India.)

Gliding Filament Showing Fragmentation

Harpaticoda and some mysterious things

Hello Everyone,


 So just day before yesterday I received my new Foldscope kit! 😀 and I couldn’t wait to make a bunch of posts. This was my first observation with my new Foldscope. It’s the permanent slide that came with the kit


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 </a>


 I collected a Riccia sample from IIT Bombay during the workshop and it had tons of ciliates. I tried experimenting with the light module. Used it without a diffuser, with the diffuser from the kit and then finally used scotch tape as a diffuser. Scotch tape gave the best results. I’m going to try flower petals next time.


 Here’s a vorticella I captured just now, cant wait to share more ciliates!

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 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gZM6PwjCrWQ?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
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 fun fact: Voritcella was one of my first obervations with the old foldscope as well 😀


 you can check it out here- https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?p=19008


 ~Have Fun Foldscoping.


 
 Mitali Patil
 


 
 Second Year Undergraduate
 


 
 Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College

Testing my new foldscope!

hello everyone,


 During the workshop at IIT Mumbai I’d collected a sample of riccia from the walls and I found a variety of protozoans and nematodes in it along with polychaetes and flatworms as well!


 Everytime I foldscope a natural sample I’m just amazed by the fact that there really is a whole microcosmos we miss out on! Our Foldscopes not only educate and enlighten us but also make us realize that how little a part of the world we see with our eyes and how huge a part is left undiscovered by us even tho its right in front of our eyes! This riccia was growing everywhere there must’ve been such a plethora of microbes out there 😀 I have however managed to get my hands on a few of them. I have foldscoped many samples before but this was the first time I saw an amoeba. It’s something I’ve been studying about since school days but never did I get an opportunity to see it alive and moving. It was a really great moment!

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 Here’s the polychaete it was not visible with naked eye

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 some Oxytricha ciliates in bright field and dark field

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 and finally a flat worm 🙂

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 Edit 1:


 Editting the post to share my experience with the foldscope workshops.


 I won’t get into explaining how i learnt how great a tool foldscope is, I think all of us know it by now that whatever we say is always less 😀 and our community is always finding out new great applications of foldscope!I’ll share some personal experiences instead


 Day 1 of the workshop was with children from Dharavi Diaries and a BMC urdu medium school. The enthusiasm these children showed really left me with my mind blown. I remember an incident where Manu sir was showing a wet mount of some sort of protozoans to the children and and saying it looks like a jungle to which one of the kid asked “is jungle ka raaja kaun?” (who’s the king of this jungle?) I just giggled at the question but I was amazed when Manu Sir answered it 😀 he explained the kid how he can actually find out who’s the king by linking it to the food chain and how it was really difficult to answer for him.It made me realize how little of science we know and how we need to learn to ask more questions from these kids.


 When I saw how these children think in so many ways and how we’re not able to answer their questions, I realized how small a part of this beautiful microcosmos we’ve seen and how we’re always in the process of learning ,not only from our teachers but just anyone. This is when I learnt that this is what real science is, it doesn’t need a student and a teacher to learn science but just curiosity in our minds! and that’s when actually learning happens not only for the person teaching but also the student  🙂


 It was a really enriching experience to meet and interact with Pandirajan sir, Uthra maam, Manu sir, Rupali, everyone from dharavi diaries and even the children from kurla ,everyone present at the workshops. All of them have left me with lessons which I’m going to cherish for a very long time. Thank You everyone. I feel humbled to have met such great people 🙂




 ~Have Fun Foldscoping 🙂


 Mitali Patil


 
 Second Year Undergraduate
 


 
 Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, Mumbai.

ciliates, polychaetes and my experience with the workshops :)

Happy Diwali Everyone,


 <a alt="IMG_20170927_024730.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_024730.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20170927_024730" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28001 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28001" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1506480450","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"119","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170927_024730" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_024730.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 Moths are pretty rare here in Mumbai. This little guy flew in my window a few days a ago and landed directly on my arm. I have wanted to observe butterfly or moth scales since a very long time and I didn’t want this guy to flee before I could observe it’s scales.


 Very carefully, I caught the moth in a zip lock bag.Thankfully it wasn’t fast enough to fly away. Then I took a paper slide and put the cello tape on it. Then, with the help of forceps i gently just touched the moth wings with the  sticky side of the tape.


 The scales come off very easily and a gentle touch to the wings is enough to get us a lot of scales on the slide.


 You can do it without catching the moth or butterfly in the bag.I’m attaching a video to show how you can try it out

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 I’ve observed scales from 2 regions in the moth  – The thorax had a mixture of many types of scale and the actual wings showed 2 types.


 What was truly amazing was that some scales appeared different in dark field


 Sharing pics of the scales on the wings first,


 <a alt="IMG_20170927_031329.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_031329.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20170927_031329" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28013 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28013" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1506482009","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0043290043290043","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170927_031329" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_031329.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 
 the first type of scales (Bright field)
 


 <a alt="IMG_20170927_032411.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032411.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20170927_032411" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28017 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28017" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1506482651","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"838","shutter_speed":"0.058823529411765","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170927_032411" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032411.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 
 The same type in Dark field.
 


 some more pics,


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 <img alt="IMG_20170927_032424" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28018 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28018" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1506482664","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"995","shutter_speed":"0.071428571428571","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170927_032424" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032424.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="IMG_20170927_032435-3.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032435-3.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20170927_032435" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28019 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28019" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1506482675","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"857","shutter_speed":"0.04","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170927_032435" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032435-3.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 Something interesting I found while observing the slide today was that these scales appeared blue-violet on angular illumination.


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 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2017-10-22 at 10.57.13 PM (4)" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28045 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28045" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2017-10-22 at 10.57.13 PM (4)" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/WhatsApp-Image-2017-10-22-at-10.57.13-PM-4.jpeg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="WhatsApp-Image-2017-10-22-at-10.57.13-PM.jpeg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/WhatsApp-Image-2017-10-22-at-10.57.13-PM.jpeg">
 <img alt="WhatsApp Image 2017-10-22 at 10.57.13 PM" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28049 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28049" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="WhatsApp Image 2017-10-22 at 10.57.13 PM" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/WhatsApp-Image-2017-10-22-at-10.57.13-PM.jpeg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 I tried illuminating from different directions, but it didn’t produce any color other than blue. They appear like this on angular illumination from a different direction.


 <a alt="IMG_20170927_032009.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032009.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20170927_032009" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28054 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28054" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1506482409","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"406","shutter_speed":"0.04","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170927_032009" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032009.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="IMG_20170927_032028.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032028.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20170927_032028" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28055 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28055" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1506482428","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"790","shutter_speed":"0.058823529411765","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170927_032028" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032028.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 This reminds me of the structural pigment in Morpho didius. I’ve been reading about those since I started observing these moth scales.


 The other type scales on the wings


 <a alt="IMG_20170927_032932.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032932.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20170927_032932" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28020 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28020" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1506482972","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"1298","shutter_speed":"0.071428571428571","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170927_032932" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032932.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 This is a dark field image of the 2nd type of scales, as we can see they appear very different. They seen to not have the grooves we observe in the larger scales


 <a alt="IMG_20170927_032230.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032230.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20170927_032230" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28016 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28016" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1506482550","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"3153","shutter_speed":"0.1","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170927_032230" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032230.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>
 <a alt="IMG_20170927_032154.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032154.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20170927_032154" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28015 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="28015" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1506482514","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"1188","shutter_speed":"0.071428571428571","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20170927_032154" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_27985/IMG_20170927_032154.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 In these pictures we can clearly see the difference in both the types of scales.


 I will do a detailed post on the types of scales on the dorsal thorax region as well. Please do share your opinions on this post and suggest some good reads about the nano structures of the scales.


 ~Have Fun Foldscoping.


 –
 
 Mitali Patil
 


 
 Second Year Undergraduate
 


 
 Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai.

Mystery of the moth scales!

Hello Everyone,


 I have found these 2 ciliates in the seawater sample from Prabhadevi beach.Please help me identify these 🙂

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 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/37uN5e1i830?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
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 I have also tried fitting the high mag lens of the old foldscope to the new one and here are a few videos I captured!

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 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0lord4WGIm0?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>
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 <iframe allowfullscreen="true" class="youtube-player" height="563" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VeFptW4n6pg?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent" style="border:0;" type="text/html" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 
</div>

 It was pretty tough focusing with the high mag lens initially but after removing the wedge it worked pretty well~


 Have Fun Foldscoping 😀

Help me identify these protozoa!

Hello Everyone,


 This time I’ve tried making a time lapse of NaCl getting recrystallized. I have used dark field here to make the crystals look more prominent.


 Here are the steps I followed:


 1. Prepare a saturated solution of NaCl I.e adding NaCl to water till it stops dissolving.


 2. Put a drop of this solution on the slide and add a coverslip on top.


 Now instead of observing it directly let it stand for a while till a few nuclei are formed.


 Once you have a few observable points of crystallization, focus on the edge of the crystal and set up a time lapse 🙂


 This can be an easy way to demonstrate school students how solar salt is formed. A very simple experiment as such but foldscoping it could intrigue the kids and make them get a feel for how beautiful such a simple phenomenons can be 🙂


 Here’s the video!

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 
 <video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="480" id="video-30241-1" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="hyperlapse-20180112-225910-16x.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_30241/hyperlapse-20180112-225910-16x.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="hyperlapse-20180112-225910-16x.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_30241/hyperlapse-20180112-225910-16x.mp4">
 http://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/hyperlapse-20180112-225910-16x.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

 Next I’m going to do a time lapse of NaCl getting crystallized on the surface of a semi solid medium.I’ve noticed that saturated salt media having agar tends to form pyramidal crystals of NaCl over it. I wonder why it forms that particular shape? Would you help me find an answer?


 ~Have Fun Foldscoping ^_^


 Mitali Patil


 Second Year Undergrad


 Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, Mumbai.

Recrystallization And A Question

Hello Everyone!


 I’ve been dying to try out some polarization foldscopy!! and finally the wait is over! Just last to last week Laks Sir sent me some polarizing filters! I’d been collecting compounds from our Chemistry department and waiting eagerly for the filters to arrive. Here are the first few pictures I took using the cross polarizers


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 <img alt="IMG_20180208_224748[1]" class="wp-image-31185 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="31185" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1518130068","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"2147","shutter_speed":"0.1","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180208_224748[1]" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_31184/IMG_20180208_2247481.jpg" width="300"/>
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 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-31185">
 
 Urea Crystals
 
 </figcaption>
</figure>

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<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31192" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_31192" style="width: 225px">
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 <img alt="IMG_20180208_214557" class="wp-image-31192 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="31192" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1518126357","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"1673","shutter_speed":"0.083333333333333","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180208_214557" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_31184/IMG_20180208_214557.jpg" width="225"/>
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 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-31192">
 
 
 Magnesium Oxalate crystals
 
 
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</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31194" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_31194" style="width: 300px">
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 <img alt="IMG_20180208_212851" class="wp-image-31194 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="31194" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1518125331","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"3153","shutter_speed":"0.1","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180208_212851" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_31184/IMG_20180208_212851.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-31194">
 
 
 Trisethylenediamine Nickel II Sulphate
 
 
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 And now finally something optically inactive! Nickel DMG


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<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31196" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_31196" style="width: 225px">
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 <img alt="IMG_20180208_223604" class="wp-image-31196 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="31196" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1518129364","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"3153","shutter_speed":"0.1","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180208_223604" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_31184/IMG_20180208_223604.jpg" width="225"/>
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 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-31196">
 
 
 Ni-DMG
 
 
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</figure>

 Laks Sir had suggested me to try out a technique known as melt-recrystallization. I wanted to capture the crystallization happening through my foldscope. Here are some videos I recorded,

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 P.S: Watch the videos in HD. Theres an option available to change the video settings besides the Youtube logo.


 Here’s the way I recorded the recrystallizatio


 I prepared a dry mount of Aspirin. Then, I heated the slide with the help of a lighter to melt the Aspirin. Once it melted, I quickly observed it through my foldscope while recording the the aspirin getting beautifully recrystallized. 🙂


 Hope you all like it!


 Have Fun Foldscoping!


 Mitali Patil


 Second Year Undergrad,


 Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, Mumbai.

Cross Polarized Foldscopy!

Hello everyone,


 There are going to be tons of pics in this post so I better limit the words. I have foldscoped 3 compounds here – Citric acid , L-cysteine and Potassium dichromate.


 Recrystallized Citric acid


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 Just while I was foldscoping these citric acid crystals an orange caught my attention!


 I thought Why not try locating citric acid in orange peels!This thought really excited me


 Finally after some negotiations with mom she agreed to let me foldscope the orange if I promised to eat it first

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-32127" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_32127" style="width: 225px">
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 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-32127">
 This is a section of the peel..some regions appear birefringent (probably because of citric acid) while some appear normal
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 <img alt="IMG_20180320_115856" class="wp-image-32141 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="32141" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1521547136","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"3363","shutter_speed":"0.1","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180320_115856" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_32126/IMG_20180320_115856.jpg" width="300"/>
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 The orange pulp sowed these clusters of cell like structures which also appeared birefringent
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</figure>

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 Thanks to the high melting points of cysteine and potassium dichromate I have a burnt thumb. lesson learnt – you cannot use a lighter to melt all compound.


 I will try recrystallizing these with the help of a burner next time


 until then, enjoy these pictures


 Edit 1: Embedding Instagram posts seems to not have worked so updating the post with pictures.


 Potassium Dichromate


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 L-cysteinine showed hexagonal crystals!! It was a joy seeing such perfect hexagons


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 </a>


 <a alt="IMG_20180321_073144.png" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_32126/IMG_20180321_073144.png">
 <img alt="IMG_20180321_073144" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-32175 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="32175" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180321_073144" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_32126/IMG_20180321_073144.png" width="300"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="IMG_20180321_073127.png" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_32126/IMG_20180321_073127.png">
 <img alt="IMG_20180321_073127" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-32174 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="32174" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180321_073127" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_32126/IMG_20180321_073127.png" width="300"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="IMG_20180321_072854.png" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_32126/IMG_20180321_072854.png">
 <img alt="IMG_20180321_072854" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-32171 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="32171" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180321_072854" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_32126/IMG_20180321_072854.png" width="296"/>
 </a>




 ~Have fun Foldscoping!


 Mitali Patil


 Second Year Undergrad


 Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College,Mumbai.

Polarized explorations part 2

Hello everyone!


 Thanks to iGEM I’ve had absolutely no time for foldscoping lately 🙁 but I’m determined to exploit this mini vacation in Ratngiri to its fullest 😀


 Till now I’ve observed some pure chemicals and fruits in cross polars but this time I’ve tried doing something that I’ve been dying to try my hands on and  that is imaging live samples in polarization!


 While observing this water sample I remembered that When I observed recrystallization through crosspolars I noticed that  compounds in melted form do not show birefringence..only the crystal forms do…That’s when I started to wonder, would ciliates show birefringence at all?


 Even if they do posses any optically active compounds in them they wouldnt be in crystal form…I had no hopes from ciliates

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38459" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_38459" style="width: 300px">
 <a alt="IMG_20180524_115706.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/IMG_20180524_115706.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20180524_115706" class="size-medium wp-image-38459 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38459" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527163026","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"103","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180524_115706" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/IMG_20180524_115706.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38459">
 Location from where I collected the water…Can you spot the shoal of fishes in there?
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38460" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_38460" style="width: 300px">
 <a alt="IMG_20180524_115712.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/IMG_20180524_115712.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20180524_115712" class="size-medium wp-image-38460 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38460" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527163031","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"106","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180524_115712" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/IMG_20180524_115712.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38460">
 And the cute turtle? There were 2 such turtles in there 😀 sadly one went inside the pond while I tried to click.
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 So here are our ciliates!

<div class="video-player" id="v-cMYv1OLx-1">
 <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="1000" src="https://videopress.com/embed/cMYv1OLx?hd=1&amp;loop=0&amp;autoPlay=0&amp;permalink=1" width="1000">
 </iframe>
 <script src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/plugins/video/assets/js/next/videopress-iframe.js">
 </script>
</div>

 I thought if not ciliates let’s see wether atleast the Pediastrum shows birefringence and Voila!!

<div class="video-player" id="v-nThn4080-1">
 <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="1000" src="https://videopress.com/embed/nThn4080?hd=1&amp;loop=0&amp;autoPlay=0&amp;permalink=1" width="562">
 </iframe>
 <script src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/plugins/video/assets/js/next/videopress-iframe.js">
 </script>
</div>

 What I observed was just the opposite of what I expected!! A ciliate showing birefringence!! How??? Did it engulf particles of mud that showed birefringence?? What could the reason be??


 Here are some pictures of the beautiful Pediastrums


 <a alt="IMG_20180524_170807.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/IMG_20180524_170807.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20180524_170807" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38466 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38466" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527181687","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0013245033112583","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180524_170807" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/IMG_20180524_170807.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>
 <a alt="IMG_20180524_170417.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/IMG_20180524_170417.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20180524_170417" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38468 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38468" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527181457","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0060975609756098","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180524_170417" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/IMG_20180524_170417.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 The next thing in the sample that caught my attention were copepods!


 Copepods are planktons found ubiquitously in fresh and sea water. They have a mineralized chitin containing exoskeleton. Would that account for some action in cross polars?The thought of a copepod showing birefringence excited me !!


 I thought, let’s try and see!!


 And then began the chase…


 Copepods swim irritatingly fast!! I spent hours trying to catch them with my tiny dropper and finally got hold of these devils


 So here is our beautiful copepod with 2 egg sacs

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 <video alt="IMG_20180524_170417" class="wp-video-shortcode gcloudimg" controls="controls" height="720" id="video-38458-3" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="VID_54760904_193505_667.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/VID_54760904_193505_667.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="VID_54760904_193505_667.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/VID_54760904_193505_667.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/VID_54760904_193505_667.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

 And here it is!!! In cross polars!!

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 <video alt="VID_54760904_193505_667.mp4" class="wp-video-shortcode gcloudimg" controls="controls" height="720" id="video-38458-4" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="VID_54760903_084411_761.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/VID_54760903_084411_761.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="VID_54760903_084411_761.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/VID_54760903_084411_761.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/VID_54760903_084411_761.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>


<div class="wp-video" style="width: 720px;">
 <video alt="VID_54760903_084411_761.mp4" class="wp-video-shortcode gcloudimg" controls="controls" height="720" id="video-38458-5" preload="metadata" width="720">
 <source alt="VID_54760907_062102_907.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/VID_54760907_062102_907.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="VID_54760907_062102_907.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/VID_54760907_062102_907.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/VID_54760907_062102_907.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>

 Beautiful! Aren’t they? I have seen copepods numerous times but never thought they’d look this glorious just by playing around with some light!!


 Hope you all enjoy the findings!


 Oh and here’s the moon rise in Ratnagiri 😀


 <a alt="IMG_20180530_211259.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/IMG_20180530_211259.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20180530_211259" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38479 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38479" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527714779","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"11991","shutter_speed":"0.1","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180530_211259" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38458/IMG_20180530_211259.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 Have fun foldscoping~


 Mitali Patil


 Third Year Undergrad,


 Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College.


 <a href="https://thewinnower.com/papers/9025-polarized-explorations-part-3-copepods-and-ciliates" target="_blank">
 This post is open to read and review on The Winnower.
 </a>

Polarized Explorations Part 3!! Copepods and Ciliates

Hello everyone!


 What do you think of when you hear the word Scorpion?


 Maybe something that you should stay miles away from!!


 Today I have a for you a Pseudoscorpion! You may think that these are close relatives of the dreadful scorpions but nope, these are actually more closely related to Arachnids!


 And to answer the question you all may have..No these are not poisonous. Pseudoscorpions feed on ticks and mites and do not posses a venomous sting ya their hind end.


 Here is our tiny Pseudoscorpion




 <a alt="IMG_20180621_071719.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG_20180621_071719.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20180621_071719" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-43020 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="43020" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1529565439","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"1119","shutter_speed":"0.071428571428571","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180621_071719" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG_20180621_071719.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 Can you see the sharp edges of the claws?!?!


 <a alt="IMG_20180621_071602.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG_20180621_071602.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20180621_071602" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-43021 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="43021" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1529565362","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"121","shutter_speed":"0.04","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180621_071602" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG_20180621_071602.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>


 <a alt="IMG_20180602_204601.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG_20180602_204601.jpg">
 <img alt="IMG_20180602_204601" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-43024 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="43024" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527972361","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"531","shutter_speed":"0.04","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180602_204601" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG_20180602_204601.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>




 <a alt="IMG-20180602-WA0053.jpeg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG-20180602-WA0053.jpeg">
 now what I was actually trying to
 </a>
 <a alt="IMG_20180602_204601.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG_20180602_204601.jpg">
 do with this insect is just see whether their chitinous exoskeleton shows birefringence but I landed up observing something really amazing
 </a>


 These are the insect legs in bright field illumination


 <a alt="IMG-20180602-WA0053.jpeg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG-20180602-WA0053.jpeg">
 <img alt="IMG-20180602-WA0053" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-43023 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="43023" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527973061","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"134","shutter_speed":"0.03448275862069","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG-20180602-WA0053" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG-20180602-WA0053.jpeg" width="169"/>
 </a>


 and now take a look at it through cross polars


 <a alt="IMG-20180602-WA0049.jpeg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG-20180602-WA0049.jpeg">
 <img alt="IMG-20180602-WA0049" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-43022 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="43022" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527972959","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.047619047619048","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG-20180602-WA0049" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_42949/IMG-20180602-WA0049.jpeg" width="169"/>
 </a>


 Wish I could’ve imaged it live to see how the birefringence changes as the muscles contract 🙁 but sadly the insect was already dead


 You can beat me to it tho 😉 I’lI be eagerly waiting for someone to try it out until I get my hands on another insect.


 Have fun foldscoping!


 Mitali Patil


 Undergraduate


 Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College

Polarized Pseudoscorpion!!

Hello foldscopers!!


 While studying today I spotted something I’ve been looking for since a very long time – a living insect!


 I have a test to write tomorrow but I just couldn’t stop thinking about how this ant would look in cross polars…I ran to grab my foldscope and caught the ant.


 Since I observed the leg muscles in the pseudoscorpion I’ve been dying to image a live insect to take a look at whether muscles show change in birefringence as they contract and relax!


 I haven’t really been able to capture a satisfactory video but thought I’d share it anyway since I hardly get any time to foldscope these days ( and I’m hella cruious to get your views on what that green thing is )


 If you see the leg muscles..there not much of a difference there..they are birefringent but no different colours spotted there BUT if you look the head you will see a burst of colours!! Especially this bright green region at the sides of the head. I really wonder what this region is..just a muscle oriented differently? poison glands? what is it???? Need to read more about fire ants! Let’s do it together! 🙂 Any entomolgists here?

<div class="wp-video" style="width: 352px;">
 
 <video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="640" id="video-57311-1" preload="metadata" width="352">
 <source alt="WhatsApp-Video-2018-08-22-at-9.25.43-PM.mp4" class="gcloudimg" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_57311/WhatsApp-Video-2018-08-22-at-9.25.43-PM.mp4" type="video/mp4"/>
 <a alt="WhatsApp-Video-2018-08-22-at-9.25.43-PM.mp4" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_57311/WhatsApp-Video-2018-08-22-at-9.25.43-PM.mp4">
 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/WhatsApp-Video-2018-08-22-at-9.25.43-PM.mp4
 </a>
 </video>
</div>



 ~Have fun foldscoping! 🙂


 Mitali Patil


 Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College, Mumbai.

Mitali

Earth

Posts

An Illuminating Update

Foldscope 2.0 !!!

लहान शास्त्रज्ञांना मिळाली फोल्डस्कोपची माहिती

Polarized Gnat larva!

Locations

Statistics

Type of Sample

Foldscope Lens Magnification