Vignesh Kamath

On 3
 
 rd
 
 November 2018, India Literacy Project (ILP), a volunteer-based non-profit organization dedicated to improving literacy in India, in association with Gubbi Labs conducted a workshop for 18 science teachers from different Government schools in Gubbi Town and 10 motivators from ILP’s Multi-Dimensional Learning Space (MDLS). The workshop was held at ILP’s MDLS center in Gubbi. The main intent of the half-day training program was to introduce foldscopes to teachers from different schools and present them with an opportunity to include them in their classroom activities in an attempt to enhance the learning experience of students.

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 <img alt="IMG_20181103_122753" class="wp-image-104534 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="104534" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1541248074","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"320","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG_20181103_122753" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_104531/IMG_20181103_122753.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Dr Sudhira HS from Gubbi Labs briefing the participants about foldscopes
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 After a brief session of building the foldscopes and demonstration of previously prepared slides, the participants were made to collect and bring different samples from the surroundings to observe under the foldscope. They were also encouraged to try using samples which are typically showed to students in the conventional microscope as part of their school curriculum.


 All sorts of samples were observed under the foldscope- live ants, pollen from different flowers, onion cells, potato skin, plant parts, hair, blood and a dead spider.

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 <img alt="IMG_20181103_121542" class="wp-image-104546 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="104546" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1541247343","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"1250","shutter_speed":"0.05","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG_20181103_121542" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_104531/IMG_20181103_121542.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 
 A live ant’s head seen under a foldscope showing its compound eyes
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_20181103_120858" class="wp-image-104547 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="104547" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1541246939","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0092592592592593","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG_20181103_120858" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_104531/IMG_20181103_120858.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Onion cells under a foldscope
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_20181103_113416" class="wp-image-104548 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="104548" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1541244857","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"160","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG_20181103_113416" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_104531/IMG_20181103_113416.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Pollen magnified using a foldscope
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_20181103_113610" class="wp-image-104550 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="104550" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1541244970","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0052356020942408","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20181103_113610" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_104531/IMG_20181103_113610.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Pollen
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 The volunteers at ILP feel that by training a number of teachers, they have the potential to reach that many schools and indirectly impact thousands of students in the process.

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_20181103_122358" class="wp-image-104552 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="104552" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1541247839","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.03030303030303","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG_20181103_122358" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_104531/IMG_20181103_122358.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Participants of the workshop with their foldscopes
 </figcaption>
</figure>

Foldscope Workshop for Educators by India Literacy Project

One foot into the Western Ghats of India and you will hear a variety of birds singing, frogs croaking, cicadas calling and see the landscape covered with evergreen trees of different shades of colours. But what lies beyond what can be heard or seen with the naked eye?


 Each year, several new species of flora and fauna are still being discovered from this landscape. The vast number of species found here makes it one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. While a lot of researchers, conservationists and nature enthusiasts are working on different taxa found here, the micro-flora and fauna are relatively unexplored. With this regard, we set out to peek into the micro-world along with a group of early career researchers interested in ecology.


 As part of a project on exploring foldscopes as a research tool to study diatoms, a workshop was conducted by Gubbi Labs in Coorg District, India on 24
 
 th
 
 May. Diatoms are unicellular photosynthetic algae which are found in water bodies all over the world. They are often referred to as the ‘jewels of the sea” due to their ornate silica cell walls. Scientists use diatoms as environmental indicators, to study the quality of water bodies and to understand the composition of lakes and rivers in the past.


 After a brief introduction to foldscopes, diatoms and sample collection, the group set out to collect diatom samples from a nearby pond. Samples were collected from epilithic (rock), epiphytic (emergent plants) and human- made (water pipe) habitats.

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38393" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_38393" style="width: 300px">
 <a alt="Dd-Gn9NVMAAOIzb.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-Gn9NVMAAOIzb.jpg">
 <img alt="Pond" class="wp-image-38393 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38393" 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="Pond" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-Gn9NVMAAOIzb.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38393">
 Sample collection from a pond with floating and emergent plants
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</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38391" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_38391" style="width: 300px">
 <a alt="Dd-G0bTV4AIrTk9.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-G0bTV4AIrTk9.jpg">
 <img alt="Rock" class="wp-image-38391 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38391" 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="Rock" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-G0bTV4AIrTk9.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38391">
 Sample collection from a rock using a brush
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38392" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_38392" style="width: 300px">
 <a alt="Dd-G6JGV4AAk34X.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-G6JGV4AAk34X.jpg">
 <img alt="water tank" class="wp-image-38392 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38392" 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="water tank" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-G6JGV4AAk34X.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38392">
 Sample collection from a water tank
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38394" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_38394" style="width: 169px">
 <a alt="Dd-G-uiUwAYoJIC.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-G-uiUwAYoJIC.jpg">
 <img alt="Whirl-pak" class="wp-image-38394 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38394" 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="Whirl-pak" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-G-uiUwAYoJIC.jpg" width="169"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38394">
 Samples were collected in Whirl-Paks
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 A drop of water from each sample showed several live microorganisms from golden-yellow coloured diatoms to tiny bacteria moving
 <a href="https://cbdtop.club" style="color: #6a6c6e;text-decoration:none;font-weight: normal">
 cbdtop.club
 </a>
 around and ameboid organisms like Pelomyxa which feed on diatoms.

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38400" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_38400" style="width: 225px">
 <a alt="IMG_20180524_221709021.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/IMG_20180524_221709021.jpg">
 <img alt="Diatom samples" class="wp-image-38400 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38400" 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="Diatom samples" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/IMG_20180524_221709021.jpg" width="225"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38400">
 Live diatoms
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38397" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_38397" style="width: 169px">
 <a alt="Dd-MFxJV4AAKEKW.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-MFxJV4AAKEKW.jpg">
 <img alt="Diatoms" class="wp-image-38397 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38397" 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="Diatoms" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-MFxJV4AAKEKW.jpg" width="169"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38397">
 Live diatoms of the genus Ulnaria
 </figcaption>
</figure>
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 <a alt="Dd-MHr3VwAcUyE2.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-MHr3VwAcUyE2.jpg">
 <img alt="Diatom" class="wp-image-38398 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38398" 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="Diatom" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/Dd-MHr3VwAcUyE2.jpg" width="169"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38398">
 Live diatom samples
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<div class="video-player" id="v-RFFAIOxZ-1">
 <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="562" src="https://videopress.com/embed/RFFAIOxZ?hd=1&amp;loop=0&amp;autoPlay=0&amp;permalink=1" width="1000">
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 We then quickly got to work in our make-shift lab to fix and prepare slides for the participants to observe under the foldscope.

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38403" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_38403" style="width: 300px">
 <a alt="IMG_20180523_133943.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/IMG_20180523_133943.jpg">
 <img alt="Makeshift lab" class="wp-image-38403 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38403" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527082783","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"1298","shutter_speed":"0.071428571428571","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="Makeshift lab" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/IMG_20180523_133943.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38403">
 Makeshift lab in the field
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 With the help of a field guide, the diatoms were grouped into different shapes and some of them could be identified to the genus level.

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38404" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_38404" style="width: 300px">
 <a alt="IMG_20180523_154913_HDR.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/IMG_20180523_154913_HDR.jpg">
 <img alt="Diatom" class="wp-image-38404 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38404" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527090552","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0004416961130742","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="Diatom" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/IMG_20180523_154913_HDR.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38404">
 Diatoms as seen from the fixed slides
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38405" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_38405" style="width: 300px">
 <a alt="IMG_20180523_155021.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/IMG_20180523_155021.jpg">
 <img alt="Diatoms" class="wp-image-38405 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38405" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"Redmi Note3","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1527090621","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.57","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0003469812630118","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="Diatoms" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/IMG_20180523_155021.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38405">
 Diatoms as seen from the fixed slides
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 A brief note on how the slides were fixed: The sample was first oxidised with Hydrogen Peroxide and heated to remove the organic matter. The contents were then separated using a centrifuge and the sample was dried on slides using a hot plate before observing under the foldscope.

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-38399" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_38399" style="width: 300px">
 <a alt="WhatsApp-Image-2018-05-29-at-7.24.30-PM.jpeg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/WhatsApp-Image-2018-05-29-at-7.24.30-PM.jpeg">
 <img alt="Team" class="wp-image-38399 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="38399" 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="Team" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_38334/WhatsApp-Image-2018-05-29-at-7.24.30-PM.jpeg" width="300"/>
 </a>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-38399">
 Group photo with the team
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 This project was funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, as part of the DBT-Prakash Labs (Stanford University) effort to spread microscope access across India.

Unseen gems from the Western Ghats of India

Have you ever been in the middle of a tropical forest during the peak of monsoon? Continuous rainfall for days, overflowing streams, mushrooming waterfalls, leeches and a hundred shades of green – this is what participants of the Bisle Frog Watch face every year.
 

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51320" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51320" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180714_162725" class="size-medium wp-image-51320 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51320" 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_20180714_162725" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180714_162725.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51320">
 Participants of the Bisle Frog Watch braving the harsh monsoon in the Western Ghats
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51322" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51322" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180714_234420" class="size-medium wp-image-51322 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51322" 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_20180714_234420" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180714_234420.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51322">
 Minervarya mudduraja calling
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51321" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51321" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180714_231419" class="size-medium wp-image-51321 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51321" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1531610060","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"500","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180714_231419" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180714_231419.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51321">
 The endangered Rhacophorus lateralis (Boulenger’s Tree Frog)
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51323" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51323" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180715_084648" class="size-medium wp-image-51323 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51323" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1531644408","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180715_084648" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180715_084648.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51323">
 A juvenile Common Indian Toad
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51330" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51330" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180714_233926" class="size-medium wp-image-51330 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51330" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1531611566","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180714_233926" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180714_233926.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51330">
 Wayanad Bush Frogs mating
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 
 The Bisle Frog Watch is a citizen science initiative held in the Western Ghats, India every monsoon to introduce people to amphibians and get them interested in learning how to identify, understand and conserve them. The location being in the heart of the Western Ghats, which is a biodiversity hotspot attracts students, researchers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts from all over the State to participate in this workshop.
 

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51333" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51333" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="DSC_0028" class="size-medium wp-image-51333 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51333" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"3.5","credit":"","camera":"NIKON D7100","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1531578982","copyright":"","focal_length":"18","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="DSC_0028" data-recalc-dims="1" height="200" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/DSC_0028.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51333">
 Briefing participants about foldscopes and diatoms in our makeshift classroom
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51316" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51316" style="width: 225px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180714_123705" class="size-medium wp-image-51316 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51316" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1531571826","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0090909090909091","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180714_123705" data-recalc-dims="1" height="300" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180714_123705.jpg" width="225"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51316">
 Collecting samples from human made structures to show diatoms to participants
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51317" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51317" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180714_153419" class="size-medium wp-image-51317 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51317" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1531582459","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0014164305949008","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180714_153419" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180714_153419.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51317">
 Diatoms from permanent slides as seen from a foldscope
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 
 This time, while the participants were taking a break from batrachology we thought we could show them the beautiful world of diatoms. There was just one little problem though. All the usual places where one would find an abundance of diatoms were washed out in the months of relentless rain. Uh oh!
 


 
 That’s when Dr. Gururaja K.V. the batrachology expert leading the group had a brilliant idea. Why not connect the frogs and the diatoms? Tadpoles primarily feed on algae and microflora and a significant portion of their diet consists of diatoms, and their silica containing cell walls maintain structure even after they are excreted. Of course, there was no shortage of tadpoles at Bisle!
 


 
 After a briefing on diatoms and foldscopes, we caught a couple of tadpoles from a pond nearby, waited till they did their business before releasing them back into the pond. Temporary slides of tadpole excrement were made and handed to the participants to observe under foldscopes.
 

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51315" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51315" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180714_075821" class="size-medium wp-image-51315 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51315" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1531555102","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"1600","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180714_075821" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180714_075821.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51315">
 Tadpole of Indirana tysonii
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51326" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51326" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180714_121634" class="size-medium wp-image-51326 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51326" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1531570594","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"250","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180714_121634" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180714_121634.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51326">
 Waiting for tadpoles to give us some diatom samples
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 
 And as Dr. Gururaja expected, the tadpoles had provided us with an excellent concentrated sample of diatoms in the middle of the monsoon. Here, have a look..
 

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51319" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51319" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180714_154627" class="size-medium wp-image-51319 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51319" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1531583187","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0022421524663677","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180714_154627" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180714_154627.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51319">
 Diatoms in tadpole excreta as seen under a foldscope
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51318" class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_51318" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="IMG_20180714_154559" class="size-medium wp-image-51318 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="51318" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.7","credit":"","camera":"ONEPLUS A6000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1531583159","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.0016181229773463","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_20180714_154559" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_51314/IMG_20180714_154559.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-51318">
 Diatoms in tadpole excreta as seen under a foldscope
 </figcaption>
</figure>

Vignesh Kamath

Earth

Posts

Foldscope Workshop for Educators by India Literacy Project

Unseen gems from the Western Ghats of India

Foldscopes in a frog workshop?

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Statistics

Type of Sample

Foldscope Lens Magnification