Audrey Bennett

On my way back from the dining hall on campus, I noticed a bush with leaves of four different colors. I was curious as to how they might look different on a cellular level.


 These leaves were sampled in February. As the length of day and amount of sunlight changes, chlorophyll can break down, causing the vibrant green color to disappear. This reveals the yellow-orange colors that are characteristic to fall and winter.


 I sampled four leaves from the same bush.
 
 Leaf 1: medium-sized, dark green, healthy looking leaf.
 
 Leaf 2: a yellow-green color and the largest of the four.
 
 Leaf 3: medium-sized, red-colored, and felt waxy and soft.
 
 Leaf 4: light green in color, the smallest of the four, and seemed like new growth.

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_4067" class="wp-image-125485 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="125485" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1549824237","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"64","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_4067" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_125483/IMG_4067.jpg"/>
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 Leaf 1: very well defined cell walls! Very bright green color from chlorophyll.

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_4068" class="wp-image-125486 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="125486" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1549824517","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"250","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_4068" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_125483/IMG_4068-1.jpg"/>
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 Leaf 2: very faint yellow color, cell walls were difficult to see perhaps due to light coloring or the leaf is beginning to die.

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_4076" class="wp-image-125487 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="125487" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1549824735","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_4076" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_125483/IMG_4076.jpg"/>
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 Leaf 3: neat how the lines along the leaf are very easy to see, bright purple-red color, I had trouble focusing this image so cell walls are hard to see.

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 <img alt="IMG_4078" class="wp-image-125488 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="125488" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1549824881","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"160","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_4078" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_125483/IMG_4078.jpg"/>
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 Leaf 4: new growth leaf, I also had trouble focusing this one but the green color doesn’t seem to be as developed as the mature green leaf.

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_4081" class="wp-image-125490 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="125490" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1549825269","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"250","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_4081" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_125483/IMG_4081.jpg"/>
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 Summary: it’s neat to observe different levels of chlorophyll and cell wall structure of leaves from the same bush during winter!

Colorful Leaves in Winter

Have you been told before to eat the white, spongey part of an orange between the fruit and the peel because that’s where all of the nutrients are?


 While eating my orange one afternoon, I decided to look at the orange pith using my Foldscope.

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 <img alt="IMG_4156" class="wp-image-130561 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="130561" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1551004936","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"50","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_4156" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_130513/IMG_4156.jpg"/>
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 According to Dr. Weil, the pith is high in fiber and contains the same amount of vitamin C as the fruit itself! It also contains flavonoids that help with inflammation and reducing spikes in blood sugar.

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 <img alt="IMG_4142" class="wp-image-130563 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="130563" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1550748896","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"160","shutter_speed":"0.033333333333333","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_4142" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_130513/IMG_4142-1.jpg"/>
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 Under magnification, the pith appeared thin and multi-layered with a relatively complex structure. It’s exciting to think that all of those nutrients are contained in this odd-looking substance!

Audrey Bennett

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Colorful Leaves in Winter

Orange Pith

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Foldscope Lens Magnification