Sasha Fomina

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="57289383_2085727381505002_1511218753159823360_n" class="wp-image-143901 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="143901" 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="57289383_2085727381505002_1511218753159823360_n" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_143900/57289383_2085727381505002_1511218753159823360_n.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Figure 1: Foldscope sample of a green-tinted organism and a worm-like organism in water
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</figure>

 The image pictured was obtained through a phone camera snapshot of a sample viewed through a foldscope. The sample was prepared from water taken from the Caltech turtle pond on 4/10/19. In the bottom right-hand corner of the sample, what appears to be algae or some similar green-tinted organism. This organism was no longer moving when observed, but a rough cell well can be made out from the image above. In the top right-hand corner of the sample, there appears to be a worm of some sort. I wonder what differing mechanisms the organisms observed in my sample might use to move. I might approach finding an answer to this questions by focusing closer on the edges of the algae-like organism, to see if I can observe any cilia, which might help it to move. Also, I wonder which membrane-bound organelles can be observer at this magnification in the algae-like organism. I might adjust the focus on my foldscope and increase the back-lighting to get a clearer view in hopes of answering this question. Finally, I wonder how the organisms would respond to being in a saltier environment, considering they were found in a fresh water pond. To answer this question, I would prepare a new slide in which I added sim salt along the fringes of the water, and observe to see if any sort of osmosis occurred in the cells of the organisms. #caltechbi1

Algae and Worms Observed from Foldscope

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 <img alt="IMG-0504" class="wp-image-149178 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="149178" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone XS","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1557485349","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.25","iso":"25","shutter_speed":"0.0082644628099174","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG-0504" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_149177/IMG-0504.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Figure 1: Pollen sample as observed from a Foldscope through the additional magnification of a phone camera
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<ul>
 <li>
 
 Description of Image:
 
 There are rice-shaped yellow oval grains, that are filled with a somewhat translucent cytoplasm.
 </li>
 <li>
 
 Location and time sample was obtained:
 
 Sample was obtained at 6pm on 5/8/19 from a garden on the Caltech campus next to the Broad building from the flower pictured below.
 </li>
</ul>
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 <img alt="20190508-175709-1557522832608" class="wp-image-149180 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="149180" 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="20190508-175709-1557522832608" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_149177/20190508-175709-1557522832608.jpeg"/>
 <figcaption>
 Figure 2: Flower that produced the pollen obtained for the sample
 </figcaption>
</figure>
<ul>
 <li>
 
 Some questions about my image and potential approaches to answering them:
 
 <ul>
 <li>
 I wonder what material makes up the tough outer shell of the pollen grains observed and I wonder how it would react with water. I could approach answer this question starting by preparing a sample of pollen in water, and observing it.
 </li>
 <li>
 I wonder how the pollen will decay with time. I can answer this question by making several follow up observations in the span of days and weeks.
 </li>
 <li>
 I wonder where what about the structure of these pollen grains allows it to attach to the stigma of a plant. I could approach answering this question by also preparing a sample of a stigma from the plant and observing its structure to try to make some inferences.
 </li>
 <li>
 I wonder what can be noticed about the inside of the pollen grains given higher magnification. I could possible answer this question using a higher powered magnification microscope.
 </li>
 </ul>
 </li>
</ul>

 #caltechbi1

Sasha Fomina

Earth

Posts

Algae and Worms Observed from Foldscope

Observed through Foldscope: Pollen Collected from Pictured Flower at Caltech

Locations

Statistics

Type of Sample

Foldscope Lens Magnification