LGP 2026 | Batch 3 | Exploring the Microcosm | Day 1 | Fern Rhizome & Onion Peel | Ashoka University
Jun 04, 2026 • 2:06 PM UTC
India
140x Magnification
Workshops and Events
Aadit
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I honestly didn't know what to expect walking into Day 1. A foldscope is a tiny structure made of paper with a lens, and yet, apparently, it can show you the inside of a plant in real detail. I was curious. I wanted to see if it actually worked, and how it worked and whether it truly was "Form and Function"
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We had two samples to look at: a fern rhizome cross-section that was given to us, and an onion peel that we had to prepare ourselves. The onion one meant using our nails to peel off a single thin layer from the onion itself, which sounds straightforward until you're actually doing it and every attempt either tears wrong or folds over itself, requiring you to take the entire sample again.
Then come the air bubbles, another issue. Bubbles kept getting trapped under the cellotape and messing up the view, and figuring out how to get a clean slide took a few tries. Getting the foldscope actually to focus was its own thing, too; it responds to really small movements (fine adjustments), and even when it seemed perfectly adjusted to the eye, the problem was capturing the image as the fine adjustment shifted slightly, blurring the focus. But honestly, that whole process of figuring it out was part of what made it interesting. It didn't feel like following instructions; it felt like actually solving, thinking critically and adapting when necessary.
The Fern Rhizome
When the fern rhizome finally came into focus, especially at 140x and 340x, my first reaction was genuinely oh, that's not what I expected, but it looks cool anyway. I think I was expecting something more blob-like. What I actually saw was way more structured: a clear outer layer, a big region of loosely packed cells filling most of it, and then these dense compact clusters right at the centre that immediately aesthetically stood out from everything else.
50x
Then come the air bubbles, another issue. Bubbles kept getting trapped under the cellotape and messing up the view, and figuring out how to get a clean slide took a few tries. Getting the foldscope actually to focus was its own thing, too; it responds to really small movements (fine adjustments), and even when it seemed perfectly adjusted to the eye, the problem was capturing the image as the fine adjustment shifted slightly, blurring the focus. But honestly, that whole process of figuring it out was part of what made it interesting. It didn't feel like following instructions; it felt like actually solving, thinking critically and adapting when necessary.
The Fern Rhizome
When the fern rhizome finally came into focus, especially at 140x and 340x, my first reaction was genuinely oh, that's not what I expected, but it looks cool anyway. I think I was expecting something more blob-like. What I actually saw was way more structured: a clear outer layer, a big region of loosely packed cells filling most of it, and then these dense compact clusters right at the centre that immediately aesthetically stood out from everything else.
50x
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140x
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340x
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Those central clusters are the vascular bundles, which are the plant's transport system for water and nutrients. And even without knowing that beforehand, you could tell something different was happening there just from how they looked. The cells in those clusters are noticeably smaller and more tightly packed than the ones surrounding them. At 50x, it's like seeing the birds-eye view of a city from above. At 140x it's like you've zoomed into a couple of neighbourhoods and at 340x you can suddenly see the individual buildings.
The Onion Peel
The onion peel was the one that required the most work, yet as the sample wasn't already provided, we had to make our own sample, so it felt more rewarding when it finally worked. Once the slide was clean, the cells were immediately obvious, long rectangular shapes lined up neatly next to each other, each one clearly outlined.
50x
The Onion Peel
The onion peel was the one that required the most work, yet as the sample wasn't already provided, we had to make our own sample, so it felt more rewarding when it finally worked. Once the slide was clean, the cells were immediately obvious, long rectangular shapes lined up neatly next to each other, each one clearly outlined.
50x
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140x
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340x
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What surprised me was how clear everything was. I could actually see the cell walls and make out the nucleus in some of them. I don't know what I was expecting, but it looked nothing like a normal textbook diagram, and hence it felt more actual, less perfect and more realistic
How Day 1 Felt Overall
I came in curious, and well, I left more curious. The frustrating parts, the bubbles, the focusing, and the failed slides somewhat enhanced the experience in my opinion. By the time something worked, you actually cared about the result because you had to put in effort for it.
The thing that changed my perspective considerably is how two similar samples (from the naked eye) looked so different from each other. Same tool, same setup, completely different views. I'm genuinely interested to see how everything looks under a foldscope, and I realised the only limit to the foldscope is you and your imagination.
How Day 1 Felt Overall
I came in curious, and well, I left more curious. The frustrating parts, the bubbles, the focusing, and the failed slides somewhat enhanced the experience in my opinion. By the time something worked, you actually cared about the result because you had to put in effort for it.
The thing that changed my perspective considerably is how two similar samples (from the naked eye) looked so different from each other. Same tool, same setup, completely different views. I'm genuinely interested to see how everything looks under a foldscope, and I realised the only limit to the foldscope is you and your imagination.
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