LGP'26 B3: The Tears Behind the Lens: Discovering Art in an Onion Peel
Jun 02, 2026 • 6:40 PM UTC
India
140x Magnification
Plants
Alisha
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As part of the ‘Exploring The Microcosm’ course at LGP’26, I had the opportunity to view an onion peel under the Foldscope. I never thought a common ingredient in our cuisine would have such intricacy to it. Obtaining the sample genuinely made me cry—not just from cutting onions, but also from the frustration of trying to get a thin enough peel. I spent quite a while trying to obtain a sample thin enough to fit the foldscope and observe, as it also had to allow light to pass through.
I viewed it under a variety of lenses, watching the otherwise dull object light up under the Foldscope.
Under the 50x lens, I was able to view the cells looking like finger like structures, packed compactly together. It was irregular, yet had a certain symmetry to it.
I viewed it under a variety of lenses, watching the otherwise dull object light up under the Foldscope.
Under the 50x lens, I was able to view the cells looking like finger like structures, packed compactly together. It was irregular, yet had a certain symmetry to it.
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Under the 140x lens, I was able to view the nucleus as well. The pink colour popped out, and for a moment I found myself wishing for the exact shade to paint a landscape with.
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The 340x lens further zoomed into the cell, enabling observation of the finer details of the cell.
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I never imagined such a compact and affordable instrument made of paper, could show me such brilliant things. What I thought was only possible with expensive machinery was materializing in front of me using an instrument so small I could carry it with me.
Some of the challenges I faced included not only obtaining the perfect sample, but also fine adjustment. I spent a long time figuring out how to adjust the instrument to obtain a perfectly clear view. Additionally, another frustrating thing was capturing pictures. What looked absolutely surreal and like the perfect view when seen by naked eye, and honestly even the most instagramable moment, looked completely different in the pictures. It seemed as if I were capturing pictures of an old broken wall.
This experience taught me the importance of the finer details. Having to take the same sample 3 times even when I thought it was thin enough taught me to focus on the micro-aspects, with even a slightly thicker sample significantly impacting the quality of observations.
It didn’t just teach me about onion cells, but imparted lessons in patience, perseverance, and thoroughness. It taught me science goes way beyond textbooks, and it’s not just a subject, it’s a form of art.
Some of the challenges I faced included not only obtaining the perfect sample, but also fine adjustment. I spent a long time figuring out how to adjust the instrument to obtain a perfectly clear view. Additionally, another frustrating thing was capturing pictures. What looked absolutely surreal and like the perfect view when seen by naked eye, and honestly even the most instagramable moment, looked completely different in the pictures. It seemed as if I were capturing pictures of an old broken wall.
This experience taught me the importance of the finer details. Having to take the same sample 3 times even when I thought it was thin enough taught me to focus on the micro-aspects, with even a slightly thicker sample significantly impacting the quality of observations.
It didn’t just teach me about onion cells, but imparted lessons in patience, perseverance, and thoroughness. It taught me science goes way beyond textbooks, and it’s not just a subject, it’s a form of art.
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