Sept 17, 2016 – This is a video filled (less text) style – sharing some old data I had collected from Stern Groves:

Dec 2015- I live next to Stern Grove , which has a small pond. Many months back; I had gotten a small pool of water from the same.

The small dish had a magical feeling of a kingdom, inviting me to engage and see what’s happening in the streets and corners of this kingdom; who is doing what.

It was such an inviting scene, how could I miss. The analogy to the city is quiet apt; just see for yourself, does this not remind you of busy streets of Tokyo. Everyone on to something.To creatures to pay attention is the big worm like thing; it’s a flatworm (probably a planaria) and also green little arms (a symbiotic hydra).

So you can not see the entire world in one go; so you have to “sample” – just a tiny drop. I put that on a glass slide; and things come along for a ride. Here is a beautiful fresh water “copepod” with it’s little egg sacs (yes, that two little hanging bags are eggs which the mother prefers to carry around for protection). This gives you a sense of “life” in this busy city (in the very end of the post; I do some time lapse imaging of this egg sac).

The first inhabitant that greeted me was this little red thing – It’s called a Daphnie. Now, this is a very unusual view, since I was able to trap it between a glass slide and cover slip with the “front-facing orientation”. Usually, seeing from the side it’s not so clear, but as you can see here, it only has “one” eye.. but has the capacity to steer the eye in all directions. Look at those arms swinging side to side – reminds us of someone controlling traffic. This is a remarkable organism, with a protective and beautifully patterned shell. This is love at first site; I knew I am going to have a fantastic time in this little kingdom in a dish.

I spent a lot of time with this visitor; but here are a few more observations. Please leave comments with unusual observations/findings you can make. This should also remind you, if you use your foldscope correctly, this is the kind of clarity you should be able to get.

For completeness, here is a side view where you can see the antenna and the gut. It’s the colored channel inside the body, where the animal feeds and poops at the other end. Important stuff.

Now, using digital zoom, if I look carefully – I can actually see a beating heart. This is such an incredible site; to see a beating heart (not so different from what you and I have) in this tiny little creature the size of a dot at the end of this sentence. Life is incredible..

Now, because our phones have high speed cameras, I set up 240fps imaging mode; and now I can see the heart beat in “slow-mo”.. Watch carefully on the top right corner and you will see a heart beat slowly moving. Can you infer how this can pump “blood” and which direction would that go (leave an answer below)?

The second visitor that greeted me was little green hydra. I asked why are you green; and it responded – I am filled with symbiotic green algae growing inside (maybe similar to Mr. Poppyee – but for real). I was able to see incredible epithelium structure and “stinging cells” all across the surface.

Carried away by this observation; I watched this little thing for hours. It’s incredible graceful movement is really fun to see.

It’s quiet clear to see the epithelium is devoid of any green symbiotic organisms; while the gut is filled with them. Somehow the algae positions itself only in the inner tissue and not right at the exposed epithelium. You can also see the thickness associated with the epithelium.

I was not surprised; soon enough I had found a bud; coming off the side of the organism. This is how new hydra will emerge just from the side of the mother organism. Stop to think of it; how remarkable is that.. You can also see the “foot” that a hydra uses to attach itself to a substrate; akin to a suction cup (not sure if it uses actual suction).

As I said; I really did image this for hours. Here are a few more views.

Now, I was so excited about this kingdom but it was getting late. So I left for whom and promised to return the next day. I had some chores to do; so several days passed since my last visit. But the night before I was going to Foldscope the kingdom; I decided to setup a secret camera (on time lapse) imaging for 12 hours. When I see animals for 12 hours, I get a better idea of what they do when I sleep at night; and look what I caught. Lots and lots and lots of green hydra – the budding was successful and they had multiplied.

But, the fun is in watching them. Look carefully and they are swinging themselves in circles; round and round. Now, why would they do that – think think.. ah.. because they are trying to catch creatures from the water. And the best strategy is to have a “fish” line ad just swing it around in hope of catching something. This is like a “sweeping” strategy – it must work since all of them like to do that. It’s just mesmerizing.. now; can you tell if they all swing clockwise or anti-clockwise or both. Leave a comment below?

In the very end; you will see the “sun” come up; I was awake and the hydra probably went to sleep (do hydra sleep – leave a comment?). Next, I looked at a slightly faster time lapse; and you can see the hydra also stretch quiet a lot. This is very interesting; because this has to do with the property of the epithelium (skin layer). Anyone remembers the movie incredibles; can you name a super power in the movie that the hydra also have (leave answer in comment?)

After this, I was met with the strangest of all things. It’s a tiny little capsule with an organism inside. I would love if someone could tell me it’s name – so I can say hello. I feel shy saying hello to a stranger (please leave comment below?)

Many organisms I met are not so easy to identify. They are like the un-described hero’s that make this kingdom run. Here is one I call “ruffling membranes”

Returning to our friend copepod; here it is under a Foldscope.

Time lapse of copepod eggs in fresh water. I use Lapseit App; setup the Foldscope with focus locking and leave. Here are the results.

Now, I can go on and on about stories about my little kingdom. But you all have a little kingdom in your own backyard or a little puddle or a pond near your house. Go get a littl petri dish; collect some water and watch who lives in your neighborhood. And don’t forget your Foldscope; or else you won’t see your neighbors. Until next time..

cheers
manu