Last week I had an amazing opportunity to introduce learners from a  local school to Foldcsopes as part of a mini science forum organised by the Department of Science and Technology at the Cape Town Science Centre . I was one of the academics at the University of Cape Town’s exhibition table. Everyone, from the school kids to the director of the Science Centre was blown away by the Foldscopes!

We assembled Foldscopes together and the leaners had the opportunity to explore the microscopic world for the first time! I had several glass and paper slides prepared for the day, including a dissected Christmas Beetle and a drain fly.  I was really excited to give three girls from the school the chance to assemble and take home their very own Foldscopes.

The Foldscope images above show the hairs on the leading edge of the Christmas beetle wing and an antenna from the drain fly.