There are millions of different species of bacteria, and they come in a diverse array of shapes, sizes, and other defining internal and external features. These physical characteristics are what helps us identify one type of bacteria from another, and to do that, we need a light microscope. In this article, we’ll talk about how …
One of the best things about studying microscopy is that interesting specimens are all around us- sometimes, even on our person. Think of human hair, for instance. As a specimen, it’s easy to work with since little to no slide preparation is necessary, and there’s a fountain of information we can learn from a single …
Whether it’s from a human, animal, or plant, most cells look highly similar to one another. Because the cells of all living things share a variety of common intrinsic structures, the resemblance between, say, a human red blood cell and that from a dinosaur is often uncanny. These similar cellular structures and components include the …
One of the easiest, simplest, and also fun ways to learn about microscopy is to look at onion cells under a microscope. As a matter of fact, observing onion cells through a microscope lens is a staple part of most introductory classes in cell biology – so don’t be surprised if your laboratory reeks of …
Light microscopes are handy optical instruments that come with a variety of essential uses, such as in studying various microorganisms, including parasites, bacteria, and fungi. However, they also come with many limitations. While a light microscope can be extremely beneficial in bacteriology and pathology, can the same be said for, say, virology? Can viruses be …
One of the more useful and essential uses of microscopy is in identifying, analyzing, and treating certain diseases, ranging anywhere from bacterial and viral infections, to something a lot more serious and fatal, such as cancer. There are a lot of distinctive differences between cancer cells and normal cells when it comes to appearance, characteristics, …
Ants are tiny yet interesting creatures that are fun and enlightening to observe under a microscope, or even a simple magnifying glass or the camera lens of a smartphone. Even at low magnifications, you should be able to see plenty of details as to how the ant looks, how it moves, how it eats, and …
Looking at salt under the microscope is a great learning activity for young students who are exploring how different materials look like when viewed through a microscope, especially when studying crystals, minerals, and other geometric shaped solid substances. This is because salt looks different when viewed with the naked eye, with a hand lens or …
Sand is one of the many fascinating materials to view under a microscope, given its distinct shapes, sizes, colors, textures, and the fact that how the sand looks is highly dependent on where it comes from. This is because the composition of sand depends on the local environmental conditions, and more importantly, the available rock …
Our common perception of yeast is that it’s used to make bread, sometimes beer or wine. While that’s all great and all, these are actually not the only kinds of yeast. There are many more different types of yeast that can do a lot of different things. Today, we’ll answer all your questions about yeast, …