When I started on my journey into microscopy in 2020, the initial aim was to make a UV transmission microscope for my research into sunscreens (previously written about in Crowther, 2021). Very soon I found myself in need of something to help me determine the resolution of my microscope and this was where I was introduced to the wonderful world of diatoms.
Microscopy and biology have always been intimately linked together. One of the driving forces for the development of the very earliest microscopes was our curiosity of the basis of life and our desire to understand it.
Since its inception, fluorescence imaging has revolutionised biological research, providing an invaluable tool for scientists to explore and visualise cellular structures and processes at a microscopic scale.
How does an Electron Microscopy (EM) facility come into being? For many established facilities it feels as though they have always existed, sewn into the fabric of institutes, departments and universities.
The RMS would like to thank everyone who attended elmi2024 in Liverpool (4 – 7 June), for making it such a special event for the Light Microscopy community.
Fluorescence microscopy is an essential tool in cell biology as it allows scientists to look at what is inside of a cell and easily see the organisation of organelle by labelling different organelles selectively.
Scientific dating of paintings is used by a wide range of related fields to provide independent means of verification. This paper outlines the principle approaches that are used, some problems with current methodology, and a potential solution through the application of simple mathematical modelling to the occurrences of materials and techniques in paintings.
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is one of the best suited out of a variety of procedures to visualise the external appearance of bacteria. Bacteria live in various environments and their preparation for SEM thus takes their nature into consideration. The basic principles of isolation, fixation, dehydration, drying, mounting, and photographing have many variations, some of which are discussed in this article.
Despite centuries of scientific effort, the origin of desert varnish is still shrouded in controversy. Most investigators have looked to biological causes where microbes create varnish and preferentially concentrate manganese relative to the local soils and rocks. Finally, microscopy appears to be solving the riddle of desert varnish.
Tomographic modeling of vascular corrosion casts provides accurate, quantifiable three dimensional information regarding blood vessel systems and hold great promise for understanding the blood supply to normal and diseased tissues. Wagner and Hossler explains how these casts can be achieved.
