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.
One of the fastest growing areas within the UK microscopy community is the analysis of imaging data. This article describes the formation of the Data Analysis in Imaging (DAIM) section of the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS), formed to represent the interests of RMS members in this rapidly expanding field.
This RMS studentship was focused on creating and then testing the functionality of an optics module that would use the Raspberry Pi High Quality Camera modules instead of the currently used Raspberry Pi Camera 2 in the OpenFlexure microscope.
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.
The surface characterisation of pharmaceutical-based powders is a challenge due to their beam sensitivity. Secondary electron hyperspectral imaging (SEHI) is a novel surface analysis technique which filters secondary electrons (SE) energies using mirror electrodes to generate a spectrum.
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.
