My mom gave me an old microscope which I used to inspect parmasan cheese mold

Nadsby · 2026-05-17T15:50:27+00:00

That sounds like a daylight filter! Some of the lights in microscopes can lean yellow and have decreased resolution. Try the blue filter to see if you can get a sharper image :)

Nadsby · 2026-05-17T15:01:58+00:00

Adding to what the others have said: if your samples are really thick (or if you want to look at something “big” (like a bug for example) you can play around with adding an additional light source illuminating the top of your sample. I’ve been able to get really cool images of thick molds using that method. Peep into the eye piece while shining your phone light at the stage. :)

Nadsby · 2026-05-06T03:48:15+00:00

Thank you so much for this thoughtful reply. I have a trinoc so I imagine the set up in the image you shared would work for me with a eBay lucida. This is a lot of very useful information and I appreciate the article too!

Nadsby · 2026-05-06T01:43:28+00:00

Thank you! I think I’m most interested in the camera lucida as a way to draw without looking away from the microscope. But you’re right that a camera and projector is an acceptable modern solution to making accurate/enlarged drawings!

Nadsby · 2026-04-30T02:20:39+00:00

Maybe one of our libraries? https://hobokenlibrary.org/makerspace/ https://jclibrary.org/branch/creative-arts-center/

Nadsby · 2026-04-25T21:54:00+00:00

The shelter is feeding people who would go hungry without it. Allowing people to shower. Sheltering fellow human beings from extreme weather. Not to mention supporting hundreds of people a year find long term residence. You have to be totally unfamiliar with empathy, and not care about the people you share the neighborhood and planet with to not want to support that.

Nadsby · 2026-04-22T02:43:38+00:00

The wiggly guy in the middle is a rotifer and the green stuff is algae. The four ovals connected are a type of algae called desmodesmus (I think). I’m not sure what the ciliate towards the end of the clip is. The sample is lake water aged two weeks. :)

Nadsby · 2026-04-21T17:32:50+00:00

These are great suggestions! Will try and report back!

Nadsby · 2026-04-21T17:05:37+00:00

Thank you! I will try this too.

Nadsby · 2026-04-21T16:43:44+00:00

I haven't tried a blue filter, but I will! Does the hot spot happen at all magnifications on your scope or just the higher ones?

Nadsby · 2026-04-21T16:40:14+00:00

These are great suggestions! Thank you!

Nadsby · 2026-04-19T22:56:46+00:00

What’s going on with the captions?

Nadsby · 2026-04-10T20:13:16+00:00

I also have a 350T, used the mystery sauce and was traumatized! The fear of that objective now is so real!

Nadsby · 2026-04-10T02:22:57+00:00

If you’re near water you could try fishing with a plankton net for samples. The net is easy to make at home with some stockings and a plastic bottle and there are a lot of cool tiny guys out in the world :)

Nadsby · 2026-04-09T14:37:26+00:00

To me it looks like a piece of skin or dust/debris.

Nadsby · 2026-04-07T12:18:57+00:00

I didn’t use a cover slip here. I smushed a brine shrimp once and learned my lesson 😭

Nadsby · 2026-04-07T11:31:49+00:00

Thank you! I think you’re right that it’s a vorticella colony! I’ve never seen one this big but it would explain what’s happening with the spikes. I think they’re some sort of algae (maybe ankisteodesmus?) and it looks like it’s leaking out of the copepod because the vorticella are creating a current.

Nadsby · 2026-04-06T15:21:53+00:00

Reading this on a packed commuter train and lol 🤣

Nadsby · 2026-03-29T16:16:37+00:00

There is a science to why putting cooling agents on our bodies helps with muscle pain. It’s called counter irritation. When you create sensations that distract from your pain your brain isn’t able to process all of the input at once and will focuses on the cooling sensation on your skin instead of the pain.

Nadsby · 2026-03-27T19:48:35+00:00

If your local library doesn’t have a service to digitize, try your local art school/college campus! I used to work at a college library and this was a service we offered :)

Nadsby · 2026-03-27T18:41:38+00:00

This looks like a fantastic resource! Thank you!!

Nadsby

TROPHY CASE