CURRENT ISSUE: Micscape Magazine, exploring the miniature world for enthusiasts of amateur microscopy

Please do not contact the above for image permissions. Each article contributor retains the copyright to their material so should be contacted directly via the link in the relevant article. Thank you.

Comments on Micscape and contributions welcomed.
Contributions: Any modern format welcomed i.e. pdf. doc/docx with embedded images, or html + jpegs.

Unidentified ciliate from the family Holophyridae - Robert McCallum (Canada) describes and illustrates an example of this protozoan. PDF

Microscopical exploration thirty seven. Same acids more colour - James Stewart (UK) explores the crystal morphology of four fruit acids from evaporation in water. PDF

Roatan 14. Other things than the lab - G. Joseph Wilhelm (Honduras) shares his progress on building a home lab on the island of Roatan. PDF

Micscape Lite - contributors sharing their other interests

Nature's Chemistry Set - illustrated with molecular models and stamps. The Madagascan periwinkle Catharanthus roseus - provider of two important drugs, vinblastine and vincristine - David Walker (UK) Added on Oct. 14th.

In Focus: A pinnacle achievement in microscopy? A fly's brain smaller than the size of a pinhead was cut into 7000 slices with a microtome, imaged under the microscope then assembled digitally using AI techniques, for a complete structure with the interconections (130 000 cells and 50 million connections). The wiring diagram is called a connectome. See BBC News article.

From the Archives. An issue nine years ago in November 2015 (the 20th anniversary issue since its founding in 1995).
Sadly, a number of authors linked to below have passed away - Brian Johnston, Richard Howey, William Amos, Walter Dioni, Frithjof Sterrenburg.

On the occasion of our formal 20th anniversary year issue (started November 1995), the site co-founders Maurice Smith and David Walker would like to sincerely thank all our contributors and readers over the years for their support, on whom the success of the magazine heavily relies. The 350 contributors from 30 countries to date are listed on the Contributor Index page.

The mechanical tube length in microscopy. A short introduction - Gregor Overney (USA) discusses this important parameter of a microscope and its implications when choosing optics.

Household microscopy Part 1. (Well sort of.) - Richard Howey (USA) starts a new series where he explores potential subjects in the home. This month the medical cabinet is explored.

A restoration project - Fritz Schulze (Canada) describes and illustrates how a bare and incomplete $25 Watson Edinburgh 'H' stand could be restored using variously sourced parts.

Video: Celebrating Micscape's 20th anniversary year issue - A fun video created by Alejandro Ariel Garcia Arriaga (Mexico)

Unusual microscopes: The Elgeet zoom projection microscope. Ingenious, practical and extinct - Manuel del Cerro (USA) and Dietmar R Krause (USA) describe a microscope that fitted onto the lens of a 35 mm slide projector. PDF

A Spencer student microscope - Michael Reese Much (USA) describes and illustrates a model from this classic maker which can still be put to good use. PDF

My 70 year journey with microscopes and the pursuit of perfection - Wilhelm Resch (Canada) describes and illustrates how his microscopy hobby has developed since he was aged 10. PDF

Mrs. Malaprop congratulates Micscape on its 20^th Anniversary - Richard Howey (USA) shares a fun essay.

Interview with Mol Smith and David Walker. On the occasion of Micscape's 20th anniversary issue in November 2015 - Alejandro Ariel Garcia Arriaga (Mexico) has a virtual chat with the site founders on aspects of the venture and their respective interests in microscopy.

Micscape snippets 3 - On a toy microscope and a chemistry set of the late 60s. - David Walker (UK) reflects on the impact that key toys can have on hobbies and career.

Below are a selection of past articles from contributors, further selections will be shared in future issues. Typing an author's surname into our Search engine will show their other work.
We will also feature a regular 'Spotlight On' series bringing together various contributors' past articles on a given theme. Subjects planned include stereo microscopes and circular oblique lighting.

The strange and the beautiful (November 2004) - Ian Walker (UK) captures attractive imagery from a variety of subjects including finding photogenic micro-scapes in 'failed' parts of the mounted subject.

Those who live in glass houses (October 1997) - William H Amos (USA) has shared a wide variety of natural history essays, this essay was illustrated with attractive line drawings of silicoflagellates and diatoms by Wim van Egmond (The Netherlands).

My favourite microscope - the Wild M20 (August 2000) - Paul James (UK) has shared a wide variety of articles, here he described and illustrated his phase contrast example of a classic microscope.

The excellent Leitz microscopes with black enamel finish (March 2008) - Norman and Gregor Overney (USA), now in its 7th edition (2011), this 24 page heavily illustrated pdf is an invaluable work on the history of and identifying the range of models.

Inverted microscopes (July 1998) - David Goldstein (USA) discussed the pros and cons of the inverted design using his Olympus CK2 as an example.

Is microscopy dead? (July 2013) - Mol Smith (UK) the Microscopy UK website founder and co-webmaster assessed the state of the hobby and how using modern developments may bring the hobby to a wider audience.

A close-up view of the wildflower 'bittersweet nightshade' (August 2008) - One of the striking macro and microscopic studies by Brian Johnston (Canada) of flowers both wild and cultivated from his extensive series. Click the 'Flowers' button in page head for an index to the full series. Also see his 'Crystals' suite.

Microscopy primer (September 2002) - Frithjof A S Sterrenburg (The Netherlands). An insightful and wide ranging resource on microscopy and remarking on aspects not always well covered in some books. Can be read online or downloaded.

A virtual pond dip - A delightful interactive jam jar of pond critters designed by Wim van Egmond (The Netherlands) linking to Micscape articles on each organism. Ideal for beginners. Links to the more extensive 'Pond Life Identification Kit' bringing many contributors articles together to form an introductory guide.

A homage to the onion skin - One of the many articles by the late and sadly missed Walter Dioni (Mexico). Walter specialised in studying easy to obtain but rewarding subjects and using safe accessible chemicals for slide preparation. His articles were compiled by Mol Smith into a book 'Safe Microscopic Techniques for Amateurs. Slide Mounting' and available on Amazon UK and USA (paperback and Kindle).

'Zenith' UK branded Russian microscopes of the 1970s - 1990s. Notes on the range compiled from the data sheets of Technical and Optical Equipment Ltd (London), UK - Compiled by David Walker (UK), includes downloadable data sheets for this popular range of affordable but versatile microscopes.

We are delighted to receive contributions small or large from microscopy enthusiasts whether a novice or expert. If you have an image, tip or article, why not share it, this magazine is what you make it!

Archive
Look for that elusive article on our site: Micscape Magazine past issues online (read articles online using the original illustrated index for each month). Article Library (browse articles by category) Automated Search (a search engine for keyword searches in all articles) Contributor index (a list of all Micscape contributors to date)
News - special notices - misc.

External links. Updated April 2020. Below are some of our favourites, which includes sites with extensive links and/or resources for the optical microscopy enthusiast.
External Microscopy forums: Places to discuss the hobby or to raise queries. www.photomacrography.net forums, galleries, articles on macroscopy and photomicrography. groups.io (formerly Yahoo groups): Amateur Microscopy Diatom Forum Microscopy as a hobby or profession Wild Microscopes Facebook groups: Amateur Microscopy (>21000 members, very active). Also specialist groups e.g. for users of given maker's microscopes (e.g. Zeiss, Olympus, Wild, Vickers). Also try a Facebook Group search with keywords like microscope or microscopy to find these. Other: Microbe hunter the website ably run by Oliver Kim has built up a popular and valuable forum with help for both the beginner and more advanced user. Listservers: Algae-L 'Forum for marine, freshwater and terrestrial algae'. Access to Archives possible for non-subscribers. Diatom-L 'Research on the diatom algae.' Access to Archives for subscribers only. Link was current March 2016. Many online diatom resources point to an outdated Indiana Univ. listserver. (With thanks to Rob Kimmich for the current link.) Mikroskopie-Treff.de (Extensive German microscopy forum; some English categories.) Mikrobiologische Vereinigung München e. V. Wide range of articles and resources in German. Le Naturaliste French based forum and image gallery for micro / macro but open to non French speaking international contributors. The Amateur Diatomist archive This magazine resource ably created and administered by Steve Gill has now been ported to the Microscopy-UK site with Steve's permission as the former host server is now not available. As well as all the issues in pdf format there are a wealth of other resources in the Downloads section including by noted workers such as Barber and the complete 532 page book 'An Introduction to the Microscopical Study of Diatoms' by Robert B. McLaughlin. Diatoms of the Arid South West Originally hosted on the website of New Mexico State University, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Services. Archived with permission from Dave Richman, resource editor, and C. Scott Bundy of the NMSU.	Other sites (also see Societies and Clubs page.) Royal Microscopy Society Journal, 'infocus' and other resources for members and the community. Quekett Microscopical Club Journal, Bulletin and meetings for members. Light Microscopy Forum links and articles Little Imp Publications public domain books collated by Steve Gill formerly on CD and now free on Micscape. Mikroskop Museum German website with resources on microscopes / makers . Molecular Expressions awesome optical microscopy resources Dennis Kunkel's SEM images stunning images Diatoms Ireland - resource site by Leszek Wolnik Leitz museum an illustrated resource compiled by Robert Allen Microbe hunter microscopy enthusiast website, forum and magazine edited by Oliver Kim Forum for French speakers Micrographia articles, projects for the enthusiast Microscopy Today journal with online archive Modern Microscopy online journal by McCrone Group Fun Science Gallery projects, articles on optics in English and Italian. Link to March 2020 mirror on the Internet Archive site. Independent Generation of Research (IGoR) - Wiki style resource for citizen scientists to share their work. Lens On Leeuwenhoek extensive resource online by Douglas Anderson Collected Letters of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek ('Alle de Brieven ..') transcribed and free online at DBNL. A Cabinet of Curiosities a resource on Victorian microscope slides by Howard Lynk Historical makers of microscopes and microscope slides Brian Stevenson's extensive resource on Victorian slide makers. www.willemsmicroscope.com Dutch enthusiast Willem Cramer's website David Jackson's Better Microscopy blog. Regularly updated free resources extending from his 'Better Microscopy' series of books. Stefano Barone's Diatom Shop sale of his own prepared and arranged slides of diatoms, radiolaria, forams and scales. www.testslides.com website devoted to Stefano Barone's Diatom Lab test slides. Darwin Biological a UK company for 'biological education' supplies. Including live cultures of protozoa and algae. Microscopie van de Natuur Dutch microscopy resource site by Rolf Vossen. Dotcom-Monitor, LoadView Testing, Web Hosting Buddy, and Find My Electric are tech/science companies that believe in and foster UK Microscopy and STEM education.

Microscopy-UK
parent site coordinator:
Maurice Smith

Microscopy-UK and Micscape - established 1995

Micscape is a free magazine for enthusiasts funded by Microscopy-UK and dedicated to non-commercial microscopy.