MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Greetings, y'all!

Yes, that's how we speak in the Deep South.

My interest in microscopy goes back many years to the seventh grade when I was first exposed to microbiology and I was reinfected with the desire to take microscopy on as a hobby after taking microbiology classes in college. I had a small reflective microscope when I was young, but that was in the days before the internet and information sharing was limited to the classroom, so my exposure has been limited. For the past couple years I have been vicariously looking at microbes through YouTube Chanels and other online sources.

I have decided to exercise my parental right to child abuse and forego the Xbox, PlayStation, and other mind-numbing gifts this Christmas in favor of a more - dare I say - educational gift. You guessed it, I'm buying the kids (myself ) a student microscope to explore the unseen world around us. My hope is that the kids (13, 9, & 5) will embrace my intentions and have a life-long appreciation of the vastness of our planet, the fragility of life, and a deeper understanding of the strata of life over an indoctrination of violence, sex, and degenerate behavior; there will be plenty of time for that later.

I would like to thank you all in advance for the fraternity and information sharing I am sure will be nothing short of amazing. My hope is that I may be able to provide at least one of the followers of this forum with a small benefit of my participation over the days, months and years to come.

Thank y'all (there it is again ) for the warm welcome!

DJT

Welcome to the forum djtrudel

Alan

Welcome to the forum!

Hi,
welcome to the forum!
It is a good idea to offer your children the opportunity to explore nature with the microscope, maybe they become interested, now or later. I have made the experience that one should not deveolop too high expectations as only a couple of the different opportunities will be actually used. And the more they can freely choose what they do the more likely it is that a continuing occupation follows.
Do you already have an idea what to look at first?
With which name can we adress you? Or y'

Bob

Hope you and your kids have a blast.

For what it's worth - for the price of a deferred gaming station you could get both a simple stereo microscope AND a compound microscope capable of seeing microbes of microbe hunter fame.

I mention this, because a stereo microscope is likely the best introduction for kids, the easiest to create interest, and a likely complement to a higher power compound microscope. A new stereo microscope of adequate quality (with, say, 10x and 20x or 30x magnifications) might cost $135. $200 to $300 could get you or new or (even better quality) used compound microscope. Add in a cell phone holder to take pictures ("Cellfies!") and it could be a lot of fun.

Welcome to the forum DJT,

Looking forward to seeing the progress. Be sure to post photos as you make progress. You'll find a helpful group here on the forum.

And we say y'all in Texas, also.

Hi, and welcome aboard.