About phase contrast Bacteria are transparent and therefore difficult to see using regular bright-field microscopy. The bacterial cells will appear just as bright as the surounding medium and there is no color contrast. Phase contrast optics provides a solution. Phase contrast optics convert the differences in optical density (i.e. the refractive index) of the bacterial [...]

Trichinella spiralis is the smallest nematode parasite in humans. It causes the disease trichinosis. It is also one of the most wide spread parasites of the world. It can be contracted by eating raw or half-cooked pork or wild game animals.

Digital photography gives the users many new possibilities in improving photographs taken through the microscope. This post gives an overview of the different image processing functions that can be applied to microscopic images. This post places a focus on what is possible, but does not explain the “how” part. This is something that I plan [...]

It is possible to use non-toxic stains (such as ink for fountain pens) to stain yogurt bacteria in-vivo.

A wet mount (or temporary mount) is one of the most common ways of observing specimens under the microscope. The sample to be viewed floats in a layer of water which is between the slide and the cover glass. The water performs an important optical function. Without it, the resolution is lower. The general procedure [...]

Permanent slides of pollen grains can be used as a reference for identifying unknown pollen samples. It is therefore important, that the pollen grains remain in an authentic, natural shape. The preparation and mounting of the pollen can introduce artifacts: the pollen may lose some of its pigment, start to shrink and shrivel or absorb [...]

My digital camera (a Canon EOS 450d) is capable of taking pictures at 3MP, 6 MP and 12 MP (MP=megapixels). Which setting should one choose to obtain the optimum results? If the camera resolution is too low, then this will result in the loss of image detail (but a small file). A resolution setting which [...]

Mounting media are needed for making permanent slides. The mounting medium holds the specimens in place between the cover slip and the slide. The choice of the right mounting medium is a separate topic all on its own. There are countless commercial and home-made mounting media available. Which ones should one use? In many cases [...]