This micrograph was taken at 100X total magnifcation on a brightfield microscope. The subject is human cheek epithelial cells collected fresh with a toothpick. The cells were  stained with methylene blue stain prior to visualization.Image credit: Emily Fox

This micrograph was taken at 400X total magnifcation on a brightfield microscope. The subject is human cheek epithelial cells collected fresh with a toothpick. The cells were  stained with methylene blue stain prior to visualization.Image credit: Emily Fox

After watching a short online video that recaps the enormous scale of accumulating plastic waste in our oceans, student teams are challenged to devise a method to remove the most plastic microbeads from a provided commercial personal care product—such as a facial cleanser or body wash. They brainstorm filtering methods ideas and design their own specific procedures that use teacher-provided supplies (coffee filters, funnels, plastic syringes, vinyl tubing, water, plastic bags) to extract the microplastics as efficiently as possible. The research and development student teams compare the final masses of their extracted microbeads to see which filter solutions worked best. Students suggest possible future improvements to their filter designs. A student worksheet is provided.

There’s an immense world of tiny stuff within us and around us—but how do we know about it? In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll discover how we see what we can’t see, thanks to the help of centuries-old tools and more recent technology. Along the way, we’ll learn about the major types of microscopes and how to use a typical light microscope.

Chapters:
Discovering Bacteria
Methods for Observing Molecules
Microscopy
Types of Microscopes
Cryo-Electron Microscopy
How Light Microscopes Work
Review & Credits
Credits

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Reproducibility is extremely important in science. But no matter how much effort is put into standardizing protocols, small differences seem inevitable in the way experiments are performed among laboratories. These small differences can add up to discrepancies that complicate data interpretation. One field where this issue looms large is neuroscience – particularly in experiments involving histological sections of the mouse brain. Such studies require correct identification of specific brain regions for accurate interpretation of results. But the mouse brain is small and complex. Brain atlases can be invaluable in mapping, but applying this information in laboratory experiments is difficult. A new automated system aims to solve this problem by taking the guesswork – and potential observer error and bias – out of the equation. Much like a GPS system in a car, the program – called NeuroInfo – helps researchers navigate through the microscopic anatomy of a brain section..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Students are introduced to the growing worldwide environmental problems that stem from plastic waste. What they learn about microplastics and the typical components of the U.S. water treatment process prepares them to conduct three engaging associated activities. During the lesson, students become more aware of the pervasiveness and value of plastic as well as the downstream pollution and health dangers. They learn how plastic materials don’t go away, but become microplastic pollution that accumulates in water resources as well as human and other animal bodies. They examine their own plastic use, focusing on what they discard daily, and think about better ways to produce or package those items to eliminate or reduce their likelihood of ending up as microplastic pollution. A concluding writing assignment reveals their depth of comprehension. The lesson is enhanced by arranging for a local water treatment plant representative to visit the class for Qs and As. In three associated activities, students design/test microplastic particle filtering methods for commercial products, create mini wastewater treatment plant working models that remove waste and reclaim resources from simulated wastewater, and design experiments to identify the impact of microplastics on micro-invertebrates.

With a simple list of necessary supplies, science teacher Mrs. Seay gets her class completely involved in the task of identifying and classifying organisms found in local pond water.

An introduction to the principles of tomographic imaging and its applications. It includes a series of lectures with a parallel set of recitations that provide demonstrations of basic principles. Both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation are covered, including x-ray, PET, MRI, and ultrasound. Emphasis on the physics and engineering of image formation.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue is the gold standard for pathology tissue storage, making FFPE tissue libraries rich repositories for identifying and analyzing the bacterial microbiomes that stretch across the human body. Unfortunately, various facets of the FFPE process can compromise the integrity of tissue for this type of analysis. including DNA damage, susceptibility to contamination, and the lack of suitable DNA extraction methods. A new study proposes a system called Protoblock for standardizing and optimizing FFPE tissue-based research. A Protoblock is generated by embedding a known number of fixed cells in a molded agar matrix. After the agar solidifies, the block is processed following routine FFPE protocols and verified by microscopy. Experiments confirmed the quality and condition of DNA purified from Protoblocks, revealing important calibration information, such as how DNA damage evolves over fixation time. and how host DNA and sample prep method might bias bacterial analysis..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Use a virtual scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to observe electron behavior in an atomic-scale world. Walk through the principles of this technology step-by-step. First learn how the STM works. Then try it yourself! Use a virtual STM to manipulate individual atoms by scanning for, picking up, and moving electrons. Finally, explore the advantages and disadvantages of the two modes of an STM: the constant-height mode and the constant-current mode.

Using the virtual microscope, students will zoom, pan, and rotate specimens in variable light conditions, helping to develop their classification and identification skills without need for high cost microscopes and thin section preparation facilities. The virtual microscope may be used as a complete collection or reused and repurposed individually, since each specimen will have a unique URL. The intention is to engage and excite students in Earth science using rocks of the British Isles held in key collections, and aid teaching of mineral and rock identification skills in HE institutions and schools. We plan to explore continued expansion of the initial collection by offering a digitisation service to HE institutions and industry.

Poster promoting the study of science, showing a microscope, open book, and an eye. Date stamped on verso: Sep 7 1939. Posters of the WPA / Christopher DeNoon. Los Angeles : Wheatly Press, c1987, no. 176

Poster for New York State Department of Health promoting "treatment until discharged," showing a microscope. Date stamped on verso: Jun 28 1939.

The Website disseminates the deliverables of the cLovid-project, a project funded by the ERASMUS+ grant program under grant no. 2020-1-DE01-KA226-HE-005813. It gives access to the digital content, digital tools and implementation scenarios for microscopic pathology teaching

The objective of the cLovid-project was to provide:
1) the technical conditions necessary to adapt flipped classroom scenarios with active and collaborative activities for microscopic pathology to contextual factors such as enforced social distancing (COVID-19 pandemic), limited campus facilities or the wish to offer distance learning to overcome difficulties with access to education imposed by geographical distance.
2) teaching material for training medical teachers in digital pedagogical competencies; (a) for flipped classroom courses with active and social activities in general; and (b) for supervising online scenarios for microscopic pathology teaching with task-based and collaborative learning activities in particular.
3) evaluations and research on pilot implementations of a methodological framework with a good-practice example of a flipped classroom course on microscopic pathology for undergraduate medical students. Here, both individual tasks and collaborative learning activities are fully online and supported by high quality digital content and tools.