Ordinary Things You Should Look at Under a Microscope

Looking at everyday and ordinary things under a microscope can change the way you look at the world around you. If you don’t know where to start, or want some new ideas of what to look at, check out these short video tutorials below.

Which microscope?

There are obviously so many different types on the market, and choosing the right one for you can be very confusing. I can’t recommend any particular brand but investing £100-200 will get you  something reasonable. Avoid toy shop microscopes, you know, the ones advertised for kids – they are disappointing and adults won’t find them comfortable to use…..after all , you want to be exploring the amazing hidden world around you too, not just your budding young scientist!!

I’d recommend buying binocular microscopes, the ones with 2 eyepieces. I can’t get on with monocular ones and wouldn’t consider anything else, closing one eye for so long feels so awkward! Besides, to make the videos below I can set up my phone on one of the eyepieces using a phone adaptor and use the other eyepiece to look down make sure I’m in the right area!

The microscope I use is Euromex’s BioBlue model 4260 which has 1000x oil immersion magnification for looking at bacteria, here’s a photo of it

 

I will be adding more videos as I find more ordinary things to look at under the microscope, so keep checking back, or subscribe to our YouTube Channel  

 

Moss & Tardigrades

 

Sand

 

Mouldy Bread

 

Cheek Cells

 

Methylene Blue staining kit can be bought by clicking here

 

 

Whirligig Mite

 

 

Rabbit Fur & Human Hair

 

 

Leaf Stomata

 

 

Plant Vessels/ Celery Xylem

 

 

Down the Plughole!

 

 

Potato

 

 


Find out about our science clubs for kids

To see what other science workshops we have coming up locally, click here.

How about our award winning online clubs and classes where we send you the kit.  


Want more free science activities?

Explore more on our blog, perhaps you’d like to make Bath Bombs or Slime  or dissect an owl pellet  


  If you have any queries, please call/text Ruth on 07847006048 or contact us here.

 

Happy science-ing

Ruth

Chief Scientist