World Microscope Day 2024
World Microscope Day was launched in 2021 and is masterminded by Quekett member Robert Ratford. It is intended to help promote microscopy, and the date commemorates the first use of the word “microscope” on 13th April 1625. It is a wholly on-line event made possible through Zoom. You may find it useful to familiarise yourself with Zoom before joining the meeting sessions. Join each day by clicking the appropriate link below, or use the Meeting ID and Password.
Day 1 – Friday, 12th April
Microscopy Techniques and Technology.
Join Friday’s Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85035170973?pwd=ZVpQNkhiTjVyOFZtZFZVQ0czQm00QT09
Meeting ID: 850 3517 0973
Passcode: 713814
Day 2 – Saturday, 13th April
Microscope Types, History, Maintenance, Restoration. Plus miscellaneous topic.
Join Saturday’s Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81630503539?pwd=d0h3MTgrQ0J4YmtmcXhnRWRsaDFLUT09
Meeting ID: 816 3050 3539
Passcode: 076530
Day 3 – Sunday, 14th April
Specimens, Slides, Photomicrography of specimens, Drawing, Sculpture, Art.
Join Sunday’s Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84203860479?pwd=d0Vnek9Ld1dudGM4UDBDQjFoZmlpdz09
Meeting ID: 842 0386 0479
Passcode: 242809
Here is the detailed programme. We hope you enjoy the presentations and find something to stimulate your interest.
Please note that all sessions are subject to change or cancellation. Everyone involved is a volunteer and does their best to be available, but unfortunately the Internet and Zoom are not 100% reliable!!!!
Day 1 – Friday 12th April
Microscopy Techniques & Technology
09:30. Breakfast chat. An informal unrecorded session.
10:00. Session 1. Photomicrography or slide making
Wim van Egmond
(subject details)
11:00. Session 2. World Microscope Day 2025
Robert Ratford
What is planned so far
12:00. Session 3. Flies, Microscopes and changes – I want to see more!
Jacky McPherson
13:00 – 14:00. Lunch
Enjoy a meal or have a microscopy related chat…..or try both. An unrecorded session.
14:00. Session 4. TBA
Rawil Fakhrullin
(subject details)
15:00 Session 5. Solving Problems with Microscopy: Real‐life Examples in Forensic, Life and Chemical Sciences.
Brooke Weinger Kammrath
(subject details)
16:00 Session 6. The particle solution
Tommy Gunn
Join me for a hopefully engaging seminar where I’ll unveil the secrets behind crafting particle solution that placed 1st place in microscopy today and 3rd in the Nikon small world competition. I will also share my techniques for preparing slides that pop on camera, and delve into the art of isolating microorganisms for enhanced visualization — all while revealing the intricate process of filming these scientific wonders in action!
17:00 Session 7. The 3D-Microscan Project
Michael Bachhofer
The 3D-Microscan Project
17:30 – 19:00. Break for food
19:00 Session 8. Operation of the Polarised Light Microscope
Julian Gray
The Polarised Light Microscope (PLM) or Petrographic Microscope is a powerful analytical instrument. The PLM can reveal crystalline nature pf materials and quantify their optical properties; the beautiful interference colours have meaning and utility. This requires that various parts of the microscope and accessories be aligned and used properly. In this talk we will cover some basic functions of the PLM and its accessories to demonstrate what information can be obtained with this instrument.
20:00 Session 9. World Microscope Day Microscopy Quiz
Robert Ratford
An informal quiz on Microscopy Techniques & Technology
21:00 Session 10. Recognising crystal forms and habits: Clues for mineral identification
Julian Gray
Crystallography can be a challenging subject. In this talk we will focus on recognizing some common crystal forms and habits (combinations of forms). This information is one of the most useful properties for identification of minerals and organic crystals the determination of their crystal form.
22:00 Close of Day 1
Day 2 – Saturday 13th April
Microscope Types, History, Maintenance, Restoration, and miscellaneous topics.
10:30 Breakfast chat
Join us for breakfast or the meal of choice in your time zone. Open (microscopy related). Unrecorded chat.
10:50 Session 11. TBA
Chris Thomas
The Norris Museum 2024
11:00 Session 12. Pseudscorpions
Dr Andy Chick
Pseudoscorpions and the equipment used to observe them.
12:00 Session 13. Van Leeuwenhoek’s Toolbox
Lesley Robertson
12:45 Session 13. Norris Museum
Chris Thomas
(subject details)
13:00 – 14:00. Lunch
Enjoy a meal or have a microscopy related chat…..or try both. An unrecorded session.
14:00 Session 14. Continental microscopes
David Hill
The history of the continental Microscope all the way up to the year 1910
15:00 Session 15. Norris Museum
Chris Thomas
(subject details)
15:10 (EDT 10:10) Session 16. Darwin’s view – what he was using and what was he looking at?
Jay Holmes
We will refer to Darwin’s notes and correspondence to explore the tools he was using and the subjects he was studying. We will try to reproduce those views through microscopes by Banks and Smith that are similar to the microscopes Darwin used, same makers and models.
Session 17. LED conversions. – CANCELLED
Kirit Gorhandas
Ways and means
16:00 Session 18. Photomicrography – Flashes of Inspiration.
Graham Matthews
A Journey…..
17:00 Close of Day 2
Day 3 – Sunday 14th April
Specimens, slides, Photomicrography of specimens, Drawing, sculpture, art.
08:30 Breakfast chat
Join us for breakfast or the meal of choice in your time zone. Open (microscopy related). Unrecorded chat.
09:00 Session 19. Sands
Mike Gibson
The sand collection of the Northamptonshire Natural History Society
10:00 Session 20. Freshwater creatures great & small
Tony Pattinson
11:30 Session 21. Wandering Through Art & Science With Microscopy
Brian Matthew
Slides
12:00 Session 22. The Forth Bridge of Slide Collections: Trials, Tribulation and Successes – Part 2
Jacky McPherson
(subject details)
13:00 – 14:00. Lunch
Enjoy a meal or have a microscopy related chat…..or try both.
14:00 Session 23. Tardigrade isolation
Grenham Ireland
How to isolate tardigrades.
A short break will follow this presentation
15:00 Session 24. Crystal Photomicrography.
Shyam Rathod
Crystal Photomicrography.
16:00 Session 25. Gall wasps
John Gregory
(subject details)
17:00 – 18:00. Time for tea
18:00 Session 26. TBA
Mike Smith
Photomicrography or slide making.
A short break will follow this presentation
19:00 Session 27. Slide Making
Gordon Brown
Deep cell mounts of Foraminifera and Microfossils
20:00 Session 28. The Microscopy of Medical Materials
Graham Matthews
Microscopy of Medical Materials
21:00 Close of Day 3