Microscopic Discoveries Yield Macroscopic Excitement
Have you ever been awestruck by what you have seen under a microscope?
Yes, that's me! I have been awestruck almost every time I have looked down the barrel of my microscope in recent decades! One of my many passions since I was a child has been to occasionally peer through the lens of a microscope, and one of my favorite things to look at is aquatic samples. I only do this occasionally now, because whenever I do, I am so mesmerized by what I find that I get sucked into the activity for hours at a time, and this can drag on and off for days. It fills me with such delight that I can't contain myself! (Any family members in proximity will hear exclamations and also be pulled in!) This is an activity that I know I must do in moderation! -- One thing that I have never lost is the kid in me. I relish in the discovery of the universe around me, whether it is looking at the stars, trekking through the woods, digging in the dirt, exploring the surf, or looking at the wondrous microcosms through a microscope.
Yes, that's me! I have been awestruck almost every time I have looked down the barrel of my microscope in recent decades! One of my many passions since I was a child has been to occasionally peer through the lens of a microscope, and one of my favorite things to look at is aquatic samples. I only do this occasionally now, because whenever I do, I am so mesmerized by what I find that I get sucked into the activity for hours at a time, and this can drag on and off for days. It fills me with such delight that I can't contain myself! (Any family members in proximity will hear exclamations and also be pulled in!) This is an activity that I know I must do in moderation! -- One thing that I have never lost is the kid in me. I relish in the discovery of the universe around me, whether it is looking at the stars, trekking through the woods, digging in the dirt, exploring the surf, or looking at the wondrous microcosms through a microscope.
A few years ago, I collected one of my really astounding water samples from Tampa Bay. (See the image above.) You will notice a creature on the right side that looks a little like an ant, however, it only has two distinct body regions unlike that of an insect which has three. This is a springtail (or Collembola) which is a very distant cousin to an ant. Insects and springtails belong to the phylum of Arthopods which all have exoskeletons, along with arachnids and crustaceans. I had seen different kinds of terrestrial springtails before, but nothing like this. And, I never anticipated the possibility of finding anything that resembled this in my water samples that I collect. Just imagine my surprise when I discovered this insect-like creature just walking around on my slide, while other protozoans swam right by it! It acted perfectly at home walking on the surface of the slide within the water. I even watched it occasionally stop to groom its antennae, just like an ant would do. – Life is so amazing!
There are still so many things to explore and to discover. The possibilities are endless! The really incredible thing about science is that the more we learn, the more questions we have and the realization that there is so much more to learn. Discovering astonishing life forms is always fun and exciting!
There are still so many things to explore and to discover. The possibilities are endless! The really incredible thing about science is that the more we learn, the more questions we have and the realization that there is so much more to learn. Discovering astonishing life forms is always fun and exciting!
Win some, lose some...
Have you looked through a microscope and found absolutely nothing?
Success often does not come so easily. It takes some work and practice. I am sure everyone who has glanced down a barrel of a microscope at some point has experienced failure to see anything. Remembering my early years, I recall often looking at a blank white light with nothing really discernible to focus on. But, I never quite gave up, as there was always the promise that I would find something cool. Even mediocre looking views would still excite me with greater possibilities. I am glad that I never gave up, and my persistence has paid off with success. In reflecting about failures and success, two of my favorite quotes on this subject are below:
Success often does not come so easily. It takes some work and practice. I am sure everyone who has glanced down a barrel of a microscope at some point has experienced failure to see anything. Remembering my early years, I recall often looking at a blank white light with nothing really discernible to focus on. But, I never quite gave up, as there was always the promise that I would find something cool. Even mediocre looking views would still excite me with greater possibilities. I am glad that I never gave up, and my persistence has paid off with success. In reflecting about failures and success, two of my favorite quotes on this subject are below:
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
Thomas A. Edison
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
Winston Churchill
Recently, I presented a session entitled, "Wowzers! Magnifying Magnificent Wetland Wonders!" at an environmental educator conference and realized that many teachers also have not had nearly the same success that I have had. I look forward to sharing my success secrets and techniques in the future, but for now, I just want to share some fun videos that I have taken to inspire you with some organisms that you might find. If you would be interested in receiving this kind of information in the future, please let me know.
Big Discoveries Where You Least Expect Them
The amazing thing about life on earth is that it is all around you, on you and within you! On our planet, where ever there is water there is life. An empty container in a garden is filled by rain. It does not take long for creatures to find the water, drink from it, bathe in it or lay eggs in it. It is not surprising to find mosquito or other insect larvae in it, or even tadpoles. And, it is easy to understand how they got there. What is sometimes a little more challenging for us to imagine is how other truly aquatic animals transport themselves to other areas by hitchhiking a ride over short distances. This happens more commonly than we realize, as microscopic aquatic life can be more resilient than we expect. Soaked feathers and fur or slimy skin can transport small aquatic organisms, eggs, or spores, riding on the belly or legs of a bird, otter, frog or other creature from one pond to another. And for that matter, sticky and slimy fish, snail, or amphibian eggs can get stuck on a wading bird or other animal and may reach new destinations by flight before the dry out and die.
Sometimes you don't have to go very far to find interesting discoveries. Take a look around outside your home. Is there a bird bath, a trough, or a garden pond? If they have been outside for a long time and have some algae built up in them, these would be good places to look for some possible creatures.
Below is a short promo teaser that I created to advertise my conference session that I mentioned previously. I had taken this video several years ago. It's water from my father's garden pond which was magnified 100 x and illuminated with some red lighting. I have often been amazed at the big discoveries I have had in tiny garden ponds. This sample is extremely rich in a variety of protozoans. These are single-celled microscopic creatures that belong to the Protista kingdom, which includes organisms like amoebae, flagellates, ciliates, and sporozoans. After recently reading current information on protozoans, I realize now that scientists have debated more upon their classification and have elected to move away from the term "protozoa" and to use "protist" instead. - Apologies for not keeping up with the times with my video title!
Sometimes you don't have to go very far to find interesting discoveries. Take a look around outside your home. Is there a bird bath, a trough, or a garden pond? If they have been outside for a long time and have some algae built up in them, these would be good places to look for some possible creatures.
Below is a short promo teaser that I created to advertise my conference session that I mentioned previously. I had taken this video several years ago. It's water from my father's garden pond which was magnified 100 x and illuminated with some red lighting. I have often been amazed at the big discoveries I have had in tiny garden ponds. This sample is extremely rich in a variety of protozoans. These are single-celled microscopic creatures that belong to the Protista kingdom, which includes organisms like amoebae, flagellates, ciliates, and sporozoans. After recently reading current information on protozoans, I realize now that scientists have debated more upon their classification and have elected to move away from the term "protozoa" and to use "protist" instead. - Apologies for not keeping up with the times with my video title!
Water Babies
While fresh water and sea water are filled with all sorts of unicellular organisms that can be observed under the microscope, there are plenty of tiny multicellular animals and plants which can also be discovered alongside them. Most people don't realize how many microscopic babies exist in the water. When it comes to much marine life (fish, sponges, corals, shells, crabs, and so many others), they start out life very tiny and are part of the complex food web of plankton in the water column.
Below is a video that I put together a few years ago from some awesome footage that I took of some sea water. I had found an incredibly cute baby marine snail (a veliger larva) and decided to do a mini-documentary for fun.
Below is a video that I put together a few years ago from some awesome footage that I took of some sea water. I had found an incredibly cute baby marine snail (a veliger larva) and decided to do a mini-documentary for fun.
Here's one more fantastic find in my sea water sample! It's a baby crab that I had to chase around on the slide to keep up with it. At this second stage in its metamorphosis, it is known as a megalops larva.
I hope these images inspire you to do some exploring yourself. The world is full of discoveries waiting to happen. You never know what you will find when you start to look closely at things. You just may have some amazing discoveries of your own! Don't these images make you wonder what you could find? I would love to hear your stories about your discoveries.
Special note:
Please remember that in wild places like parks and preserves it is prohibited to remove or collect anything from nature, including water. It is not a good idea to take any animal, plant or water sample from one region and transport it and release it in another. --There are often rules or ordinances prohibiting this activity. This often upsets the balance of established ecosystems and results in nuisance exotic species and ecological problems. Wildlife is experiencing so many challenges all over the world with human-made problems. It is important to be mindful of our actions and their effects on the world around us. So try to walk softly on the earth and minimize negative effects and stresses to wildlife.
