Behold the Wonder of Nature

 I spent the past year learning about microscopes. I have long wanted to buy a microscope for myself, but I knew I had to do my homework to find out what kind of microscope to get, which features to look for, and what I could expect to do with one. Even without a microscope in hand, this research phase became a hobby unto itself. I spent hours watching how-to videos, and reading product specifications. I created a spreadsheet to list the features I was looking for so that I could compare various models. I learned about the different parts of a microscope and the purpose of each.

I knew from past experience with electronics, and robotics, that the initial money spent is just the tip of the iceberg. There are all sorts of accessories which may, or must, be added. With this in mind, I took my time with my research and did not rush into buying anything until I was certain I knew what I needed. At long last, I bought a microscope - an OMAX 2,500x brightfield LED microscope, with a trinocular head and a camera for displaying images on a computer.

Upon viewing my first slide, my first thought was, "This is simply incredible." My next thought was, "Why did I wait this long?" I spent hours that first day, looking at prepared slides, and making notes of other things I wanted to see. Of course to create my own samples, I would need slides, cover glass, forceps, etc. This is about the point where I heard the faint sound of money leaving my bank account. So, how much have I spent on this hobby so far? That's not really important. Do I see an end in sight to my new-found microscopy budget? Not likely.

This is a picture of a specimen I took with my phone. I took a blood sample from my finger, mixed it with a drop of water, and put it under the microscope. Maybe it's just me, but this is just amazing. This is actually my blood. Considering there was a time in my life where I was terrified of anything that had to do with hospitals, doctor's offices, or needles, it is quite remarkable that I was so interested in looking at blood under a microscope that I was happy to use a lancet on myself to extract my own blood for this purpose.

This is just one example of the fascinating world of the very small. Another example literally landed in front of me one day. I was sitting at my desk, and what seemed to be a spec of dust landed on my desk. Then it moved, and I realized it was not dust. It was a mite of some kind, though I'm not sure what exactly. I captured it with a petri dish, and after it expired, I put it on a slide. When I viewed it under the microscope, I admit I jumped slightly in my chair at what I was seeing. It looked like some alien thing from a science fiction movie. It was covered with tiny hairs, and it appeared to have two tiny hook-shaped tails, and a long appendage coming from its head. Without a microscope, there is absolutely no way I ever would have known what intricate details this creature was made of. I must admit that I have a much greater appreciation for the complexity and beauty of nature since I started looking at the world though this microscope. I have shared many of these amazing sights with my family, too.