We Accidentally Grew Crystals

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Usually on Journey to the Microcosmos, we spend our time looking at living organisms, things like insects, plants, and microbes that move and breathe and grow and die. But today, for these first few moments, these are the only living organisms we’ll be showing you, a montage of creatures whose bodies all share one very eye-catching trait: crystals.
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[@journeytomicro]

We'd love to learn more about our Microcosmos community and who's out there watching these videos. So, we've got a short survey for you to fill out where you can let us know more about you and what you'd like to see from Journey to the Microcosmos in the future www.surveymonkey.com/r/JTTMAudienceSurvey.

[@SimonsAstronomy]

ROCKS

[@ElectricalExistence]

electrochemical, crystal abiogenesis.

[@vblaas246]

More "Liquid Crystals" (correct term), using a dedicated polarization (polarization of light) microscope. Change heat and change salt content, see what happens.

[@dakotagilbert6159]

Have done the survey!! I want more episodes on how things poo and seeing the process of it pretty please and thank you!

[@Troyseph]

Survey is broken, I don't live in the USofA yet I have to choose a state?

[@obieobrien5883]

I was teaching a urinalysis class. Everyone had to provide a daily sample. No one knew whose sample was whose. One student came to me after class admitting her sample was the most fascinating of the day. Most of the material seen under the microscope indicated there was a need to see the doctor. She thanked me for being discrete and had a fairly serious condition. Medication corrected it and she was fine. Most of what we saw were different shapes of crystals…

[@the.mermaid.scientist]

Amazing how urine can give us lots of hints to diseases eh? UTI to kidney disease to liver failure.

[@jayyydizzzle]

Were the crystals from an antiviral medication?

[@obieobrien5883]

@@jayyydizzzle I don’t remember what the problem was with her kidneys..

[@stephanieparker1250]

I do hope you watch Dr. Glaucomflecken :)

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

@@obieobrien5883 well, its great that such a random event as that was able to help someone so much! 🙂👍🏼

[@benroberts3677]

I did the survey and honestly began to cry with some of my responses. You guys have no idea what the channel is to someone in my position. Thank you!

[@elyssadougherty8255]

Hey Deboki, You really nailed the tempo on the narration of this episode! It hits all the notes I look forward to on Hanks videos and I'm looking forward to your next episodes.

[@wanggaard]

I really found Hank's narration of these videos delightfully weird, and Deboki's first few episodes were jarring because of the difference. Now I'm debating which videos I prefer, well done. I know it is a weird thing to be concerned about, but somehow it matters to me.

[@frankievalentine6112]

Agreed. She's an EXCELLENT writer, but this is the first non-Hank episode I've been able to listen to.

[@the.mermaid.scientist]

OK survey complete. I'm a Medical Laboratory Scientist and one of my numerous job duties is dipsticking urine and examining it microscopically. Crystals fairly common to see in urine are calcium oxalate and uric acid. Today I saw bilirubin crystals for the first time....those are definitely abnormal and it basically means your liver function is wrecked. oh and there's an obsolete test called "ferning" . The premise is amniotic fluid crystallizes in a very distinct fern or snowflake-like pattern when it dries on a microscope slide, so we examine it to decide if a pregnant woman should be admitted for the imminent delivery. Luckily, there are newer tests that give us this same information that take 10 minutes or less. The slide exam can take significantly longer ~30 minutes or so.... which is why it isn't so popular these days.

[@SuLokify]

That's interesting. I assume the newer, faster tests probably use some sort of consumable reagent. The older type of test may still make sense in some situations, like being more economical or supply-able for extremely rural or impoverished areas.

[@matthewdrum2961]

i guess it isn't so weird to say on a Journey to the Microcosmos channel comment section that your job actually sounds pretty neat!

[@loutre_assidue]

I would love to see an episode about the Plastisphere, as plastic debris are acting just like rafts for hichhiking microorganisms

[@benjireil4243]

thats so cool! please make this episode!!!!

[@matthewdrum2961]

i concur with Abel and Benji, this sounds like a great episode idea!!!

[@aaronnekrin5150]

I third that

[@Doppler-hh5nt]

glad I took that optical mineralogy course, really cool to see the elongate crystals blink in and out of extinction as they aligned with the polarization. The clips of the rapid dendric growth really helps visualize why/how that habit occurs

[@thomasrogers8239]

If you continue doing this you should consider watching silver nitrate turn into silver using electricity. If you find a zinc source you could even watch a battery.

[@jamesmiddleton8128]

Chemistry is amazing! My mom is an organic chemist, we grew so many crystals growing up.... never seen it under a microscope tho! Thanks for this!

[@cherrycotapie]

could you instruct me on how to grown one?😊

[@jamesmiddleton8128]

@@cherrycotapie rock candy is the easiest and tastiest crystal you can grow! Dissolve 3 cups sugar in 1 cup boiling water, add a nucleation site like a popsicle stick and wait. As the water cools it becomes super saturated and forms sugar crystals on the stick!

[@mastershooter64]

@@jamesmiddleton8128 I disagree, HCl crystals are tastier

[@cherrycotapie]

@@jamesmiddleton8128 ohhh i know those! my aunt used to dip them in tea xD thanks!

[@jamesmiddleton8128]

@@mastershooter64 yes! Salt works just as well, but my kids don't eat straight salt lol!

[@DaellusKnights]

Speaking for myself, the "Microcosmos" is so much more than just unicellular organisms and algae, so I'd love to see more content like this in addition to the living kind. It's all fascinating and informative whether it's alive or not. 😁👍

[@TheRogueWolf]

If you _had_ been able to sell these images as old computer screen savers, you'd have made a _mint._

[@wamlartmuse2983]

I knew some guys that lived in a trailer that use to grow crystals. Apparently cops were really interested in those crystals too. 😆

[@sludgeskin]

the survey doesn't have a daily option:') i have a routine of watching every microcosmos video and then adding it into a Playlist of biology related videos that have already been seen and then use that to fall asleep, since I already know the info I won't be staying up to find out but it's still enough to keep me slightly engaged.

[@stephanieparker1250]

You and Hank do fantastic narration 🥰🙌

[@fantasticmicrobes]

Making crystals is one of my favorite microscope hobbies! I just put Epsom salt under the microscope a few weeks ago and it was beautiful!

[@mhgscrubadub9917]

I love making them too and blowing the minds of my friends. If you want a really quick reaction you can see in real time. tap out a few small chunks of epsom salt on a slide and dap a little spit on your finger or a small stick then mix it till its an extremely thin completely disolved layer. Works even better with epsom salt if you use 2 polarized filters(one in the condenser and the other above the objective

[@grahamrankin4725]

Before modern instrumentation like gas- chromatograph- mass spectometer and nuclear magnetic resonance specteoscopy, most "microanalysis" of both inrganic and organic chemicals was using microcrystal formation. There are still accepted methods for forensic drug analysis using this technique.

[@spiercephotography]

The coolest things happen on accident. Beautiful and so fascinating!

[@ramblinevilmushroom]

an allegory for the existence of life itself.

[@roastbeefsnatch]

i love this channel so much but it makes me sooooooo sleepy. so i did the survey, left a like and now I’m commenting. talk about engagement!

[@robertlapointe4093]

Beautiful images as always. I will quibble that dissolution and recrystallization of salts like monoammonium phosphate does not involve the breaking up of molecules, only the redistribution of ions. Also, graphite and diamond are allotropes of carbon, not polymorphs.

[@fcktherich6913]

I like your funny words science man

[@sludgeskin]

'I will quibble' is such a good phrase

[@pattheplanter]

Allotrope is usually now used specifically of elements, polymorph is a more general term that also includes compounds. Listen again and you will hear why they chose to use that term at that point. Your first quibble appears to be correct.

[@zaadworks]

The background music fits so well with the narration and visuals, it's just perfect

[@Yezpahr]

A crystal clear voice to go with the crystal clear formation of crystals. What I always find fascinating about those microbes with crystals in them is how they never seem to have haywire crystal growth, they're always so uniform.

[@Jop_pop]

3:30 "They're minerals, Marie"

[@caio18sousa52]

A few years ago I discovered this channel by chance KZbin. This channel made me interested and fascinated by the microcosm to the point that I am currently studying biology at the state university of São Paulo.But today the Biosciences Institute where I study caught fire, the fire took research projects, inestimable entomological and zoological collections. An example of my country's neglect of its science and educational institutions, and a reflection of the same trend worldwide, with great sadness from a big fan, Caio Vinícius.

[@thetafritz9868]

3:32: Hank Schraeder : "Damn it Marie, they're minerals, stop calling them rocks"

[@Graphomite]

"I'm gonna need some fertilzer. Alka Seltzer. And a Red Bull." "What's the plan, James?" "There's no time for plans."

[@ramblinevilmushroom]

i get the same feeling from these videos, as i got when i was a kid watching bob ross paint.

[@althomas8672]

ASMR

[@KindredKin]

Narration for this one was great! 💙

[@SIK_Mephisto]

I heard viruses can form crystals as well and I'd love to see a video on them, assuming they grow big enough to see with a standard microscope

[@Dragrath1]

Note the volcanism that brings diamonds to the surface is very different from the volcanoes we typically think of. Its much closer to a geological scale chemical reaction between carbonates and silicates that under the right supersaturated conditions likely related due to subduction can trigger a runaway chemical process that effectively acts like a chemical rocket within the Earth able to cause material in the upper mantle to be translocated to the surface within hours to days rather than the millions of years it would normally take. This rapidness is what allows a diamond to maintain its shape rather than reverting naturally back into graphite . Also while diamonds are inorganic the chemical isotopic analysis indicates that most diamonds on Earth show a preferential bias in carbon 12 suggesting they formed from biologically sequestered carbon.

[@crystalbrowne6274]

I'm a 60yr old women, who just loves learning about things, and enjoys the format of your show. I love the commentary as much as the visuals. I took lots of microbiology class's in college and enjoyed it.

[@ppartsx]

Bought the hydra shirt from the cosmos store, i wear it when i go out and collect my own water microbe samples. Decided to do the patreon too, cant wait to see my name in the supporter list :]

[@MrGlotzTV]

Looking at (and making) crystals is pretty much my day job 😅. You did a very good job of explaining a lot of the aspects and nuances involved in it! I myself couldn't pack more info into 10 minutes. Congrats on the episode!

[@MaryAnnNytowl]

I've always enjoyed watching things like this, thanks! And yep, I already took the survey!

[@kimberlyloi7718]

Doctoral student/grad with TCM and integrative focused on Regeneative Mechanism of Life… I also am on a personal journey into spiritualities through observing lives in the cosmos… to value the specs of light and livelihood of large & small… to respect the live and livelihood of all.

[@skullhead1O1]

they're minerals, not rocks!!

[@pattheplanter]

Since Edmund Spenser in The Faerie Queen in 1590, diamonds have regularly been described as rocks in English, up until today - especially in advertisements.

[@Deth36O]

Jesse they found our formula, do to them what you did to gale.

[@YoungGandalf2325]

I couldn't help but think about Hank yelling at Marie that they're not rocks, they're minerals!

[@Deth36O]

@@YoungGandalf2325 breaking rocks

[@TealCheetah]

I'll tell you exactly what like: Hank telling me about small things in a soothing voice

[@Ruija27]

Cool to see inanimate objects under the microscope as well!

[@SevenPr1me]

"inanimate" lol

[@Ruija27]

@@SevenPr1me Yes, inanimate as in non-alive. Those crystals instead of living microbes. Welcome to the English language.

[@MrPooPooJohn]

This is like if Hank were a female. The cadence and intonation are so similar.

[@scriptorpaulina]

> closterium crystals Clostridium crystals? Wow, C. Botulinum really is everywhere!

[@thesunman108]

The visuals are absolutely stunning.

[@dantusmusic]

this is so beautiful and interesting at the same time, eyegasm, thank you!

[@VoidHalo]

It'd be interesting to see the globule of oil inside of a lipocyte. I bet it would look nice under a polarized filter. As for where to get lipocytes, perhaps some uncooked meat before it's been frozen? I'm not sure how well cells stand up to being fixed in formalin but that's an idea to give you more time. I bet fresh, uncooked meat in general would make for an interest specimen come to think of it.

[@LC-le9ew]

I get dog lipocyte slides all the time if anyone is interested.

[@pattheplanter]

There are several commercially farmed microbes that produce lipid globules, some with intense colouration.

[@rgruenhaus]

Why does a forming crystal stop going/growing forward when it arrives at another crystal structure? As I was watching your video I saw one moving/growing from the left as one was growing into it's path from the right and like it knew it could not or should not grow any further it stopped!

[@alicecat8942]

That is my question too!!!!! I hope someone can answer it!

[@momiaw]

Not an answer but a hypothesis. Could it be that the growing crystal depletes the solutes around it as it grows. So no material to form the crystals?

[@hazeschaden83]

@@momiawyeah that would've been my guess as well

[@rgruenhaus]

@@momiaw maybe! I guess I was implanting sensory possibilities where like you said materials were not available for growth!

[@evilsharkey8954]

As others said, depletion of the solute seems most likely. You can see something similar when an airplane contrail passes through a thin cloud layer. Sometimes the contrail condenses all the water vapor in the area, leaving a gap between it and the cloud.

[@stevethompson988]

I would like to see you all get hold of some Diatoms. They’ve always interested me.

[@markwoll]

The survey asks about the store but not the kickstarter, you probably know how many and who were involved, but I didn't check that I got the microscope from the store and there was not another choice. Wonderful channel.

[@jajwarehouse1]

At first, I thought this video would be about diatoms.

[@gigglysamentz2021]

3:51 That's recognisably ammonium phosphate! :D

[@adrianpintea9675]

The presenter just picked a fight with all amateur and professional geologists in the gallery. :)

[@omnislayer55]

3:30 Rocks? ROCKS??? They're minerals! Jesus, Marie.

[@moss0170]

this episode was brought to you by jttm, to find your next funky background

[@TheInselaffen]

Growing Hot Chip album covers.

[@elephoontoftheshanpes8103]

Crystallography is calling

[@Cillana]

First video I have watched in a while. How long has Deboki been hosting?

[@vak5461]

You: "Why you watch" Me: This video‽ ❣️ I feel like I grew up on the internet with Hank Green. When I found out he was behind this and I've always been fascinated with tiny things- I had one of those microscopes kits growning up- It was a win-win. Meant to be. The team behind the microscope, THANK YOU ALLLL

[@Aar0nMiami]

Crystal clear microscopy!

[@muserweaver]

Yeaaah, accidentally. Let's see if DEA believes you.

[@Amocles]

Can you guys do a season of microscopic organisms and cells in our human body?

[@micktepolt6276]

cool a Crystals garden ! grow those when i was a kid

[@zaadworks]

Oh, also, the music that plays in the background from 8:30 til the end of the video, there is a link for it?

[@itsdonaldo]

9:27 I see a crystal ball in your future!

[@shindousan]

Interesting to see an audio track in Portuguese!

[@sweeterthananything]

expanse fans caught a different vibe from the part about nucleation

[@FeeshUnofficial]

Did the survey 👍

[@elpachonisimoSOS]

Que raro escucharlos en español y realmente se agradece el gesto pero seguiré escuchándolos en ingles, al menos en lo que consiguen un locutor

[@MoisesCaster]

I am brazilian and I heard in my language, portuguese. Interesting feature.

[@Amocles]

Do the patreons get access to all images and videos that were uploaded or is there only like a set available each week can I go back and like download all the stuff from previous weeks of Patreon content?

[@gamingwithgeko7377]

If you did a more date extensive survey, while you'd get less people to commit, I'd be one of the ones who would love to help. FOR DATA!

[@theeutecticpoint]

were the nucleation and crystal growth events happening in real time, or are those sped up?

[@bcde]

Nice imagery and high production value! Small criticisms: Content too superficial and monetization too aggressive. Even asking your audience to complete the survey is clearly for monetization/marketing purposes. This is fine obviously, but it comes across as kind of evil when you make it seem like you're just asking us to fill out the survey because love us and wanna know more about us. Thanks.

[@FoiledFeline]

Engagement for the algorithm

[@47f0]

Guess who got a shiny new polarizing filter for their microscope?

[@MarcusAgrippa390]

I noticed that during the expansion they seem to stop expanding whenever they come close to another crystal. Of course it could just be this particular mix of chemicals and the crystals it forms, but I wonder if other types do the same thing?

[@hazeschaden83]

i think the cause might be that as the crystal grows it depletes it's vicinity of the ions. so if two branches get close to each other there are no ions left for them to grow. this would probably happen with many other chemicals as well. :)

[@Machine4977]

IN the words of professor Julius sumner Miller. How do the atoms know where to go?

[@martythestines]

Is there an hour long video of this on Patreon??? I'd have to sub if so.

[@skateboardist1686]

I accidentally grew some crystals once too.

[@DePinhoDeep]

Hey guys, só, microbiology is amazing, but, look to the microcosmos through a chemestry angle would be amazing, don't you think? What you guys say about it?

[@SimonsAstronomy]

*SHINING ROCKS* Nice

[@ieanisakson747]

MORE CRYSTALS

[@ieanisakson747]

PUHLEASE MORE

[@jamesourmasterofmicroscopes]

2:52

[@chopperhead2012]

someone call Nilered or Explosions and Fire

[@the2nd965]

Walter white grows crystal

[@ashcombrink4998]

Walter sounds like a cool guy

[@the2nd965]

@@ashcombrink4998 yeah

[@VincentFischer]

Where Hank?

[@roseannelajara8659]

Hank and Deboki take turns doing the narration. He'll be back.

[@Flickvids100]

Well, but...diamonds are not rocks. They are minerals. Rocks are aggregates of minerals. And they are also crystals.

[@pattheplanter]

Since Edmund Spenser in _The Faerie Queen_ in 1590, diamonds have regularly been described as rocks in English, up until today - especially in advertisements. If you are going to try pedantry, you need to be sure of your research into the subject you are pedantizing about. It is especially important not to confuse a narrow technical definition used as jargon in one particular field with the use of words in English generally.

[@Flickvids100]

@@pattheplanter Pedantry? I was just pointing out a fact. This is a scientific channel so I stick to scientific definitions (basic, BTW) and I don't mean to be toxic to a channel I love. If you are citing a text from 1590 as a source, well...anything can go. You can pretty much pass any alchemical or astrological term as valid. Even fantasy literature can be your new to-go reference. Please, next time you read something, try to imagine it said not with your voice, but with someone else's. The pedantry is in you, not in others.

[@pattheplanter]

@@Flickvids100 I was citing over 400 years of English usage of the word rock to mean diamond up until the present day. They used the English language in this science popularisation video and so we should allow them to use English definitions, not just jargon from some scientific disciplines. Your "fact" was not a fact, you were wrong. Diamonds are rocks.

[@Flickvids100]

@@pattheplanter You are right. And unicorns are closely related to horses. As long as you are polite and don't go around acussing others of pedantry, you can write whatever you wish and we can agree to disagree. Good night sir.

[@pattheplanter]

@@Flickvids100 I wasn't accusing you, I was just stating a fact. "Pedant: one who is excessively concerned with accuracy over trifling details of knowledge, or who insists on strict adherence to formal rules or literal meaning." Oxford English Dictionary.

[@ketoonkratom]

God Bless Everyone

[@neddyladdy]

So what ? I do that very same thing when I walk off the beach with wet feet.

[@bertrc2569]

I believe viruses can crystallize temporarily.

[@SaerosXXI]

I love this channel and I think it's a pretty good idea to start delivering content also in Brazilian Portuguese, as the channel started doing recently, not for me because I'm a huge fan of the original voices, but I know most of my compatriots don't speak english at all. Unfortunatly this approach of a having a computer voice instead of some profissional voice actor is not the best way to do it and sounds super weird, so if its not possible to hire someone, I think is better to just keep the subtitles in portuguese.

[@lightingthelatenight9942]

If you mean the female narrator, that's a credited human voice who's reading lol

[@erictaylor5462]

I've heard that Jupiter may contain a diamond the size of Earth.

[@richardlandrum1966]

I don't have anything to say, but here's a comment for support

[@JohnLeePettimoreIII]

Yay! I got a notification this time! 😃

[@SimonsAstronomy]

Me too

[@JohnLeePettimoreIII]

@@SimonsAstronomy 🤔 😁

[@pattheplanter]

Jam's Gems?

[@gibranhenriquedesouza2843]

Why is this video translated with Google Translate to my language?

[@rcmaniac10]

have a fly land on some food then show us the bacteria the fly leaves behind.

[@KAOST1ST1C-FN]

OMG OMG OMG I LOVE CRYSTAL SO MUCH 😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@thomasnelson6161]

They are expensive rocks. Overly-so.

[@spudthespudgungamer7112]

Can a crystal nucleate onto a cell?

[@MrEiht]

Guys, please read CAREFULLY. This is not about crystal mef. No drugs here, move along.

[@pattheplanter]

No illegal drugs, Red Bull was involved.

[@gitfoad8032]

Sounds like BBC 'news'.

[@Mate397]

Why does the survey ask how much a person earns?

[@FoiledFeline]

Demographics data can be helpful in many ways. It may also influence at what prices they put Patreon tiers or what merch things they decide to persue given a rough knowledge of the socioeconomic level of their viewers. totally pulled out of my butt example, if they had very few people who were considerably weathy, they may try to keep all their merch products and most of their Patreon tiers under say, $30 or $50. If they have a large portion of their audience making 6 figures, they might want to have multiple Patreon tiers over $100 and may persue merch things that would cost that much or more too.

[@pattheplanter]

@@FoiledFeline You too can have a micro-diamond encrusted emerald desmid handcrafted by a jeweller in actual size and presented in a magnifying presentation case made from pure rock crystal.