🔬 The purpose of Amateur Microscopy - some thoughts

After having read a question, I was wondering about the use and purpose of amateur microscopy in general.
Image collection: www.microworldarchive.org
1:41 Two microscopy anecdotes
5:50 Videos alone do not capture the full hobby
6:25 Microscopy connects you to your environment
7:43 Comparing microscopy to other hobbies
8:14 Comparing microscopy to amateur astronomy
9:17 Purpose of microscopy
11:18 Try it out first
12:02 Challenge yourself to keep yourself motivated
13:15 Not many citizen science projects
15:19 Increasing the knowledge of the world
16:35 How useful is microscopy in daily life?
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#microbehunter #amateurmicroscopy #microscope

[@MicrobehunterMicroscopy]

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[@todddyer154]

You are right. It’s not just the picture, it’s the process. Many things have already been discovered and explored, but not by me.

[@leoescamilla5497]

I liked how you put that xD

[@MemoriesRR]

Very well said. Since I can listen to music on my IPhone, why should I learn to play a musical instrument? Yet hundreds if not thousands of guitars and other musical instruments are sold daily.

[@RonGunsolus]

JOY... the joy of seeing the unseen world!

[@JM-md6vt]

Wonderful explanation......, the joy of exploration and the neverending amount of things to learn and see under the lens of a Microscope is my drive.

[@VANOXmicroscopy]

The process of exploring, improving and inspiring others is also what drives me. I'm pursuing the hobby for a decade now and I still can't see the finish line 🔬

[@bobabela]

Excellent answer to a very good question. The most concise answer I can give is that it enhances our ability to explore. Watching videos are great, but it is not the same thing and I find hands-on experience more meaningful. There’s no dialog from someone telling you what you are seeing. Instead, you are asking yourself “what am I seeing.” It’s a process of discovery, founded on pure curiosity.

[@nueschi]

Going out, collecting water at a pond, treating it and then seeing with your own eyes what is moving there, classifying and understanding these things, that makes the difference. That gives you a completely different relationship to the topic than if you "just" look at pictures or videos of others.

[@jimzielinski946]

All great arguments, beautifully stated. For myself, I would mention that on occasion I have used my microscopes for my own peace of mind regarding my own health issues. I also had a chance many years ago to contribute photos to a a master's thesis that a coworker of mine was working on. I guess I could say I became a footnote in history on a university bookshelf! I did enjoy helping the gentlemen. In general, though, this hobby allows me to look into another world.

[@Sudique1]

I started nature journaling about 2 years ago. I recently purchased a loupe magnifying lens and was amazed; it was like seeing a whole new world. A couple of days ago I saw a video about using a microscope for nature journaling. Boy was that a mistake! I should be getting my new microscope in a couple of days (as a 70th birthday present to myself). I came across your channel (and subscribed 😃) and after watching a lot of your videos, realized buying the microscope was the best present I could get. Although I can see what other people have found and posted, it's not the same. The excitement of seeing /discovering things myself, having that 'aha' moment for myself is what I'm looking forward to experiencing. Thank you for sharing your 'hobby'.

[@BHFWaterloo]

I absolutely love the idea of starting a data base where microscopists can contribute findings and be part of something bigger. That’s exciting.

[@shanesteven4578]

Another excellent question and thoughtful answer … thank you both. I would like to take the opportunity to say that I had a lot of interest in photography since an early age, as I joined the workforce (Police) I began to become more interested in photography, specifically Scenes of Crime photography. Over the years my skills improved, but it became time to put the ‘professional’ side of my photography to one side, along with leaving the Force and took up photography as a hobby. Soon I began to focus on black and white photography, images that spoke to me like no others, no clutter of colours, simple and target focussed. After some years, I happened across some amazing images of ‘macro-photography, a world that I had never seen opened up to me. I simply could not believe what beauty was around me, it had always been there but I had never noticed it. The years continued and I combined my macro-photography with my love of black and white and although I take photographs for my self, of things I like, that I’m interested in, I found by accident that thousands, literally thousands of people look at my images on Flickr and often comment on them, it’s wonderful. Just a year ago I decided to move on with the next stage of my journey and bought a microscope (Amscope tir-simul etc), and I’m now beginning that journey too, yet another world to explore, one all around us but most will never see. I hope the person asking this question thinks again about simply looking at images, as nice as they are to look at, and instead begins the experience of searching and looking for real life images to capture, one’s that speak to them and which come with memories not just an images put at the back of the mind until the next nice image comes along and the impersonal nature of the cycle continues!. Good luck.

[@andregomesdasilva]

Could you make a video of amateur microscope usage for health purposes? Ex: counting sperm, checking for red blood cells health, checking white cells, bacteria in urine, crystals in urine, feces and etc? This could be helpful and extend the hobby way beyond just curiosity. I wouldn't say diagnosis, but maybe certain evidences that could lead the person to search for help with a proper doctor

[@blackbox330]

I agree with you

[@JosephKeenanisme]

For me it's where science and art come together. Grabbing samples and talking pics I guess is like birdwatching or collecting but with pictures.

[@alexandrevaliquette3883]

You are such a nice soul... I'm surely not the first one to tell you that.... You are the "Bob Ross" of microscopy. Love from Montréal

[@RoyGNH]

Trying to identify ciliates etc. has added an entire new dimension to the hobby I started recently! As you stated, trying new things to learn etc. is the way to go. Then viewing in Darkfield, oblique lighting changes things up quite a bit. Everything you’ve seen before looks different, and you see detail you never could see in Brightfield. Trying to image and posting here to KZbin introduces new challenges to overcome. Microscopy is a great hobby, and yea get that drone, shoot some video and have fun. I found microscopy has been great addition to drone flying, especially during winter months when I can’t get out as much. Great video - thanks!

[@deekshasingh8154]

Sir, could you please make a video explaining all about staining the samples.... why do we need to stain ? btw i admire your videos....this is the most helpful channel for beginners like me

[@fr.marklichtenstein8892]

This is exactly why I do visual astronomy! I want to see it with my own eyes with my own equipment from my own back yard. That said, I might consider getting a trinocular head and taking pictures with a microscope.

[@blackbox330]

Sir, you are right. The first time I saw the moon through a telescope, I was thrilled. Incidentally I had assembled the telescope from bits and pieces. I regularly watch your videos and have learned a lot. Thanks and best of luck.

[@rustynuts4426]

A picture doesnt give you that wow moment which has inspired and created so much love for science.

[@anthonybeers]

They are handy to evaluate soil health that can inform decisions about how to go about making compost specifically designed to remedy particular deficiencies.

[@jeff-hc8ux]

your channel has helped me in pharmacy school working in a lab studying potential new drugs that can be used in antifungal resistant fungi.

[@buxtehude001]

Super, eines der besten Videos, die ich gesehen habe. Es ist wirklich bestens erklärt. Der große Unterschied zwischen SELBERMACHEN, oder nur Kaufen bzw. anschauen was andere gemacht haben.

[@james67693]

...reading the first chapter about Antony Leeuwenhoek, in the book 'Microbe Hunters' by Paul DeKruif, I read so many years ago, was my inspiration for the microscopy hobby... this story, the basic essence of the microscopy hobby...

[@cosmolocus6545]

¿Para qué jugar a tennis si está Federer o a baloncesto si está Jordan? ¿Para que viajar si se pueden ver fotos en internet? ¿Para qué tocar el piano si está Chopin, Liszt o Lyle Mays?... y así con cualquier disciplina. El disfrute está en el proceso, en la parte emocional de la actividad. Si alguien se plantea este tipo de preguntas es porque el hobby seguramente no es para él. Excelente respuesta Oliver!

[@jonathangarcia-mx5il]

Well said!!!!

[@agapeguy777]

Excellent insight and opinion -- thank you so much Oliver for your channel. 👍

[@NeroNSvK]

In all seriousness the first time I saw moon through my 10´´ dobsonian telescope, I told myself that I have never seen moon like that before... No 2D image can give you the same feeling I had, no video... It was just there in real world I could almost touch it... Thats how it got me, then I have seen Jupiter with its moons, Saturn... Again, no image or video footage can replace that feeling, It was worth all the trouble and money.

[@MicrobehunterMicroscopy]

Yes, s similarity between astronomy and microscopy is that both connect you directly to your environment. Of course you can also get pictures on your mobile phone, which you can zoom etc. but is is not the same thing as looking at it yourself. It's not a question of image quality either.

[@NeroNSvK]

@@MicrobehunterMicroscopy Something magical for us humans for sure... BTW I would like to know If I could message you directly somewhere, Need help regarding my first microscope purchase, Im also on similar path as you once were.. Looking to get into the "microworld" soon.

[@schmetterling4477]

I can only agree with that notion. The best Hubble image does not convey the reality of it like a small amateur telescope does. But the best view of the universe is the one that nature gives us once in a lifetime. I was lucky enough to have seen the great American eclipse in 2017. I was completely unprepared for the sight. The second the sky went completely dark, Mercury and Venus appeared in full glory. It was only then that I could say that I actually understood the structure of the solar system. For the first time the inner planets were where they belonged, in the middle of the sky instead of squeezed into some narrow strips above the horizon. It was almost like as if one could see their actual orbits around the sun. It was an absolutely surreal experience. I went from an intellectual understanding of it all using my left lobe to almost an art appreciation mode using the right lobe. What used to be the theory of Kepler orbits suddenly became a large canvas painting. If there is one thing that I want to see one more time in my life, a total eclipse is it.

[@alexandrevaliquette3883]

If we compare astronomy and microscopy... With a 300$ microscope and supply, you can see way more stuff compare to the same budget in astronomy. Astronomy... Sure, you can watch the moon, planets, nebula, sun and maybe 20 others "stuff". Microscopy: With your own body you can explore thousand of specimen. And no need to wait for a clear sky, don't care about light pollution, don't need to wait for night at all, the instrument is quite small and way less expensive. You can learn about your loves one's health, your garden's health, your plant problems, your water purification system, your hvac humidifier bacteria or mold, etc etc etc for about 300$.

[@malelonewolf80]

As for the usefulness of microscopy, and stereoscopy, in these times with climate change and global warming I would think it would be highly useful in order to map what species are in an area, and thus be able to tell over time how climate change and global warming affect changes the species, and the distribution of species, in a region.

[@roblloyd1879]

It's not just about what you see it is about developing new skills and gaining knowledge first hand. It is the same with amateur astronomy we have brlliant access to professional sites but there is nothing quite like observing with your own telescpe. The sense of achievement is immense.

[@KrisWiltseArt]

Just found you. Great channel! Inspiring talk. I live in a semi-rural environment near water in the PNW, grow vegetables and am interested in microbiomes. I'm considering buying a microscope to explore what kinds of microbes are living in the local environment... on my veggies, in the soil, on insects, along the beaches, all over the place! It'd be fun to be part of a community of amateur microbe explorers identifying and sharing notes. Such a beautiful unseen world out there.

[@Coopercup]

I think it is a bit depending on your other hobbys. In my case a stereo microscope is the one i use more often. I´m treasurehunting with a metal detector and i use the microscope to clean the objects, to find out if it is hand made or not and to specify the metal they are made of. I also use it for repairing electronic devices because the actual SMD electronic is so small that you cant do this without. And last but not least i´m sometimes collecting micro minerals from my surroundings and their beauty could only be seen under a microscope.

[@whimsickillgaming7997]

For me it's the difference between watching a football game or getting friends together to play in the backyard, or going to a concert vs learning to play along with a favorite song. Sure the pros will do it better, but there's a sense of accomplishment and absolutely a joy in learning and exploring. I've shared a few pictures and videos I've taken so far using the microscope with some friends and they've been politely interested. BUT when I prep a slide for them and put their face in front of the eyepieces and teach them how to manipulate the stage & focus, polite is out the window and they start talking about getting a microscope for themselves. So I guess the tldr would be: seeing it is beautiful, doing it is magical.

[@cinematic35]

Using a microscope or telescope becomes personal. An example. I take photos similar to an electron scanning microscope--except in color! The University of Hawaii's medical Department and many other Universities around the Globe were astounded by things I found that were never documented. Examples: I photographed a "embossed emblem: on the arm of a paper wasp. I found a red and black stripe on the back of an ants neck and a black and gold ring around a hornets neck. So when you magnify objects with immense dept of field in color you see things many experts haven't seen!

[@martinwhittle3499]

Great answers to a tough question. For myself I can say that when I put some onion skin under the microscope and saw the cytoplasmic streaming going on for real it was far more exciting than just watching the videos.

[@JS19190]

Loved your explanation, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us :)

[@JS19190]

Especially the 'to be more connected with your environment'-part, I couldn't agree more.

[@jeff-hc8ux]

i love this channel keep up the good work

[@atharva-upclosingnature2423]

Definitely, this is a beautiful hobby... It really shaped my childhood...(I am 16 currently)......... I just enjoy this... and most loving part is going out and collecting pond water samples... There are no limits to what you can see and observe through a microscope... and our Dear Oliver brings some beautiful and inspiring videos..

[@anshuman_eek]

Heyyy, where do you find your samples from? Like pond water yeah, and apart from that? I'm 16 too, and I still haven't seen a lot, but I want to....thanks

[@Curixq]

I bought an old 2nd hand microscope (OIP Gand) out of curiosity and we ended up buying a professional one at my job because it turned out to be quite useful. At home it turned out to be useful for different hobby project. Inspecting bleeding of ink on paper, helps with polishing, measure holes of pinhole cameras, ...

[@VFXManiac]

A few years ago, I suggested gonorrhea. I found something in the prostate fluid that I thought was gonorrhea bacteria. I was so convinced that I began to have a spontaneous outflow. I went to the hospital and underwent very unpleasant examinations. The results were negative. From that moment on, no discharge, no pain. All strong suggestions(probably prostate perfused, due to strong suggestion) based on ignorance of biology.

[@VFXManiac]

I think hypochondria should use a microscope with more forethought, if at all :) By the way, the gray discharge was full of white blood cells. I probably suggested inflammation without bacterial origin.

[@JB-ol4vz]

Its very interesting listening to your philosophical rezoning, it really makes me think in anew directions. What is life?

[@Daniel-hd7gq]

Really good question! :)

[@leafletleaflet]

I also think it's a mistake to say, oh well pollen's been discovered. Not the specific pollen specs under your couch, or in the tree next door- those no one thinks to care about and it's probably only you who can look at it. These messages remind me of someone reading a book on "how to write a novel" and decide that all that's been written already has and therefore why do it? Because it's fun of course! It's never going to be finished completely, and less pressure on having to discover new things let's people experiment with other things

[@robertYTB78g]

Because it's REAL! :) I think we are all subjected to information overload, almost like we are now living in a virtual reality. Yes sure, the Andromeda Galaxy contains billions of stars, shaped like our galaxy, blah blah. Next amazing video please. But when I first saw it through binoculars it gave me quite a chill, more than any TV program could ever come close to. It's like a revelation that this is actually there, it's real, and you are looking at it, millions of stars, light years across.....

[@james67693]

...yes; I agree; videos, photos on youtube very interesting and informative; but, the actual posession and use of a microscope, is a 'pleasure' that can not be expressed with words; the only thing better than posessing one microscope, is posessing a dozen ;)) ;))... modern, vintage, antique...

[@JustinOliver08]

Can you please tell or show how to make mounting medium I can't get my hands on it so I wanna know if you could make it. love your vids bye.

[@Rahulkumar-zp2vd]

Bro very nice I am Masters student in Zoology . In India..... I like ur videos

[@aseemkumar958]

Sir is it very difficult to maintain,clean a microscope?

[@deltalima6703]

I agree with everyone else, this was a good answer to this question. Alon Amit (quora) can take the dumbest question and answer it so well that it is profoundly interesting/enlightening. You have that skill also Oliver, keep it up. I have used my microscope several times to answer specific questions I had about my environment and how I interact with it, but, like you, its not so much a tool like a drill for me, its interesting in snd of itself.

[@deltalima6703]

*and of

[@mffbaa12345]

Hi, just wondering if XSP-640x a good microscope for beginner?

[@Ranveer_Singh_Kahani]

Seeing the world outside your house is way much different from seeing the world behind the window😁😁😁

[@mwethyaoz398]

I will say, i am interested in information. I like to experiment, play around and learn stuff. When i was younger, i would leave candy pieces near ant hole and watch the ants as they eat them. I can watch them again and again and always come to see new and interesting things. Also i want to see if there are fun ways to see things. I recently come to learn of a light call low pressure sodium light which produces very narrow band of light wave and i want to know if that will help with aromatic abbaration. Sure, with enough research i can know that but having hands on fun will teach me so much more

[@kellypearsall4540]

I wish you would do a video on using a microscope for fecal egg counting for livestock. I have 5 goats and I want to be able to check them for any issues that may come up. I’ve been researching for months. Every time I think I’ve picked a microscope, I watch something that changes my mind and I’m back to square one. I don’t think this is really your thing but if you have any thoughts I would be so grateful. I finally decided on a Amscope B120C, however I cannot bring my eyes to focus on one single image. I keep trying to adjust the settings. My son looked into it and was able to focus on one image. I do have astigmatism in both eyes, one worse than the other. Could this be the reason? I’m thinking of sending it back and getting a single scope.

[@biomanu19]

Could You give me tour opinión about euromex camera microscopio?

[@JesusGonzalez-ov8qp]

No tienen este video en español?

[@Cristina-mc2sc]

Is there any microscopy identification book we could rely on as beginners? I am waiting for a microscope to arrive, just as you said, I feel like it will open up a new world for me. I would like to know what I'm looking at though, can you please help?

[@anshuman_eek]

Hank's channel 'Journey to the Microcosmos' is really good for that, they also tell books they use and it's really informative...try checking it out

[@Cristina-mc2sc]

@@anshuman_eek I will, thank you!!

[@rcpd3359]

Have you thought about adding a or starting a discord

[@MicrobehunterMicroscopy]

A live stream? Have been thinking about this and maybe I will do this. I never tried it, so I am a bit uncertain. I had already several requests, so I will look into this.

[@Mick_Holland]

Here we have a perfect example of the purpose and, perhaps, practical use of applied amateur microscopy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKmvk3Wnrb56gKs Cheers 👍🏼

[@maciejzmuda1339]

Neil de Grasse Tyson once said that there should be a microscope and a telescope in every home.

[@mosfear]

... or in other words, is it more enjoyable being an observer or a participant?

[@matthewjackson9615]

a big disappointment for most people ,including myself, is the fact that microscopy doesn't have a place in the consumer market as a general rule. I was hoping that we would be on the path of a breakthrough by now, that is, some device would be developed that could be coupled with a smartphone and allow the user to truly see things microscopically. And at a truly affordable price. Something like this hasn't been developed probably because there is simply no market for it. In other words it doesn't solve a need or desire. What I'm trying to say is that for the average consumer, a microscope is merely a novelty item.

[@james67693]

Hi Oliver; as usual, a very good video; however, you neglected to mention the usefulness of incorperating the microscopy hobby into other hobbies; such as coin collecting, stamp collecting, sand collecting, rock, crystal, mineral collecting; soil science; and so many more...

[@Paretozen]

Yesterday I wanted to make pizza. But my mozzarella (in water) smelled a bit off. So I analyzed it under the microscope & it was ofcourse full of life haha. So I combined a droplet of the mozzarella water with isoprapanol alcohol, and noticed all life had ceased to exist. Now overnight I added 2% of the isopropanol to the mozzarella water & analyzed the effects. Subjectively speaking a part of the bacteria were killed off, but certainly not all. Now I'm going to see what % of isopropanol added to the mozzarella water will actually kill of all the bacteria. This ties in with the notion that people in the Middle ages would drink beer with low % alcohol because the water was full of bacteria. So I wonder how well does the alcohol % kill of bacteria. This kind of question & iteration of experiments can be found on youtube, if you are lucky. But when you start asking more and more questions, you will soon get to a point where youtube won't answer. Having said that: The process of these simple & innocent experiments at home is just very fun & educational to do! And it makes for good talk with friends & family. That's why I love Amateur Microscopy.

[@matthewjackson9615]

The question I have for Mr Microscope here is why doesn't he take it to the next level and show us microscopes in action solving real world problems ? How cool it would be to see AI coupled with microscopy. Wouldn't it be neat to see an AI system scan a specimen and identify and classify the structures that it observes? Show us the Star Trek stuff Mr. Microscope.

[@james67693]

...Farensic Science; an interesting field; requires lots of microscopy observation; familiarity; study; chemistry; physics; etc. Soil Science; another fascinating field of microscpical observational study; etc...

[@thenmgarden6471]

I got a microscope for looking at compost teas Im waiting for it in the mail I cant wait to get started. I also got a camera adapter for my dslr so I will start trying to create youtube content as well

[@thenmgarden6471]

For my use case I want to see when the best time is to feed compost tea to my plants or when the compost tea is most active and alive. I am super curious to see how good this compost tea process is and give me an idea of what I am really adding to my soil when I do compost teas. Also it will be interesting to try different recipes or formulas for fungal dominate tea vs bacteria dominant.

[@freemathsforeveryone1076]

How can i preserve unicelluler orgsnisms please tell me

[@MicrobehunterMicroscopy]

Depends on type of microbe. Best is Glycerine Gelatin mounting medium for water microorganisms.

[@ccsas5398]

Ha, i find micro plastics on just about every surface from from a lichen sample to a pile of sea salt.

[@claradavis4779]

Same here ! Finding micro plastics in almost all my slides... quite scary! I also had a similar idea, about inviting people all other the world (having a microscope available) to observe and publish pictures of their local water to see and map the microplastics particles on the globe. :)

[@anthonybeers]

If you don't have a worm bin, I think you would really enjoy it. You think you are raising worms but there rotifers and ciliates and tardigrades and fungi all living in my little bin that gives me fertilizer.

[@ElectricityTaster]

How would a microscope help me during a zombie apocalypse? Could I diagnose some health conditions, test if food is edible or water drinkable, etc?

[@ianbcnp]

As zombie apocalypses are fictional you get to write the script, so the microscope can help in whatever way you want it to :-)

[@ElectricityTaster]

@@ianbcnp It's only fictional until people start eating brains.

[@alexandrevaliquette3883]

If we compare astronomy and microscopy... With a 300$ microscope and supply, you can see way more stuff compare to the same budget in astronomy. Astronomy... Sure, you can watch the moon, planets, nebula, sun and maybe 20 others "stuff". Then, you get bored and you buy a more expensive telescope for the next step. After few steps, you quit. Microscopy: Within your own body you can explore hundred of VERY DIFFERENTS specimens. And no need to wait for a clear sky, don't care about light pollution, don't need to wait for night at all, the instrument is quite small and way less expensive. You can learn about your people's health, your garden's health, your plant problems, your water purification system, your hvac humidifier bacteria or mold, etc etc etc for about 300$. A cheap 300$ telescope will entertain you for a season, maybe two years. A 300$ microscope will gives you high quality image for the rest of your life.

[@flioink]

You might have seen microbes on KZbin, but have you ever seen your *local* microbes? They might look the same...or do they ;) I guess that's would be my answer.

[@GeertBleys]

There are quite a number of amateur mycologists which contribute to what you could call citizen science and most of them use microscopes.

[@AbyssalManta]

I will also add that, once you start the hobby, your curiosity will be piqued by questions that no KZbin video will be able to answer. Sure, you can see Rotifers and Paramecia online... but why is this small aquarium of mine BRIMMING with the things, and this large one sports a modest population, and this has none at all? Why do the mosquito larvae in one particular culture almost never come to pupate, and the few that do display uncoordinated movements and soon die? How healthy are my Moina; are they producing diapause eggs already; are there males in the population?

[@lotharmayring6063]

there are no hobby-microscopers. We all ar researchers when will u ever understand this and dont shoui the people hobbiist

[@dabigjokeoftheday]

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