What Lives in Rainwater? Microscopy and Closed Ecosystem

What lives in rainwater? I decided to find out by collecting rainwater and making a closed aquatic ecosystem with rainwater. I also filmed the rainwater through a microscope. With the microscope different microbes were visible that were living in the rainwater, as well as some dust particles.
Enjoy!
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[@ElNick09]

Oh! cool microbiology trick: take that thin glass coverslip and gently lay it on the surface of your water sample. Let it sit for a few days floating on the surface of the water (the water's surface tension will keep it up, dont worry if a drop gets on the top as it will evaporate off). Microbes will swim up and colonize the underside of your glass coverslip just the same way they will coat your jars sides. After a few days take the coverslip and put it gently on your glass microscope slide wet-side down. Then look at it under your scope. If your sample had plenty of microbes in it you will find a sort of microbial coral-reef under the scope for you to examine. Also, this technique can capture not just more microbial diversity, but also more microbe behaviors and interactions better than sucking up a water droplet and dropping it on the slide will. Think about it: if aliens came and picked up a 100 mile square chunk of the earths surface (say with Amsterdam in the middle) then gently put it down intact somewhere else to study it, you'd all act a lot MORE normal in that study than if they had used their tractor beam to suck up all the people, the trees, the buildings, etc. in Amsterdam up and spit them out onto some new surface in a jumble.

[@LifeinJars]

Awesome that sounds like fun! Nice analogy too haha

[@IdiotWithEducation]

Life in Mars, what are you using in the background, and are you going to use a darkscape?

[@EndlesSuffering]

ElNick09 where you high when typing this?

[@ElNick09]

@@EndlesSuffering lol no. But I like your sense of humour

[@vannahloveforever]

Your comment os incredible

[@ReleasedHollow]

"This thing looks like a Ciliate but I'll tell you what it is, It's cool, that's what it is" For real.

[@Theshakingfist]

Don't be too harsh on yourself. Journey to the Microcosm is a small team of talented professionals. As clearly talented and passionate as you are, you're still just one person. For your budget and experience, the images are very beautiful and compelling. Keep up with the good job.

[@GauravNicholasMisraNickKwan]

@@ladyhella7560 Wtf are you even talking about?

[@scoobysnacc2292]

@@ladyhella7560 testicles???

[@MercifulDeity]

Clearly bot.

[@mr.booboo1]

@@MercifulDeity she's talking about the channel journey to the microcosm

[@MercifulDeity]

@@mr.booboo1 There was previous comment spouting gibberish. I was meant for that comment.

[@megyumiyoshi1062]

Dude you're getting really good with the microscope

[@roseinabottle]

zorbas091 life in jars is nazbol gang

[@by2083]

stfu

[@ireallyneedsleep6239]

Very true!

[@darylmortlock1986]

@@by2083 your mom

[@ModernPopMalc]

All you do is look thru it lol

[@RepublicofE]

Have you ever done a refrigerated ecosystem?

[@mindavery]

or a heated one?

[@dkbroman]

Or a room temperature one

[@ReleasedHollow]

Toilet bowl water ecosystem.

[@teddymattix4619]

one where you sprinkle meth in once a week

[@Davesothoth]

You wouldn't see much unless you took the water from the Polar regions

[@WayneCatlin]

Do tap water next!!

[@doxscund8821]

Bit of advice: Sometimes microbes can move extremely quickly, especially at higher magnification. You might have better luck adding a drop of "Protoslow" to slow them down for easier footage. I don't know if you have a 1000x lens but if you do, *please* make sure you put oil on the slide first and stick with adjusting with the fine knob so you don't crack the slide. -T. Experience

[@Ranstone]

Ah,haha... Crack the slide... My first microscope experience ever. X'D

[@allennewborn936]

Never again am tilting my head up to let rain water fall on my tongue. Never.

[@divingquokka]

I used to live on a small Caribbean island, without a central water system. We collected rainwater of the roofs of our houses into cisterns. Some people had activated charcoal filters and UV-sterilizers attached. I just had a coarse particulate matter filter. I drank it for four years, never made me ill.

[@elliot_rat]

it's probably got all this junk because he scooped it from a muddy nasty drain

[@therealestmannyt1029]

I know this comments a year old, but he did say this was kept in a gutter for like a couple months to collect rain

[@buba1238]

Your tongue has much more microorganisms than those inside the jar,dont worry brow LOL

[@shellia1929]

Good plan. Rainwater is filthy. I'm always surprised when people think it's perfectly drinkable straight from the sky. Or worse, from off their roof. Gross. Lol.

[@mikemoyer8162]

I love everything you're doing! Your honesty in not knowing and continuing to learn really inspires me. You are a true scientist. "I'm curious; I'm going to test this."

[@QUIROPTEROHOLLOW]

"Hmmm yes, microbe seems to bee made of microbe". Hahahaha love ya man!

[@noinformationavailable4114]

This week has been a stressful one, and seeing your video pop up in my notifications made me smile :)

[@JP-bp1cy]

NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE SAME!!!

[@jasonmartin9469]

A good way to "decompress"...Another channel I watch is Foo the Flowerhorn...we should all "blow up" Journey to the micro cosmos and to tell them about Life in Jars maybe see if they would help our friend here..I mean he is the epitome of "a kid with a micro scope".. 🙃

[@dshe8637]

To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour

[@brokenwishbone422]

Thought this was a puzzle in Tombraider for second lmao

[@jasonmartin9469]

is this an original of yours??..I have saved it so I can tell my grand daughters why I stop and look at the grass, the sky or turn over stone/logs to see the "world"...Some times people just need to look you know?..Even looking at your own hand can be "wow". 🧡

[@dshe8637]

@@jasonmartin9469 It's from poet William Blake (1757-1827). A great writer, illustrator and thinker. You will enjoy his work x

[@jasonmartin9469]

@@dshe8637 I will definitely look into his work...I am the type person that will walk through the yard and notice it.Part the blades and try to "see".If that makes any since? 😏

[@vince147]

@@jasonmartin9469 You might enjoy "Tom Brown's Field Guide to the Forgotten Wilderness" by, well, Tom Brown, Jr. It came out in '87, but a lot of the topics haven't aged a day. As the back of the book puts it; "Tom Brown shows readers how to open their eyes to the surprising abundance of natural beauty that can be found in the urban and suburban landscapes of backyards, local parks, highway medians, and even windowsill flower boxes."

[@emcelina9291]

I was just hoping for a new Life In Jars video! Yay! You're the best!

[@jerseydevil1]

To collect rain water in a more controlled way (single rainfall tests) I suggest using a big pan or dish of some sort with more surface area rather than a jar then transfer the rain water to the jar

[@valm604]

This is so awesome that you've been doing this, I found your old rainwater video in my recommended and it's so good to be interested in this kind of thing! Your clarity is really good considering you said you're new to it and the lil things you've found are actually so cool! I did something similar in high-school where we collected pond water, i found a water flea back then, having fun with this kind of thing is exactly how you learn to be good at it

[@Beansie]

GREAT shots! Much improved shots over the first microscopic video, you are learning fast! One cannot have experience, without first getting it. No apologies needed. One of my favorite parts of microscopy is how identical the physics are on the quantum level to the astronomical level. Universe on the head of a pin. Keep up the great work!

[@thepiper4705]

Your channel is far more interesting than Journey to the Microcosmos, thought I love and follow both.

[@Ferkle871]

Ever since I've began watching your channel I can't even look at a table top without wondering what could be secretly living there. I absolutely love your videos and can't wait to see what else you do in the future. You explore the unexplored and since you as well don't have much knowledge of certain things,it only makes it twice as fun to see.

[@zachb8012]

Big fan of your channel, and also Journey to the Microcosmos. I am excited with the new direction you're going with microscopy and look forward to learning more about an entirely new dimension of your ecospheres! Who knows what's going on in there at 400x?! One thing that has always intrigued me is the difference in microbial life between fresh and sea water.

[@manterane5008]

I've been waiting for this video for so long :) Thank you.

[@klibstar8197]

Really appreciate the follow up from the previous video. Good work!!!

[@returnofbeaux]

I enjoy watching the focus shift in the microscopic captures.

[@totallynotajellyfish4503]

Keep up the great work man, I hope you continue loving what you do

[@iwanttopepeonmyparrot6559]

Man I just been binging all your videos and I love them and you so much!! You’re so awesome!!

[@wooof.]

POND WATER. I used to collect pond water and examine it under a microscope. Lots of live things!

[@MrBlack0950]

Amazing video as always

[@Rika4]

Everyone in comments so wholesome... it's also a really relaxing and interesting video, really loving it!

[@cheesenipspartymix]

I watch journey to the microcosmos too! Awesome channel. I love looking at things in a microscope that are found in the world around us! At my university for one of our labs we got to make a Winogradsky Column (fill a bottle with pond water/mud, then add nutrient sources for carbon, metal, etc) and when I got a chance to take a sample from my column to look at under a microscope it was the coolest thing ever! I loved seeing the mysterious little creatures that were all unique to my column and existed in that pond. Too cool! Great video and passion to share!

[@LazyMode21]

Cool to look into "Jars-iverse" (multiverse in a jar)

[@heatherstewart8817]

Just have to say it again. I could listen to you talk all day. Lol great video!

[@jottpersonal8887]

Awesome job

[@AJohnsonJr]

Edutaining videos! Love see to an ecosystem with freshwater shrimp and crabs.

[@diademoflead]

My Netherlander friend, I say this only because I know you are interested in knowing things and not because I am trying to be pedantic, diaphragm is pronounced "die-a-fram." The G is silent. Thanks for the all the great videos & love your accent!

[@LifeinJars]

Oops thanks

[@benf1036]

nice vid mate!

[@davidschmidt6013]

ELNick09 Never heard that one before but will try it asap. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@ncrtrooper7153]

Very cool!

[@Bluefisher308]

I really like what you're doing. I think it's safe to call you a scientist.

[@user-lw4vi4oy2d]

But without a degree

[@user255]

No, not really without publishing in peer-reviewed journal.

[@user255]

@@user-lw4vi4oy2d It's all about evidence you provide, degree is not absolute requirement.

[@Sharklops]

I know what that little green thing is... it's a Jartian!

[@JP-bp1cy]

Yoooo I was watching The Strain!!! BUT had to see what’s going on. Damn!!!! Bro!!! Quality content like always!!!! Digging the Microscope! Damn can’t wait to see what’s next!? Dude it’s a trip I have this old aquarium tank and had the same idea..... well similar, but yeah bro I was just gonna collect some rain water and some dirt I found out back and see what happens. Lol Okay not as cool as this but yeah you get the idea.

[@kiwiman6840]

You got good taste in shows

[@JP-bp1cy]

Kiwi Man Dude that show is nuts bro!!! ._.

[@CuttingEdges]

I recommend the hanging drop technique for observing living microorganisms in water

[@DanielGainesDanno115]

You make amazing videos

[@korridarkheart2342]

This was cool to see

[@santiagoromagnoli8909]

you should take a thin leaf and immediately put it under the microscope. I haven't done this is forever but I remember being able to see the chloroplasts moving around the veins of the leaf

[@tamarrajames3590]

You are doing some very cool stuff here. When I first subscribed to your channel I had no idea we would one day be looking through a microscope together. I subscribe to the microcosm channel you mentioned as well. If you are doing this well with your first tries at microscopic photography I have no doubt you will find your way to getting that kind of clarity and crispness in your own. I am very much enjoying your journey, thanks for letting me tag along.🖤🇨🇦

[@NotSoCrazyNinja]

I once put tap water into a sealed plastic container and promptly forgot about it for a few months and came back to it being pretty much filled with some sort of black slimy substance. Still don't know what it was, I have no equipment to test such things or even inspect it and the container ended up becoming brittle after a good eight months so I had to toss it out as I wasn't about to try opening it and transferring it to something like a glass jar. Needless to say, I don't drink my tap water anymore.

[@angeryquokka8770]

I love your videos

[@gbugueta]

Hey,great video. You should try to collect some samples from bromeliad water

[@unitedherb8683]

enjoyed this video

[@everydayamature3740]

I love the new microscope

[@CherrysJubileeJoyfully]

No you're wrong.... it's VERY COOL! 🥰😍

[@alexandragatto]

Thanks for the video, excited to see if anything grows in the new ecosystem! Just FYI, the word "diaphragm" is pronounced "DIE-ah--fram" - it's a super confusing word! :)

[@jarnature6371]

Hello Life in Jars, I would just like to tell you that since watching your videos, which has been a while now(I started watching at 1000 subs) I have endeavored to try to make my own ecospheres. Although none of them have been very successful, it did help me through some rough times. I would just like to say thank you for making such great videos and I am thinking of making my own little documentary about making a successful ecosphere! ~Jar Nature

[@micro8399]

That had way more microbes than I would have thought

[@lindymoore]

Looks like a good camera on the microscope! Also I think the big particle was a moss or algae, given I saw something like that floating around. Likely that might have “jumped” out of the gutter.

[@navykip]

The new microscope lens is awesome.

[@jacquelynw.6014]

Yay! Finally an update on the rainwater ecosphere!

[@katearonsson8774]

Hi can i make an ecosphere in my local park ? I would really like to make one but i dont know if taking water an stuff from the park is a good idea , please reply

[@hogy33]

Wow. Please tell me two things. How do you film your ecospheres so close. What camera lens. Also what microscope do you have?

[@nickcosimano5028]

I recommend putting a small cardboard circle in front of the light, it makes it look good for free.

[@richyrich5049]

Hi. Can you describe this in more detail?

[@nickcosimano5028]

@@richyrich5049 I cut a small circle piece of cardboard that I set on the light. It acts kinda like the moon during the eclipse and only lets light come from the sides. It acts as a dark field filter.

[@williampennjr.4448]

What size cars do you use for your ecosystems. I'd like to try it myself. I have a few idea's.

[@JustineKaise]

I live in the US in a state next to Oklahoma, where they get a lot of dust storms. It literally rains mud here sometimes. I bet that rainwater would be interesting!

[@ralaksostrov5448]

You can cheap modify microscope to make dark field and polarimetry, The Thought Emporium make video about this.

[@antoniogabriel4089]

YES MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@a32k57]

Cool! That was my main complaint.

[@a32k57]

If you needed precise data you could have attached A sterile cone to the lip of the jar to prevent splash- back, but I wouldn't worry for vids.

[@elijahporter5049]

Would you consider making a video about infauna (organisms dwelling within the substrate)? I noticed in your video of a jar exposed to 24/7 light conditions that small "tunnels" were visible along the side of the jar, and I think a video focused on organisms that live there would be quite interesting.

[@LifeinJars]

I'm pretty sure those are actually the tubifex tunnels.

[@Beelugaaa]

Epic

[@watermelon5521]

Maybe if you have a fish tank,you can take the water out of it and see what lives in it?

[@ziepturis6942]

Nice

[@BogzKenny]

Can you make an update on the paludarium/ecosphere tank

[@OmgLolx10]

This is a cool project. It would seem far more fitting to try to clean the jars (as you have) and place many of them on the roof without anything over them that may interact with the rainwater. This way you would have plenty of water.

[@Shaden0040]

You should get samples of naturally sourced pond, well/spring, and ocan water and look for Tardigrades (aka water bears).

[@commentsectionspam2026]

Pup314 sea bears aren’t real

[@santiagobriseno3751]

Life in jars x journey to the microcosmos= heaven. Edit: I wrote this before he said it

[@sleazypmartini3728]

Amsterdam is a dusty city, visited a few times back in 2008 and it was rainy it felt soooo good especially because I left the coffee shop after a couple of really nice strains and a space cake. Holy fuck I miss Amsterdam so much.

[@unori.gina.l]

yoo what kind of microscope do you use? i really want to get into microscopy as well, but i too have no idea what i'm doing haha

[@odiouspariah]

What's the name of the song that keeps playing on and off in the video?

[@carlocarreri2537]

Hi dare, how u doing? I'm Carlo from Brazil. I study biology here (Universidade Estadual do Norte do Paraná) and i have some tricks for you when u prepare a sample. First, add a very thin layer of cotton. Second, use a water with tobacco dipped for 2 days. Another one, try to get samples of the water surface. U are going to see more microbes.

[@Weeshnaw997]

The round thing you identified as possibly being a diatom - very unlikely. Diatoms are generally immotile or have unique motility patterns, and do not tend to flip and spin like that microbe. This would be a pointless waste of energy for them, since all they need to do is bask in the sunlight anyway. Diatoms are also not very common in rainwater, since their shells are made of silicon, and the water coming directly from the sky and from your gutter won't have any of it. You may find more diatoms in pond water, especially in areas where the soil substrate is high in silicon.

[@elijahporter5049]

Perhaps it was a volvox colony?

[@xtensioncord8775]

I LOVE YOUU

[@Bluefire42156]

What microscope so you use and is it expensive?

[@unhumanized]

Woah. The life of microbes is crazy. Lol

[@danielpolson9340]

Could you do one under a vacuum and one under pressure thank you

[@j3we11n6]

i think next time you should only use the direct rain water!

[@yetigriff]

Can you do one with water from the canals to see how many bicycles grow

[@Surrender17]

That definitely looks like a Ciliate. I've been binge watching Dr. Pohl and he shows it a lot under a microscope. Apparently farm animals get sick a lot thanks to those guys.

[@leprintemps1985]

There is some french team ( in clermont ferrand precisely ) of searchers who work on bacteria of the clouds. Maybe you can do some investigations on this side ? Very intersting Question leo from france

[@Paul-vo4ze]

What type of microscope are you using?

[@travelingjab7650]

So what is the long squiggly thing @ 3:51? Did you find out cause I see them in our rain water as well. Also, do a video with a surgical mask under the microscope. One of those blue ones they sell and everyone wears

[@leonmoreland400]

Maybe some kind of plastic

[@a.benkovich5052]

what kind of microscope do you use?

[@KingsOfCamel]

All that dust is from the gutter not the rain itself

[@Liv-dh6tn]

After looking watching this, I think I am more confident in my decision bot to become a marine biologist. I adore marine biology and science, still, but this really made me kinda grossed/weirded out. All of the *things* in the rain water are making me rethink all of my decisions on not always having an umbrella

[@Pooperz100]

“rain rain go away”

[@geodude6244]

Thing at 3 30 is trippy looks like saturn radiating a ring

[@michaelsasylum]

What microscope are you using?

[@leonelcardoso8945]

Heyy where do you live in Amsterdam? :)

[@monsterteamtr6488]

There is some hydras on that plant part thingy i think

[@jdallen2857]

Nobody: Life in jars: that microbes thicc yo

[@nawawiawi4013]

make a vid about what lives in acid rainwater pls. thx

[@professormori7607]

Your accent is so undeniably cute haha

[@absolute_aero]

So.... is pure rainwater safe to just straight up drink? Like... is there minimum level of microbes that's generally safe to consume?

[@Theking-dt1cc]

Do an ecosystem from boiled water

[@bodilesspassenger4606]

Or store bought

[@Theking-dt1cc]

@@bodilesspassenger4606 i think already did dat