Though it’s been around for more than a year, I just recently stumbled across “Journey to the Microcosmos“, a video series exploring “the tiny, unseen world around us.” The video below shows the results of their latest acquisition, a new microscope enabling them to use Nomarski, or Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy. Dating back to the early 1950s, DIC microscopy enhances the contrast seen in specimens, and the results here are beautiful. There’s also something peaceful and meditative about the narration, which I wasn’t expecting from a lesson in optics. It’s hopefully a nice way to wind down your week and enjoy the pleasure of pure curiosity.

David Crotty

David Crotty

David Crotty is a Senior Consultant at Clarke & Esposito, a boutique management consulting firm focused on strategic issues related to professional and academic publishing and information services. Previously, David was the Editorial Director, Journals Policy for Oxford University Press. He oversaw journal policy across OUP’s journals program, drove technological innovation, and served as an information officer. David acquired and managed a suite of research society-owned journals with OUP, and before that was the Executive Editor for Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, where he created and edited new science books and journals, along with serving as a journal Editor-in-Chief. He has served on the Board of Directors for the STM Association, the Society for Scholarly Publishing and CHOR, Inc., as well as The AAP-PSP Executive Council. David received his PhD in Genetics from Columbia University and did developmental neuroscience research at Caltech before moving from the bench to publishing.

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