Still doing experiments from beginner’s
books. Every one teaches me something.
The best beginner’s book I’ve found is Adventures With a Microscope by Richard
Headstrom originally published in 1941. It was written for intelligent children
Explanations are detailed, extensive, and very clearly written.
It is interesting to read his list of
useful supplies; especially the recommended chemicals and reagents. Many of the
things that were readily available at the time are now restricted and/or completely unavailable to the amateur: Chloroform. Ether.
Sulfuric Acid. Caustic Potash. (As a side note, I was able to get sulfuric
acid from a pharmacy for use in a high school physics experiment as late as
1959.)
Much of my education is coming from the
internet. http://www.microbehunter.com/
is a wonderful resource. Oliver Kim has a large selection of instructional
videos and articles. He is an excellent teacher. There’s also a wide-ranging
forum that has a section especially for beginners. I’ve learned a lot form the very helpful
forum members.
www.microscopy-uk.org.uk is another helpful site, but I’ve found many broken links in the
learning section.
www.ibiology.org offers courses including both a long and a short microscopy
course.
Facebook has an Amateur Microscopy group whose members mostly post photos. Some of the more spectacular photos are an
inspiration for some experiments to be discussed later.
