John S. Mead

Never seen the death of a ciliate like this-- usually it's too much pressure from the coverslip or too much osmotic pressure. But this gradual posterior-to-anterior "unzipping" effect amazed me !

Motic BA310e - 40x Objective - sped up 2X
#microscopy #Paramecium #Iteachbiology #edusky

Never seen the death of a ciliate like this-- usually it's too much pressure from the coverslip or too much osmotic pressure. But this gradual posterior-to-anterior "unzipping" effect amazed me !

Motic BA310e - 40x Objective - sped up 2X
#microscopy #Paramecium #Iteachbiology #edusky

How Did Hands Evolve? The Answer Is Behind You.

Carl Zimmer: How Did Hands Evolve? The Answer Is Behind You. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/s...

Scientists are using corals from other countries to save Florida's dying reefs The past three summers have been the worst on record for Florida's coral reefs. To try to restore them, scientists are breeding corals that can handle heat better, using coral from other countries.

How corals from Honduras could help save Florida’s reefs

www.npr.org/2025/10/01/n...

Fossils of Some of the Last Dinosaurs in North America Have a Story to Tell

Fossils of Some of the Last Dinosaurs in North America Have a Story to Tell www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/s...

Congrats!

In 1979, a Mining Test Ravaged the Pacific Seafloor— 44 Years Later, New Evidence Reveals It’s Likely Forever A 1979 deep-sea mining test left marks on the Pacific seafloor that remain nearly untouched over four decades later. New research uncovers what really happened in the ocean depths—and why it matters m...

In 1979, a Mining Test Ravaged the Pacific Seafloor— 44 Years Later, New Evidence Reveals It’s Likely Forever

dailygalaxy.com/2025/11/in-1...

Had a blast last week at the @nabtbio.bsky.social national conference & got to present to several dozen Bio teachers about the #Microsafaris you have seen here over time. Even did a live demo & captured this elegant Stentor showing off for those awesome teachers! #iteachbiology #microscopy #Edusky

Safeguarding Sound Science | National Center for Science Education Safeguarding Sound Science, Evolution EditionThe second season of Safeguarding Sound Science examines the everyday impacts of evolution, the grand theory that informs our understanding of all life on ...

Ep. 6 of Safeguarding Sound Science is out! This week, Mat Kaplan sits down with Todd Disotell (@todddisotell.bsky.social) for an enlightening, and sometimes sobering discussion about how we may fare in the event of another pandemic. #podsky #sciencesky #virus #evobio

Thanks so much my friend! The feeling is mutual!!!

@evoexplorer.bsky.social absolutely crushing his presentation on microsafari. @nabtbio.bsky.social A privilege to call this talented man my friend.

Excited to head to St. Louis & the @nabtbio.bsky.social Conference tomorrow & get to see many old friends and make new ones! Also excited to present (for the first time!) my MICROSAFARI project on Saturday at 9:00. I hope to see some of you there! #NABT #NABT2025 #NABTStLouis #iteachbiology #edsky

Reading the Bones by Marc Aronson | Book Moon Books High-stakes adventure meets cutting-edge anthropology in this true account of the groundbreaking discovery of Homo naledi, which shocked the world of evolutionary science and redefined what it means t...

yall my dad wrote this!! a middle grade book about human evolution ⚡️⚡️⚡️ pre-order a copy for your kiddos!

@evoexplorer.bsky.social

Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children’s Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability This nationwide cohort study with sibling control analysis examines the association of acetaminophen use during pregnancy with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability.

AUTISM and TYLENOL

A study of 2.5 million children showed a small association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism—but this finding DISAPPEARED when full siblings were compared.

“Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism…”

Full article:

From a desktop "mini pond" I maintain just for kicks --- Love the internal detail of the Aeolosoma as it wanders around. Also notice some blue microplastic and a stentor.
Motic BA310e 10X objective via LabCam Ultra & iPhone 15
#microscope #microscopy #nature #biology #edusky #Iteachbiology

From a desktop "mini pond" I maintain just for kicks --- Love the internal detail of the Aeolosoma as it wanders around. Also notice some blue microplastic and a stentor.
Motic BA310e 10X objective via LabCam Ultra & iPhone 15
#microscope #microscopy #nature #biology #edusky #Iteachbiology

I am a true fan of Stentor and was able to capture this cooperative one with my 60X objective. I just love seeing the myonemes, the moniliform nuclei, and the cilia active as it "grazes."
Motic BA310e - 60 X objective - Labcam Ultra -iPhone15

#iteachbiology #microscope #edusky #science #nature

Happy #MicroscopeMonday! This video from an aging pond sample showcases Paramecium, some cysts of hypotrich ciliates (likely Oxytricha), and a mat of Zooglea bacteria at the end.....
Motic BA310e 20X Objective/ LabcamUltra/iPhone15

#iteachbiology #microscope #edusky #science #nature

Just fiddling with an aging sample from my desktop "mini-pond"
I love the worm Aeolosoma in darkfield because you can appreciate its internal structure so clearly.

Motic BA310e/ 10X objective/Labcam Ultra/iPhone 15
#microscope #nature #biology #edusky #science 🧪

Microverse Minute
I collected samples from a local fountain several days after a good rain, and the sediment was loaded with these micro crustaceans called Ostracods!! They date back in the fossil record over 400 million years!
#microscopy #naturephotography📷 #science #biology

Always love getting to see a microscopic population explosion in my samples!
Here's a Paramecium undergoing binary fission to create two clones!

Motic Ba310e / Lbacam Ultra/iPhone 15/ 10X objective
#nature #microscope #biology #iteachbiology #edusky #science #naturephotography

It's fun to let students in their free time create "Mix slides" from different pond samples & then see what appears.... this "mix" has at least 4 species. Aeolosoma, Paramecium, Rotifers, and Stentor
Can you spot any species I missed?

#microscope #naturephotography #biology #iteachbiology #edusky

Yesterday I collected some samples from a local Texas pond and was happy to see a bunch of Nauptili. I thought y'all might appreciate this video of one of them -- apologies for a messy condenser --- that gets cleaned this weekend!

#microscope #Iteachbiology #edusky #nature #microscopy #Science

Just saw this recently deceased copepod with a hefty load of peritrich epibionts (I think Vorticella). Excited to see the egg sac with eggs that already have eyes developing. It's my first time observing this!
#microscope #edusky #nature #biology #iteachbiology #science

From a local park pond, a nice cluster of Vorticella - I am always puzzled by how they manage to feed when it seems they are constantly retracting in response to stimuli.
Motic BA 310e - 4X objective - LabCam Ultra & iPhone 15 pro

#edusky #microscopy #Biology #nature #microcosmos

It's always nice when you see a nauplius that isn't hell-bent on zooming everywhere. LOL

*For my non-bio friends, a nauplius is a larval form of a crustacean. I suspect this one belongs to the genus Cyclops - a copepod.

#microscopy #nature #biology #edusky #iteachbiology #science

From a Texas pond - I love seeing Urocentrum turbo doing its thing here. Amazed they have enough energy to keep on spinning without obviously feeding like other species of ciliates. ENJOY!
Motic BA310e - 4X Objective with Labcam Ultra / iPhone Pro 15

#microscope #iteachbiology #edusky #biology

Reading the Bones: Homo Naledi and the Mysteries of Human Evolution|Hardcover High-stakes adventure meets cutting-edge anthropology in this true account of the groundbreaking discovery of Homo naledi, which shocked the world of evolutionary science and redefined what it means to be human, written for young readers by a Sibert Medalist and a...

Happy to share that @barnesandnoble.com is has a preorder sale on my book Reading The Bones today through Friday (9/5)!!
Get a 25% discount on ALL preorders when you use code PREORDER25 at checkout. #bnpreorder
@fsgbooks.bsky.social @mackidsbooks.bsky.social
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reading-th...

Reading the Bones: Homo Naledi and the Mysteries of Human Evolution|Hardcover High-stakes adventure meets cutting-edge anthropology in this true account of the groundbreaking discovery of Homo naledi, which shocked the world of evolutionary science and redefined what it means to be human, written for young readers by a Sibert Medalist and a...

Happy to share that @barnesandnoble.com is has a preorder sale on my book Reading The Bones today through Friday (9/5)!!
Get a 25% discount on ALL preorders when you use code PREORDER25 at checkout. #bnpreorder
@fsgbooks.bsky.social @mackidsbooks.bsky.social
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reading-th...