Capital Microscope Services Blog

January Science Newsletter

2012-01-19T15:05:00.000-05:00

We hope that you are successful in working with your students to keep them excited about the process of science. We know that in the middle of the school year it can get to be a real challenge to keep your students focused on all that you have to offer. I encourage you to keep up the good work. And don’t hesitate to contact Capital Microscope when you are looking for the perfect science equipment to make science the exciting, active process that we know it can be.

We have some terrific values on our website. Click here to go to our home page to find all the Special Offers shown on that page. For example the National EcoLine Handheld Digital USB Microscope is only $89. This handheld digital USB microscope can enhance students’ discovery process by letting them see things up close. It also allows the capture of images on your computer so you can use the images to further enhance your students’ understanding of science.

We also continue to have great pricing on all our Ohaus balances such as the Ohaus Scout Pro. It has a 400 g capacity with a precision of 0.1 g and is specially priced at only $127.40. You can also find more about all our balances on our website at Balances.

Now is also a good time to schedule my visit to your school to service your microscopes and balances. I can work within your budget to get your equipment in top shape so your students can perform well in the lab with minimal frustration. Go to our Microscope Service page on our website to find out exactly all that our service includes. Contact me directly to discuss how we can help you get your microscopes operating like new at an extremely reasonable cost. We also can adjust, calibrate, zero, and clean mechanical balances. This will help those weighing labs go much smoother for you students.

Quote

Here is a quote to help your students understand the importance of experimentation.

It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong. - Richard P. Feynman

January Science History Tidbits

2012-01-19T14:59:00.000-05:00

General

In 1885, the first U.S. patent for a roller coasting structure was issued to La Marcus Thompson of Coney Island, NY. (No. 332,762). Coney Island, at the terminus of New York City's extensive trolley line, was already a popular amusement park in 1884, when Thompson opened a new attraction - the Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway. For a five-cent ticket, passengers sat sideways in cars that by gravity descended the gentle waves of the 600-foot wooden mini-railway, reaching a top speed of six miles per hour. The enormously popular ride earned back Thompson's original $1,600 investment within three weeks. Within four years, he had built about 50 more across the nation and in Europe. On 22 Dec 1885, he patented the gravity switch-back railway.

Biology

In 1947, Stanford University reported the isolation of the polio virus, after three years of research funded by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. The work was done by Drs Hubert S. Loring and C.E. Schwerdt of the Stanford Dept. of Chemistry. Laboratory tests and photographs showed it to be at least 80% pure, and that it could lead to producing an impurity-free vaccine for use against infantile paralysis. Other vaccines existing at the time had problems with large amounts of impurities. The virus was obtained by purification from ground-up brain and spinal cord of rats infected with the polio virus. Electron microscope photographs showed the virus as a spherical partical about 25 nanometers across.

Earth Science

In 1610, Galileo dated his first letter describing telescopic observations in which he saw the moon's cratered surface using his twenty-powered spyglass. He wrote, “... it is seen that the Moon is most evidently not at all of an even, smooth, and regular surface, as a great many people believe of it and of the other heavenly bodies, but on the contrary it is rough and unequal. In short it is shown to be such that sane reasoning cannot conclude otherwise than that it is full of prominences and cavities similar, but much larger, to the mountains and valleys spread over the Earth's surface.” Galileo went on to describe the phenomena in considerable detail, rehearsing, as it were, the observations and conclusions he was to publish more elaborately a few months later in Sidereus Nuncius.

Physics

In 1919, Professor Ernest Rutherford succeeded in splitting the atom. By bombarding nitrogen atoms with alpha particles emitted by radioactive materials he transmuted the nitrogen atoms into oxygen.

Chemistry

In 1833, Robert Kane, a 24-year-old Irish chemist, published a paper in which he was the first to propose the existence of the -C2H5 ethyl radical (Dublin Journal of Medical and Chemical Sciences, which he founded). His idea was initially "a subject of amusement and ridicule among the chemical circles" of Dublin. A year later, when similar ideas were proposed by Justus Liebig, the authority of that great German chemist gave credibility to the concept, and Kane eventually received the credit for it. By the age of 22, he had already written a book, Elements of Practical Pharmacy, and was a professor of chemistry at Dublin's Apothecaries' Hall. His research spanned inorganic, organic, physical, biological and applied chemistry.

2011-12-01T09:21:00.000-05:00

Its that time of year again. Don't forget about the scientist in your life when you're shopping for holiday gifts. Capital Microscope is here to help with selected microscope packages. Check them out! And don't forget to order soon so Santa can get them under the tree in time.

December Science Newsletter

2011-12-01T09:20:00.000-05:00

All of us at Capital Microscope know that all the teachers and students are looking forward to a wonderful Christmas season. As you, your students, and parents are looking for science related gifts we have some great value suggestions on our website. Click on Holiday Gift Ideas to find some great gift suggestions at a great value.

Whether it is balances, safety equipment, microscopes, or instructional materials you can be assured that we have the latest products at the best price with the personal support to help you find exactly what you need to continue bringing the excitement of science to your students. You can find all our products with details at our Capital Microscope Website. If you have a particular item in mind and would like to find what we have to offer, use our "search:" box at the top of the home page. This will guide you to our many products. And I am always available by email or phone when you need advice on the best fit for you science laboratory needs.

We service all brands and types of microscopes at a cost that can fit within your budget. Don't let a poorly operating microscope spoil the experience of your students. Call me now to arrange a visit to you school to take care of your microscopes. Click here for complete information concerning our service. Contact me by email to get your school on our service calendar. We also can adjust, calibrate, zero, and clean mechanical balances. This will help those weighing labs go much smoother for you students.

Quote

Here is a quote that reflects the spirit of the holiday season. I hope you and your students enjoy it.

A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge - Thomas Carlyle

December Science Fun Facts

2011-12-01T09:13:00.000-05:00

General

In 1911, at Stockholm, Sweden, Marie Curie became the first person to be awarded a second Nobel prize. She had isolated radium by electrolyzing molten radium chloride. At the negative electrode the radium formed an amalgam with mercury. Heating the amalgam in a silica tube filled with nitrogen at low pressure boiled away the mercury, leaving pure white deposits of radium. This second prize was for her individual achievements in Chemistry, whereas her first prize (1903) was a collaborative effort with her husband, Pierre, and Henri Becquerel in Physics for her contributions in the discovery of radium and polonium

Biology

In 1967, the first synthesis of biologically active DNA in a test tube was announced at a press conference by Arthur Kornberg who had worked with Mehran Goulian at Stanford and Robert L. Sinsheimer of MIT. Kornberg chose to replicate the relatively simple DNA chain of the Phi X174 virus, which infects bacteria (a bacteriophage). It has a single strand of DNA only about 5500 nucleotide building blocks long, and with about 11 genes, it was easier to purify without breaking it up. Having isolated the Phi X174 DNA, they used the DNA from E. coli, a common bacterium in the human intestine that could copy a DNA template from any organism. The viral DNA template thus copied was found to be able to infect bacteria - it was error-free, active DNA.

Earth Science

In 1995, the Galileo spacecraft arrived at Jupiter and entered orbit after 6 years years of travel including a flyby of Venus and two asteroids, Gaspra and Ida. The orbiter had also carried an atmospheric probe with scientific instruments, which it had released from the main spacecraft in Jul 1995, five months before reaching Jupiter Galileo then spent a further 8 years examining Jupiter and its moons Io and Europa. In 1994, the Galileo orbiter was present to watch the fragments of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 crash into Jupiter. Its mission was concluded 21 Sep 2003 by sending the orbiter into Jupiter's atmosphere at a speed of nearly 50 km/sec, destroying it to avoid any chance of it contaminating local moons with bacteria from Earth.

Physics

In 1900, German physicist Max Planck made public his ideas on quantum physics at a meeting of the German Physics Society, revolutionizing scientists' understanding of physics. Planck demonstrated that in certain situations energy exhibits characteristics of physical matter, something unthinkable at the time. He suggested the explanation energy exists in discrete packets, which he called "quanta."

Chemistry

In 1933, Rutherford suggested the names diplogen for the newly discovered heavy hydrogen isotope and diplon for its nucleus. He presented these ideas in the Discussion on Heavy Hydrogen at the Royal Society. For ordinary hydrogen, the lightest of the atoms, having a nuclues of a sole proton, he coined a related name: haplogen. (Greek: haploos, single; diploos, double.) In 1931, Harold Urey had discovered small quantities of atoms of heavy hydrogen wherever ordinary hydrogen occurred. The mass of its nucleus was double that of ordinary hydrogen. This hydrogen-2 is now called deuterium, as named by Urey (Greek: deuteros, second). Its nucleus, named a deuteron, has a neutron in addition to a proton.

2011-11-30T15:28:00.000-05:00

November Science History Tidbits

General

In 1869, the first issue waspublished of the journal Nature, edited by astronomer Sir Norman Lockyer. Thefirst issue included articles on astronomy, plants, moths, science teaching inschools, an obituary for Thomas Graham, paleontology and meeting notices.Nature remains one of the most popular and well respected science journals inthe world, printing research articles from across a wide range of scientificfields.

Biology

In 1939, a rabbit conceived by artificialimpregnation, was the first such animal in the U.S. to be displayed. The eventwas the 12th Annual Graduate Fortnight at the New York Academy of Medicine. Dr.Gregory Pincus, an American biologist, had removed an egg from the ovary of afemale rabbit and fertilized it with a salt solution. The egg was thentransferred to the uterus of a second rabbit, which functioned an"incubator." The young rabbit was born in Oct 1939. Dr. Pincus, ofClark University conducted his experiments at Harvard University, Cambridge,Mass. In the same year, Pincus and colleagues were the first to show howoocytes of various animals would undergo maturation if released from theirfollicle and cultured in vitro.

Earth Science

In 1572, a supernova was firstnoted by Wolfgang Schuler of Wittenberg (?-1575) in the W-shaped constellationof Cassiopeia but was seen by many observers throughout Europe and in the FarEast. It appeared as a new star, adjacent to the fainter star seen justnorthwest of the middle of the "W." Tycho Brahe first noticed thisnew star on 11 Nov 1572, and he began to meticulously record its appearance.Although he was not the first to see it, he gained fame from his book StellaNova (Latin: "new star"). For two weeks it was brighter than anyother star in the sky and visible in daytime. By month's end, it began to fadeand change colour, from bright white to yellow and orange to faint reddishlight. It was visible to the naked eye for about 16 months until Mar 1574.

Physics

In 1845, Michael Faraday, workingin his laboratory at the Royal Institution, hung a piece of heavy glass betweenthe poles of an electro-magnet and observed that the glass aligned itselfacross the lines of force of the magnet. He further experimented on many othersubstances, with similar results, a phenomena that he named diamagnetism. Theseinvestigations showed Faraday that magnetism was inherent within matter. Thisled to his lecture "Thoughts on Ray-vibrations" in April 1846, whichhe expanded in the following years into his field theory of electro-magnetism.This was the progenitor for mathematical descriptions formed by Thomson, andespecially for the seminal work of James Clerk Maxwell.

Chemistry

In 1931, The DuPont Company, ofWilmington, Delaware, announced the first synthetic rubber this day. It wasknown as DuPrene, now renamed neoprene. Many scientists were trying to makenatural rubber in the 1920s and 30s. One of the Carothers team, Gerard Berchet,happened to leave a sample of vinyl acetylene in a jar with hydrochloric acid(HCl) for about five weeks. Then another member of team, Arnold M. Collinshappened to look in that jar and found a rubbery white material. The HCl hadreacted with the vinylacetylene, making chloroprene, which then polymerized tobecome polychloroprene. The new rubber was expensive, but resisted oil andgasoline, which natural rubber didn't. It was the first good synthetic rubber.

FAST Conference October 20-22, 2011

2011-10-19T20:24:00.000-04:00

This is the week of FAST which is being held at the International Palms Resort and Conference Center in Orlando. We of Capital Microscope will be there showing all the newest in microscopy and science education equipment. We hope that you and other teachers will be able to attend. Make sure you come by our booth and register for the Ken-A-Vision Professor Series Microscope that we will be giving away.

Surely you've already used your existing microscopes and realized that they just need a little tune up. This is also the perfect time of year to think about having your microscopes and balances professionally serviced. Stop by the booth so we can go over what our service program includes.

When you come by the booth this week you can also see the following products on display.

National 205 - https://microscopesandmore.com/node/1336

National 210 - https://www.microscopesandmore.com/node/414

National 456TBL-10 - https://www.microscopesandmore.com/node/459

National DC-128 - https://www.microscopesandmore.com/node/643

Swift M3601 - https://www.microscopesandmore.com/node/991

Ohaus CS2000 Compact Scale - https://www.microscopesandmore.com/node/789

Before you come you can take a look at these products on our website and then come to see them in person at our booth. We look forward to seeing you and helping you with any questions you have about our many excellent products.

2011-10-07T12:17:00.000-04:00

October Science History Tidbits

Biology

In 1997, American biology professor Stanley B. Prusiner won the Nobel Prize for medicine for discovering "prions," described as "an entirely new genre of disease-causing agents.

Chemistry

In 1971, the mole - the amount of substance (matter) - was adopted as a chemical measurement added to the six base quantities of the SI (International System of scientific units). The decision was made by the Conférence Général des Poids et Mesures (CGPM), the principal executive organization under the Treaty of the Meter. IUPAC's participation was led by M.L. McGlashan. The mole is the amount of substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities as there are carbon atoms in 0.012 kg of carbon 12. The elementary entities must be specified and may be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, other particles, or specified groups of such particles. The agreed symbol for the unit is mol, and the symbol for amount of substance is n.

Earth Science

In 1608, Johannes Lippershey (c.1570-c.1619) demonstrated a new invention, the first optical (refracting) telescope - prototype of the modern telescopes - to the Netherlands States
Lippershey was a lens grinder who furnished spectacles. An apprentice discovered that - by separating both a long-focus lens and a short-focus lens in front of the eye - distant objects appeared closer. Lippershey mounted lenses in tubes, applied for a patent in 1608, and also offered them for sale to the Dutch government, which appreciated their military value. When Galileo heard of the device, he made a similar arrangement and used it to study the heavens. It was named a "telescope" by a guest at an outdoor banquet 14 Apr 1611 honouring Galileo, where he demonstrated it to the assembly.

Physics

In 1956, The Physical Review published a paper by Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang on the Question of Parity Conservation in Weak Interactions. They addressed an issue that had long been believed, but for which there had been no experimental support. Yet, there existed a Theta-Tau Puzzle (C.F. Powell, 1949) in the disintegration of certain cosmic ray particles via the nuclear weak force. Lee and Yang believed this was because of parity violation, which contradicted the generally accepted "law" of conservation of parity. They proposed a study of experiments involving weak interactions. Chien-Shiung Wu validated non-conservation of parity on 27 Dec 1956 in their suggestion to study beta decay of cobalt-60.

General

In 1957, the Space Age began as the Soviet Union, to the dismay of the United States, launched Sputnik, the first man made satellite, into orbit around the earth. The craft circled the earth every 95 minutes at almost 20,000 miles per hour 500 miles above the Earth. The Sputnik (meaning "companion" or "fellow traveller") was launched from Kazakhstan. It stayed in orbit for about three months. Sputnik fell from the sky on 4 Jan 1958. The 184-lb satellite had transmitted a radio signal picked up around the world, and instrumentation for temperature measurement.

2011-10-07T12:09:00.001-04:00

In 1997,American biology professor Stanley B. Prusiner won the Nobel Prize for medicinefor discovering "prions," described as "an entirely new genre ofdisease-causing agents.

In 1971,the mole - the amount of substance (matter) - was adopted as a chemicalmeasurement added to the six base quantities of the SI (International System ofscientific units). The decision was made by the Conférence Général des Poids etMesures (CGPM), the principal executive organization under the Treaty of theMeter. IUPAC's participation was led by M.L. McGlashan. The mole is the amountof substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities as thereare carbon atoms in 0.012 kg of carbon 12. The elementary entities must bespecified and may be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, other particles, orspecified groups of such particles. The agreed symbol for the unit is mol, andthe symbol for amount of substance is n.

In 1608,Johannes Lippershey (c.1570-c.1619) demonstrated a new invention, the firstoptical (refracting) telescope - prototype of the modern telescopes - to theNetherlands States General. Lippershey was a lens grinder who furnishedspectacles. An apprentice discovered that - by separating both a long-focuslens and a short-focus lens in front of the eye - distant objects appearedcloser. Lippershey mounted lenses in tubes, applied for a patent in 1608, andalso offered them for sale to the Dutch government, which appreciated theirmilitary value. When Galileo heard of the device, he made a similar arrangementand used it to study the heavens. It was named a "telescope" by aguest at an outdoor banquet 14 Apr 1611 honouring Galileo, where he demonstratedit to the assembly.

In 1956,The Physical Review published a paper by Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang onthe Question of Parity Conservation in Weak Interactions. They addressed anissue that had long been believed, but for which there had been no experimentalsupport. Yet, there existed a Theta-Tau Puzzle (C.F. Powell, 1949) in thedisintegration of certain cosmic ray particles via the nuclear weakforce. Lee and Yang believed this was because of parity violation, whichcontradicted the generally accepted "law" of conservation of parity.They proposed a study of experiments involving weak interactions. Chien-ShiungWu validated non-conservation of parity on 27 Dec 1956 in their suggestion tostudy beta decay of cobalt-60.

In 1957,the Space Age began as the Soviet Union, to the dismay of the United States,launched Sputnik, the first manmade satellite, into orbit around the earth. Thecraft circled the earth every 95 minutes at almost 20,000 miles per hour 500miles above the Earth. The Sputnik (meaning "companion" or"fellow traveller") was launched from Kazakhstan. It stayed in orbitfor about three months. Sputnik fell from the sky on 4 Jan 1958. The 184-lbsatellite had transmitted a radio signal picked up around the world, andinstrumentation for temperature measurement.

2011-10-07T12:05:00.002-04:00

October Science History Tidbits

Biology In 1997,American biology professor Stanley B. Prusiner won the Nobel Prize for medicinefor discovering "prions," described as "an entirely new genre ofdisease-causing agents.

Chemistry In 1971,the mole - the amount of substance (matter) - was adopted as a chemicalmeasurement added to the six base quantities of the SI (International System ofscientific units). The decision was made by the Conférence Général des Poids etMesures (CGPM), the principal executive organization under the Treaty of theMeter. IUPAC's participation was led by M.L. McGlashan. The mole is the amountof substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities as thereare carbon atoms in 0.012 kg of carbon 12. The elementary entities must bespecified and may be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, other particles, orspecified groups of such particles. The agreed symbol for the unit is mol, andthe symbol for amount of substance is n.

EarthScience In 1608,Johannes Lippershey (c.1570-c.1619) demonstrated a new invention, the firstoptical (refracting) telescope - prototype of the modern telescopes - to theNetherlands States General. Lippershey was a lens grinder who furnishedspectacles. An apprentice discovered that - by separating both a long-focuslens and a short-focus lens in front of the eye - distant objects appearedcloser. Lippershey mounted lenses in tubes, applied for a patent in 1608, andalso offered them for sale to the Dutch government, which appreciated theirmilitary value. When Galileo heard of the device, he made a similar arrangementand used it to study the heavens. It was named a "telescope" by aguest at an outdoor banquet 14 Apr 1611 honouring Galileo, where hedemonstrated it to the assembly.

Physics In 1956,The Physical Review published a paper by Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang onthe Question of Parity Conservation in Weak Interactions. They addressed anissue that had long been believed, but for which there had been no experimentalsupport. Yet, there existed a Theta-Tau Puzzle (C.F. Powell, 1949) in thedisintegration of certain cosmic ray particles via the nuclear weakforce. Lee and Yang believed this was because of parity violation, whichcontradicted the generally accepted "law" of conservation of parity.They proposed a study of experiments involving weak interactions. Chien-ShiungWu validated non-conservation of parity on 27 Dec 1956 in their suggestion tostudy beta decay of cobalt-60.

General In 1957,the Space Age began as the Soviet Union, to the dismay of the United States,launched Sputnik, the first manmade satellite, into orbit around the earth. Thecraft circled the earth every 95 minutes at almost 20,000 miles per hour 500miles above the Earth. The Sputnik (meaning "companion" or"fellow traveller") was launched from Kazakhstan. It stayed in orbitfor about three months. Sputnik fell from the sky on 4 Jan 1958. The 184-lbsatellite had transmitted a radio signal picked up around the world, andinstrumentation for temperature measurement.

Quote

Here isa quote for you and your students to ponder.

Teachers openthe door. You enter by yourself.

Chinese Proverb

2011-10-07T10:17:00.001-04:00

2011-09-28T18:31:00.002-04:00

We have a qty of 28 Meiji Microscope made in Japan. Excellent Condition. Includes drop down mechanical stage.These units new sold for $1,300.00

Excellent- Like New Condition
** $245.00 each **

See More at : https://www.microscopesandmore.com/node/1476

2011-09-08T17:05:00.003-04:00

We have a new web site promoting Ohaus Balances:
www.ohausweighingscales.com

2011-09-08T16:51:00.000-04:00

2011-09-08T16:28:00.001-04:00

Please see our current on line specials on Ohaus products thru October 31st 2011 - After that please call for off line special pricing.
https://www.microscopesandmore.com/catalog/469

Holiday Gift Ideas

2010-11-10T10:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays from Capital Microscope Services!! Are you looking for the perfect Holiday Gift for the scientist in you life? Check out the Holiday Packages that Capital Microscope Services has put together. You will find great Holiday savings on some of our best selling products. Click HERE to check out our Holiday Section.

April Science Fun Facts

2010-04-26T13:44:00.000-04:00

Here is some useful information about science for you to use in your classroom from different areas of science history that occurred during April.

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General

In 1795, France adopted by law, the metre as the unit of length and the base of the metric system. Since there had been no uniformity of French weights and measures prior to the Revolution, the Academy of Sciences had been charged on 8 May 1790 to organise a better system. Delambre and Méchain measured an arc of the meridian from Dunkirk to Barcelona, so that the metre could be defined as one ten-millionth part of the distance between the poles and the equator.

***

Earth Science

In 1845, the first surviving daguerrotype photograph showing details of the sun was taken by French physicists Armand Fizeau and Léon Foucault. The 5-inch (12 cm) image had an exposure of 1/60 second, and showed the umbra/penumbra structure of several sunspots, as well as limb darkening. The photographic process was new: Daguerre perfected the daguerreotype only a few years earlier, in 1838. Fizeau and Foucault had been collaborating with their own experiments on the process since 1839. Fizeau had much improved the durability of a daguerreotype image with a treatment, published in Aug 1840, using a solution of chloride of gold mixed with hypo-sulphite of soda, then heated over a spirit-lamp.

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Biology

In 1953, the journal Nature published a paper with this date from Francis Crick and James Watson, titled Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid, in which they described a double helix structure for DNA. The diagram published with the caper was captioned, "The figure is purely diagrammatic. The two ribbons symbolize the phosphate-sugar chains, and the horizontal rods the pairs of bases holding the chains together. The vertical line marks the fibre axis."

***

Chemistry

In 1944, the first synthetic quinine was produced by Dr. Robert Burns Woodward (on his birthday) and Dr. William von Eggers Doering at the Converse Memorial Laboratory, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. Quinine, an anti-malarial drug, is an organic chemical with the formula C20H24N2O2.

***

Physics

In 1886, German scientist, Dr. Carl Gassner, was issued a German patent (No. 37,758) for the first "dry" cell, which used zinc as its primary ingredient. He encased the cell chemicals in a sealed zinc container. Gassner's battery was much like the carbon-zinc, general-purpose batteries on the market today. Gassner also patented his invention in Austria, Belgium, England, France and Hungary in the same year. A U.S. patent was issued to Gassner in 1887 (No. 373,064). In America, by 1896, the Nation Carbide Company, later Union Carbide and Eveready, produced the first consumer dry cell battery. Two years later, the company made the first D cell. Combined with the invention of incandescent light bulbs, portable electric lights became common.

***

And here is a quote for you and your students to ponder and discuss.

I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom. - Bob Dylan

April Science Newsletter

2010-04-26T13:38:00.000-04:00

As you wind down to the last few weeks of the 2009-2010 school year, Capital Microscope wants to thank you for another great year. All of us at Capital Microscope appreciate your continued dedication to the important profession of educating the future citizens of our country. Scientific literacy is a critical part of the students’ learning process and we commend the role you play in that process.

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We know that spring is a very busy time for you with testing, prom, spring sports and the myriad of other responsibilities which you have. Let us help you make the best choices for your science equipment and materials in preparation for next year. We look forward to continuing to work with you to give your students an exciting experience in science.

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Don’t forget that now is a great time to schedule the cleaning and servicing of your microscopes. We can get your compound scopes, stereoscopes, and research scopes in top condition for next year. Contact us today to schedule a time during the summer to come to service your microscopes and balances.

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As you start planning for next year and the equipment that you need take time to look at our website, https://www.microscopesandmore.com/. We have the widest selection at the best value for all your science laboratory needs. Contact us for assistance in finding the perfect match for your classroom and your budget. We are ready to help!

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Thank you for your continued support and please don't hesitate to contact us when we can be of assistance. We hope you enjoy the information in this Science Newsletter and find interesting tidbits to share with your students.

Spring Microscope Service

2010-04-07T11:39:00.000-04:00

Spring is finally here. With that comes the closing of another school year. This is the perfect time to have your microscopes serviced. Not only will they be clean and working correctly for any end of the year labs that you might have, but also they will be ready for the start of the next school year. Take a look at our services page on our website to see exactly what we can do for you. Then go to our contact page to find the service technician closest to you. We hope to see you soon.

Announcement

2010-03-30T09:47:00.000-04:00

We are proud to announce that we have recently joined the Southeastern Microscopy Society. They are an established society consisting of professional microscopists dedicated to advancing science through the use of microscopes. We suggest that you take a look at their website at http://www.southeasternmicroscopy.org/index.html.

Tips for Buying a Quality Microscope

2010-03-04T13:57:00.001-05:00

When buying a microscope there are several things to consider. Though price will always play an important role in a purchase decision, it should not be the first thing that you should look for when buying a microscope. A microscope purchase is a big investment for most people, so you want to get the most out of you money. One common mistake is buying a microscope based on what it looks like in the picture. A microscope may look interesting and modern but is actually constructed very poorly.

One thing that must be decided before going any further is what you are planning to be studying with this microscope. If you want to study things such as blood, bacteria, algae or any smaller specimen you will want to choose a compound microscope. These specimens require a higher power of magnification in order to see all the details. A compound microscope generally has 3 or 4 objective lenses that range in power from 4x to 100x. Providing that you are using a standard 10x eyepiece, this will give you 40x to 1000x magnification. This is the standard in magnification for grades K-college. Some cheaply made microscopes claim to have up to 1200X-1400X magnification. These are microscopes to stay away from.

If you want to study specimens that are larger such as insects, leaves and rocks, you will want to choose a stereo microscope. These specimens require less magnification to see their detail. A stereo microscope has at least two eyepieces and provides a three dimensional image off the specimen you are looking at. Two common forms of stereo microscopes are dual power and zoom magnification. A dual power stereo microscope has two set magnifications, such as 2x and 4x objectives. Providing you are using standard 10x eyepieces, you will get 20x and 40x magnification. A zoom stereo microscope there is a continuous zoom range from its lowest power to its highest power. One such configuration would give you continuous zoom from 10x to 45x.

Now that you have decided what you want to study and which type of microscope is right for you, it is now time to decide on what brand to purchase. There are many sources of microscopes on the internet. One safe rule of thumb is to research several microscope sites and try to find a common brand carried by many companies. Many reputable manufacturers will not sell directly to the public but do have legitimate web sites where they can be contacted. This will allow you to see that the microscope is backed by a real company in case warranty work is ever needed. Many microscopes might meet the same specifications but if you want this instrument to last you will want to choose a reputable microscope manufacturer.

Metal construction, brass gears, approved electrical and glass optics is a must for any microscope.

One way to make sure that you are getting the best quality microscope is to use a reputable supplier. You want to trust that they did their research when they picked the microscopes to be in their product line. Since 1989, Capital Microscope Services, Inc. has done just that. We are committed to providing our customers with quality products at very affordable prices. You can rest assured that every product that we show on our website meets our rigid standards before we ever put them out there for you, the customer to buy. You may find cheaper microscopes out there but we feel that the microscopes we offer will give you the best instrument for your money. If you should have any questions concerning buying a new microscope, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

February Science Fun Facts

2010-02-21T13:18:00.000-05:00

Here are some events from different areas of science history that occurred during February.

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General
In 1973, four metric distance road signs, the first in the U.S., were erected along Interstate 71 in Ohio. They showed the distance in both miles and kilometers between Columbus and Cincinnati, and Columbus and Cleveland. As early as 1790, Thomas Jefferson proposed a decimal measurement system, similar to the metric system. In 1968 a study was ordered by Congress. By 1971, a report recommended a switch to the metric system and established a 10-year target time to accomplish it. This led to a National Metric Conference in 1973, which prompted Ohio to display metric highway signs. The Metric Conversion Act (1975) planned a voluntary conversion to the metric system, which produced little voluntary action.

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Earth Science
In 1966, the U.S. launched its first operational weather satellite, ESSA-1 to provide cloud-cover photography to the U.S. National Meteorological Center for preparation of operational weather analyses and forecasts. The spacecraft was an 18-sided polygon, 42-in. diameter, 22-in. high and weight 305-lb. It was made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel, then covered with 9100 solar cells. The solar cells served to charge the 63 batteries. Its two cameras were mounted 180 degrees opposite each other along the cylindrical side of the craft. A camera could be pointed at some point on Earth every time the satellite rotated along its axis. ESSA-1 was able to view the weather of each area of the globe, photographing a given area at the exact same local time each day.

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Biology
In 1944, DNA was identified as the hereditary agent in a virus, published in a report by O.T. Avery, Colin MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarty. This crucial discovery in molecular genetics - that genetic information is carried in the nucleotide sequence of DNA - arose incidentally while studying pneumococcus to monitor the epidemic spread of pneumonia. Since 1928, when British physician Frederick Griffith had found that extracts of a pathogenic strain of that virus could transform a harmless strain into a pathogenic one, scientists had searched for the "transforming factor." The work by Avery, et al., now identified the transforming molecule as DNA, having ruled out, through extract digestions, RNA, protein, and polysaccharide capsular material.

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Chemistry
In 1863, John Newlands, an English chemist (1837-1898), organized the known elements by listing them in order by atomic weight, according to his "Law of Octaves." This was based on noticing that after each interval of eight elements, similar physical and chemical properties reappeared. He thus created natural families and periods. The article "On relations among the Equivalents," appeared in Chem News, vol. 7, pp. 70-2. The English Chemical Society ridiculed the idea. So little significance was then attached to atomic weights, he was once asked why not just order elements by their initial letters. He was belatedly recognized in 1887 by the Royal Society with the award of the Davy Medal, but only after Mendeleev had more successfully introduced his table.

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Physics
In 1939, the journal Nature published a theoretical paper on nuclear fission. The term was coined by the authors Lise Meitner and Otto Fritsch, her nephew. They knew that when a uranium nucleus was struck by neutrons, barium was produced. Seeking an explanation, they used Bohr's "liquid drop" model of the nucleus to envision the neutron inducing oscillations in a uranium nucleus, which would occasionally stretch out into the shape of a dumbbell. Sometimes, the repulsive forces between the protons in the two bulbous ends would cause the narrow waist joining them to pinch off and leave two nuclei where before there had been one. They calculated the huge amounts of energy released. This was the basis for nuclear chain reaction.

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And here is a quote to bring hope and joy to you and your students.
I happen to feel that the degree of a person's intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting attitudes she can bring to bear on the same topic. - Lisa Alther

February Newsletter

2010-02-21T13:16:00.001-05:00

Boy, winter has been interesting for us down here in the South. It seems that everyone has gotten snow, ice, and rain at least once and sometimes more. I hope you are able to continue the important job of teaching science in spite of the rough weather and confusing schedule. But don’t worry; spring is coming.

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During these cold winter days take time to check out our website to find the newest and most exciting additions to our many offerings. For example we now carry the latest Swift microscopes. The new models are shown on our website at https://www.microscopesandmore.com/catalog/390 and at https://www.microscopesandmore.com/catalog/429. These are completely redesigned Swift microscopes offering LED illumination, convenient carrying handle, and the high quality that you expect from Swift.

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We also have the newest Swiftcam digital camera systems. They are shown on our website at https://www.microscopesandmore.com/catalog/435. All of these cameras come with the new Swiftcam Imaging II software allowing you to capture images, video, and time lapse as well as making measurements.

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We continue to have the best selections and pricing on all types of microscopes. We offer compound microscopes, stereoscopes, and digital microscopes. Take the time to peruse the sections on our website dealing with microscopes at https://www.microscopesandmore.com/catalog/2.

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And don’t forget that our professional service can clean and repair your microscopes. Now is a good time to schedule a visit for the cleaning and servicing of your equipment. You can also find information about our microscope service on our website at https://www.microscopesandmore.com/node/271.

GSTA Wrap Up

2010-02-15T09:14:00.000-05:00

We would like to thank everyone who stopped by our booth at GSTA this past week. Remember if there is anything that we can help you with please don't hesitate to contact us.

We would also like to congratulate our raffle winners.

A student from Macon State College won our Ohaus Scout Pro SPE 202.

A science teacher from Bryan County High School won a high school compound microscope.

We look forward to assisting you in the future.

GSTA

2010-02-10T20:39:00.000-05:00

Capital Microscope Services will be at GSTA in Savannah, GA February 11th-12th. We are proud to once again be a presenting sponsor this year. We are in booth number 802. Stop by to check out the latest products that Capital Microscope Services has to offer. One of our most exciting products for this year is the Swift M10LM-S.

Come get a hands on demonstration of this digital microscope with built in 5-Megapixel camera. It features a 3 inch flip up LCD screen to see a live image without a computer. For more information about this microscope check it out on our website at https://www.microscopesandmore.com/node/669.

Also featured at our booth is the Swift M3503DF-4:

This 4 objective microscope is usually priced at $479. But for a limited time only it will be sold at a special show price of $335! It features fluorescent illumination.

And while your at our booth don't forget to register for our special give away. We will be giving away an Ohaus Scout Pro SPE 402:

This electronic balance features a 400g capacity with a readability of 0.01g. This balance usually sells for $346, but for one lucky person it will be absolutely FREE! For more information of this balance see it on our website at https://www.microscopesandmore.com/node/751.

We look forward to seeing you at our booth over the next couple of days.

January Science Fun Facts

2010-02-04T18:30:00.002-05:00

Here are some events from different areas of science history that occurred during January.

General
In 1872, the metric system was officially introduced throughout the German Empire.* (Since 1795, the metric system had been the standard in France. A committee from the French Academy used a decimal system and defined the meter to be one 10-millionths of the distance from the equator to the Earth's Pole. For the metric unit of mass, the gram was defined as the mass of one cubic centimeter of pure water at a given temperature.) By act Congress, the use of the metric system was legalized in the U.S. (1866), but was not made obligatory. On 20 May 1875, the Treaty of the Meter was signed by twenty countries, including the United States, at the International Metric Convention.

Earth Science
In 1801, Italian astronomer, Guiseppe Piazzi of Palermo, discovered the first and largest asteroid, 1 Ceres, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Piazzi proposed the name Ceres Ferdinandea, in honor of Sicily's patron Roman goddess, and his patron, the king. It revolves around the Sun in 4.6 yrs, with diameter about 960 km (600 miles). This sighting followed that of the planet Uranus (1781) by the British astronomer William Herschel (1783-1822). Piazzi's discovery provided a body between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter fitting the so-called "Titius-Bode's law." German astronomer Johann Olbers later found more of these bodies now called "asteroids" or "minor bodies of Solar System". Over a thousand such objects are now known.

Biology
In 1947, Stanford University reported the isolation of the polio virus, after three years of research funded by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. The work was done by Drs Hubert S. Loring and C.E. Schwerdt of the Stanford Dept. of Chemistry. Laboratory tests and photographs showed it to be at least 80% pure, and that it could lead to producing an impurity-free vaccine for use against infantile paralysis. Other vaccines existing at the time had problems with large amounts of impurities. The virus was obtained by purification from ground-up brain and spinal cord of rats infected with the polio virus. Electron microscope photographs showed the virus as a spherical particle about 25 nanometers across.

Chemistry
In 1915, Aspirin was made available for the first time in tablet form. The pills were manufactured by Bayer pharmaceuticals in Germany. The medicine had previously been used in powder form. Salicin, the parent compound of the salicylate drug family had been isolated from willow bark in 1829. From 1875, sodium salicylate was used as a commercial pain reliever, despite side effects such as bleeding of the stomach lining. In 1897, Felix Hoffman, a German chemist working for Bayer, found a suitable, less acidic medication - acetylsalicylic acid - marketed by Bayer under the name "Aspirin". It has since become the biggest selling drug in the world as an analgesic (anti-pain), anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic (fever-reducing) medication.

Physics
In 1851, the rotation of the Earth was proved experimentally by Leon Foucault. After weeks of work, he recorded in his journal that he made this discovery at 2:00 am working with a pendulum in the cellar of the house he shared with his mother. Using a steel wire 2-m long with a 5-kg brass bob, he had made a pendulum suspended in a way that freely permitted it; he found that its plane of oscillation slowly rotated relative to the ground. This led to using much longer versions of his pendulum. He found that the angular velocity of the rotation equaled wsinq where w is the angular velocity of the Earth rotating on its axis, and q is the latitude of the site of the pendulum. He demonstrated his discovery on 31 Mar 1851 for Napoleon.

And here is a quote to bring hope and joy to you and your students.
I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn. - Albert Einstein

January Newsletter

2010-02-04T18:28:00.001-05:00

Welcome to 2010 at Capital Microscope. I hope the New Year has started off well for you and yours. We at Capital Microscope are very excited to be able to continue to serve you. As we have been able to do for the past 20 years we can continue to provide you with the best scientific equipment for your lab work at Capital Microscope at outstanding values. We are also very glad to be able to continue to send you this “Science Newsletter” which contains information about our products as well as historical information that you may use with you students to expand their knowledge of science. We hope enjoy it!

Our website is the most efficient place to find exactly the right equipment for your science. We even have a section of refurbished microscopes that are in excellent condition at reduced prices. Check out the “Refurbished Products” section.

Our “Instructional Materials” section at has great offerings in computer software, microscope slides, models, and safety equipment. We can supply you with great materials for your science laboratory. Contact us. We can help you do more with your science budget.

We continue to have the best selections and pricing on all types of microscopes. We offer compound microscopes, stereoscopes, and digital microscopes. Take the time to peruse the sections on our website dealing with microscopes.

And don’t forget that our professional service can clean and repair your microscopes. Now is a good time to schedule a visit for the cleaning and servicing of your equipment. You can also find information about our microscope service on our website.

Thank you for your continued support and please don't hesitate to contact me when I can be of assistance. I hope you enjoy the information in this Science Newsletter and find interesting tidbits to share with your students.