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Manchester Microscopical & Natural History Society

MEETINGS
2024-2025

 

145th Season

 

 


Saturdays 10.30am - 3pm and Thursday Evenings, 7.00-9.15 pm,
University of Manchester, Stopford Building/Medical School
M13 9PT (corner of Oxford Road and Aker Street next to the Holy Name Church).
Meetings take place in the new facility of the Anatomy & Histology unit providing access to microscopes, slides, books, computers and projection.

(MAPS: How to find us at  Streetmaps)


  • See Previous Meetings (back to 1998) and to view our successful All Day Summer Meetings 2023 & 2019 and Anglesey Exhibition and Zoom meetings.


  • October 26th 2024 (Saturday 10.30-3.00)
    Manchester University Med Sch Oxford Rd

    • Exhibits & Demos, Slide & Book Library, Sales
    • Tour of Bioimaging/EM Facility (Dr Peter March)
    • Microscopy of Blood (Mike Mahon)
    • Report:
    • Around 13 members of the Manchester and Oldham Microscopical Societies enjoyed a marvellous talk and tour of  the University Core Microscopy facilities, viewing state of the art automated Electron microscopes which trim and image specimen blocks; spinning disc multiphoton Confocal microscopes; super-resolution and live cell imaging producing multi-terabyte images; automated slide scanners .. & more.
      Thanks especially to Dr Peter March for his informative & enthusiastic presentation.

      Bioimaging Links: Bioimaging  EM
    • Mike Mahon presented a talk on Blood Histology and members undertook a brief practical identifying blood cells in smear slides - however current Health & Safety issues prevented any stabbing!
      (Click on image below for pdf of talk)

        Blood
    • Chris Power brought along a Zeiss microscope and camera to assist in our practical and gave an overview of some AI assisted imaging.
      AI
    • Graham Marsh allowed us to use a state of the art c1900 Watson Van Heurck brass and black research microscope and also showed a rare book on Van Heurck
      Heurck  Heurck
    • The library was made available and some good discussions were had about collaboration and microscopy and natural history outreach to younger people.
    • Thanks also to our hosts - Manchester University Anatomy department for use of the rooms with upgraded AV facilities and organising parking.
    • It was also great to have so many members of the Oldham Society here who were presented with our status bag of Dog's Bay Sand containing numerous foramenifera.
    • Overall, a very good start to our new format Saturday meetings!
  • November 23rd 2024 (Saturday 10.30-3.00)
    Manchester University Med Sch Oxford Rd
    • Exhibits & Demos, Slide & Book Library, Sales
    • Gibson Slide Collection: Health Museum (Dr Dave Sigee)
    • Phase-Contrast Microscopy (Mike Mahon)
      • bring along suitable specimens to view
    • Report:
      • Great turnout, 14 enthusiasts from MMS, OMS and others enjoyed a very hands on meeting with well illustrated and informative talks and demos.
      • Phase Contrast Microscopy by Mike Mahon included need for, history, theory, equipment and modern developments. (Click image below for pdf)
        Phase Contrast
        Phase contrast microscopes by Baker (Graham Marsh), Lomo (Phil Slatter) and Olympus (Mike Mahon) were in use for viewing slides of members cheek cells, diatoms, pollen, muscle. Chris Power showed a famous early Zeiss video of cell division under Phase Contrast.
        Video
      • Gibson Slide collection by Dr David Sigee covered aspects of Victorian Microscopy, background to the collection and many examples photographed using different techniques. Several samples from the collection were made available to view.
        Gibson Slides
      • Two visitors from Crewe brought along an excellent set of Pollen slides enthused by their recent attendance by a course on pollen mounts by John Charlton (See our forthcoming March Meeting).
      • John Charlton brought a rare medical instrument for optically assessing blood sugar concentration.
      • Dave Furness showed images of an ultramicrotome (Du Pont Sorvall MT5000) available to interested parties.
        Ultramicrotome
      • Steve Dawson showed off several home made wooden slides of feathers and other material suitable for the stereo-microscope (See our forthcoming February meeting and have ago at hands on slide making.)
        Slide
      • Stamps featuring microscopes and microscopists were shown including the UK 1989 RMS set and images of Zernike (inventor of phase contrast) on a Dutch stamp.
        RMS
                                        Stamps  Zernike
                                        Stamp
  • February 22nd (Saturday 10.30-3.00)
    Manchester University Med Sch Oxford Rd
    • Exhibits & Demos, Slide & Book Library, Sales
    • Measurement in Microscopy (Mike Mahon)
      • bring along your own specimens to measure
    • Making Slides for Low Power Microscopy (Steve Dawson)
      • bring along specimens to mount
  • March 20th (Thursday 7pm-9.15pm) Manchester University Med Sch Oxford Rd
    • AGM 145 - bring ideas for next season
    • Exhibits & Demos, Slide & Book Library, Sales
    • Pollen Slides (John Charlton)

  • April 13th (tbc) 2025 - Liverpool World Museum  All Day
    • MMS Outreach Demo for World Microscope Day
      wmd
        400years since the term 'Microscope' was first used ! (1625)
    • Meeting may be held mid-week (tbc) depending on museum opening times

  • May ??th (Saturday) 2025 (10am - 4pm) Etherow
    • All-Day Outreach Event - Etherow Country Park Sailing Club
    • Collect & Display
    • Members, Guests, Visitors are welcome to bring along microscopes or samples or go collecting around the country park, nature reserve & lake - viewing at the Club House, refreshments available.
    • Location SK6 5HN (Between Marple Bridge & Romiley)
    • Organiser: Phil Slatter
  • July 2nd 2025 (Wednesday 11am) Manchester Central (Formerly GMex)
    • MMC 2025 : RMS Microscience Microscopy Congress
    • MMS members and Guests meet-up to chat and tour the exhibition


  • 146th Season (Provisional Programme)
  • October 18th 2025, Saturday
  • November 15th 2025, Saturday
     

 

 

 

Everyone welcome - feel free to bring a friend or two. Non-members and members of other Societies are welcome. The Society's library will be available at all meetings and includes copies of our Newsletters and literature on microscopic history, as well as many books on microscopy and natural history.


Previous Meetings

Meeting Pictures

 

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Page Last Updated - 29th November 2024 (MM)