Microscopy Day Saturday, Nov. 4, a success!
On Nov. 4, the Hortus Haren was one of places in the province of Groningen where microscopes were on display. This was as part of 70microscopes.nl, an activity of the University of Groningen. And all in tribute to physicist Frits Zernike, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics 70 years ago for his invention of the phase-contrast microscope.
A beautiful collaboration of staff and volunteers of the Hortus, Friends of the Hortus, IVN, and students and staff of the University of Groningen. Harens Lyceum was a partner in the activity, supporting with extra microscopes and a teacher and two students as additional helpers.
And with autumn comes mushrooms. “It’s been dry for the past few weeks, so it went slow,” says Richard Dijkstra. “But it has been raining well for the past few days, so I expect it to explode here.”
Entrance Hall
In the entrance hall of the Hortus and in restaurant the Plantation, microscopes of all shapes and sizes were on display for visitors. They could see seeds, as well as twigs, mosses and mini-mushrooms they collected themselves in the Hortus. And absolutely beautiful were the water creatures brought by the Harens Lyceum.
Education
An activity for young and old: children with their grandparents and all ages in between. With 15 helpers at the microscopes, it was a great day with many “oh’s” and “ahh’s. The anniversary action film crew stopped by the Hortus. The Hortus may keep the LCD microscopes. We will certainly organize more educational activities with that in the future.
Listen to the interview with Tineke van der Meij from 18:35 to 25:30.
On November 4, 1953, the Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to Professor Frits Zernike. Now, 70 years later, the Faculty of Science and Engineering organized a symposium to remember Zernike, and a microscopy public day to celebrate his Nobel Prize for the phase-contrast microscope.
