MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

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LMB showcases the beauty of the microscopic world at the Cambridge Festival

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LMB scientists contribute to the Cambridge Festival with two activities showing the importance of microscopes in research

LMB activity at the Cambridge Festival
LMB activity at the Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology

During the first weekend of the 2023 Cambridge Festival, LMB scientists gave visitors to the Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology the opportunity to participate in two family-friendly hands-on activities. 

People of all ages discovered the hidden beauty of the microscopic world. Participants could see their own cheek cells under the microscope and test their detective skills in an interactive game.

See Your Cells

Just by taking a simple cheek swab and a small drop of a dye, visitors could use a compound microscope to spot individual cells, identify their nuclei, and in some cases see tiny bacteria on top of their cheek cells. 

See Your Cells in action
See Your Cells in action

Science Detectives

There was also a stereo microscope detective challenge where participants had to identify microscopic images of beetles, butterflies, fruit flies, and flowers.

Science Detectives in action

For many, it was not only their first time seeing their own cells, but also their first time using a microscope, and their enjoyment in seeing the hidden beauty of biology was clear. Over 330 visitors got to participate in the two activities and their comments included:

“That was interesting, interactive and so much fun”
“It was so cool to see my own cells and my sister’s!”
“I really liked seeing small bits of creatures”
“I liked how on the moth you can see all the scales that make up the wing”.

The LMB activities were coordinated by Jon Howe from the LMB Light Microscopy Facility, who also helps run LMB Microscopes4schools. 

Jon Howe commented “It’s great to be back engaging with the public in person again at the festival. It’s always a pleasure to share my interest in microscopy with others and I’m looking forward to meeting many more curious people at the LMB Open Day in July!”

The LMB will be opening our doors to visitors on Saturday 1st July for a day full of free hands-on activities, tours and talks for all. Save the date! 

Further references

Cambridge Festival
LMB Public Engagement
Microscopes4schools
LMB Open Day 2023 – save the date: Saturday 1st July