Newsletter Of the New York Microscopical Society 1 Prospect Village Plaza (66F Mt. Prospect Avenue) Clifton, New Jersey 07013-1918 GPS: Latitude 40.8648N, Longitude 74.1540W November-December 2014 N.Y.M.S. (973) 470-8733 Volume 8 (28) Number 9 NYMS Holiday Banquet Speaker Program Sunday December 14, 2014, from noon until 3:30pm. Landmark Tavern, 626 11th Ave., at W. 46th St New York City, NY (by reservation only) Illusions in Microscopy by Dr. Brooke Weinger Kammrath Microscopists rely on their sense of sight to make observations and take measurements, however can we always trust our eyes? Optical illusions are visual stimuli that represent what is perceived in a way different from the way it is in reality. There are several different types of optical illusions, and this presentation will highlight examples in both light and electron microscopy. Dr. Brooke Weinger Kammrath is an assistant professor of forensic science at the University of New Haven and works as a forensic science consultant in New York and Connecticut. She received her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Forensic Science from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York in 2013. Dr. Kammrath’s research interests include uniting microscopy with spectroscopy, the identification and characterization of microscopic samples of forensic interest, and the statistical analysis of pattern and impression evidence. Some pictures from last year’s, banquet at Landmark A Not-For-Profit Educational Organization, Page 1 of 4 Save a Tree: Get The Extended Newsletter: By Email Only Board of Managers John Scott [email protected]; (646) 339-6566 June 2015 President John A. Reffner [email protected]; (203) 358-4539 June 2015 Vice President, Program Chair Mel Pollinger [email protected]; (201) 791-9826 June 2014 Treasurer, Editor, Librarian, Facilities Mgr. John R. Reffner, Jr. [email protected]; (215) 527-1882 June 2014 Secretary Roland Scal [email protected]; (718) 631-6071 June 2016 Board, Curator Pro Tem Angela Klaus [email protected]; (973) 761-1840 June 2015 Board Louis Sorkin [email protected]; (914) 939-0917 June 2015 Board, Webmaster Andrew J. Winter [email protected]; (732) 816-3793 June 2016 Board, Education Chair Guy de Baere [email protected]; (347) 668-4798 June 2015 Board, Outreach, Pro Tem Brooke Kammrath [email protected]; (203) 931-2989 June 2016 Board, Membership chair Seymour Perlowitz [email protected]; (718) 338-6695 June 2016 Board Peter Diaczuk [email protected]; (212) 237-8896 June 2016 Board, Past President For additional information contact the Editor: Mel Pollinger at (201) 791-9826, or [email protected] Awards Given by the Awards Dues and Addresses New York Please remember to mail in your Committee Microscopical Society Dues to: Chair: John A. The New York Mel Pollinger Reffner microscopical Society Treasurer, NYMS Members 18-04 Hillery St. takes great pleasure in Jan Hinsch Fair Lawn, NJ 07410-5207 recognizing and rewarding individuals who have Peter Diaczuk Junior (under age 18) $10 contributed to either the Angela Klaus Annually activities of the society or John R. Reffner Regular $30 to furthering microscopy. Mel Pollinger, Editor Student (age 18 or above) $20 These awards are Annually described in our website To Order Your 18-04 Hillery St. Supporting $60 Annually and in a pdf file for our NYMS Lapel Pins Fair Lawn, NJ 07410-5207 email newsletter Corporate (includes one Send a check in the recipients. All members advertisement in NYMS News) amount of $12.00 per are eligible to nominate $175 Annually pin to: individuals for these Life $300 (payable within the year) New York Microscopical various awards, and are To avoid missing notices: Society encouraged to do so. Notify Mel Pollinger if you have c/o Mel Pollinger, 18-04 John A. Reffner, Awards changed your address, phone or Hillery Street, Fair Lawn, Committee Chairperson email. NJ 07410. To avoid shipping & handling The Mission of the New York charges, pins may be purchased directly at Microscopical Society is the promotion of any NYMS meeting for theoretical and applied microscopy and the promotion $10.00. of education and interest in all phases of microscopy. Alternate Meeting Notifications ************************************ Please note that due to time constraints in publishing, Please remember to pay your dues some meeting notices may be available by calling Mel Pollinger at 201-791-9826, or by visiting the NYMS website, or emailing: [email protected] Buy and Read a Good Book on Microscopy. A Not-For-Profit Educational Organization, Page 2 of 4 The current issue of The Microscope (vol. 62, (From page 4) second quarter 2014) contains an article by Brian J. Ford that delights me. In "Critical Focus: Breaking the Phalaenopsis /fælɨˈ nɒpsɪs/ Blume (1825), known Myths of Microscope" (pp 63-73), Ford condenses the as the Moth Orchid, abbreviated Phal in history of the light microscope and brings its origins the horticultural trade, is anorchid genus of closer to some of its manifestations today, which turn approximately 60 species. Phalaenopsis is one of the out not to differ as much as you might have imagined. most popular orchids in the trade, through the development of many artificial hybrids. It is native to The cost to purchase one copy of this issue of The southern China, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Microscope is $10 plus shipping and handling, which is Asia (Thailand,Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, a bargain when you consider that its three other articles etc.), New Guinea, the Bismark Archipelago, are also worth reading. Find out more about this and Queensland (From Wikipedia). publication by visiting its webpage: http://mcri.org/home/section/71-72/the-microscope- journal Jean Portell **************************************************************** Also Sent In by Jean Portell: Here's a 2011 article by Dr. William R. "Randy" Miller in which he explains to an advanced student how a new tardigrada species, which his student discovered, gets named. This is no. 5 of a series of "Tardigrades" articles by Miller. http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/feature/tardigra 1978. Dr. Robert Hoffman conducts a workshop in des/5 modulation contrast. ********************************************************************* Thought you all might show that to folks as an Sent in by Egil Hollund inspiration to do serious research and perhaps identify a new species. I lost contact with Randy Miller when I slacked off using microscopes in order to concentrate on writing about art conservation. Years from now, when I complete the biography I'm working on, I'll resume hunting for water bears ... just for fun! Best wishes to all, Jean **************************************************************** From the Library: The NYMS Library contains over 3,700 cataloged volumes, among these is a full set of McCrone’s Particle Atlas and copies of Microbe Hunter Magazine. Come on down and read! Check this out chemistry nerds. Contact: Mel Pollinger (201) 791-9826, or email Mel at Sent to me by Jeff Glover pollingmel@optonline. net Neat stuff. For December 2014 http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2014/10/beautiful- *********************************************************************** Upcoming Events in 2014 chemistry-amazing-chemical-reactions-filmed- with-a-4k-ultrahd-camera/ Dates, Times and Locations to be Be A Volunteer – There’s Always announced when confirmed: Something to do and see at NYMS. •McCrone’s Course Dec 8-12, 2014 If you wish to contribute some of your time to NYMS, please contact me at (201) 791-9826 or by •NYMS Annual Banquet (December meeting) Bill at NYMS in Clifton email at [email protected] *********************************************************** A Not-For-Profit Educational Organization, Page 3 of 4 Visitors Always Welcome to NYMS Answer to Mystery Photo for October 2014 Although most of our lecture meetings, workshops and Center of Moth Orchid classes are held in the NYMS Clifton facility on the last flower (Phalaenopsis) Sunday of the month, the building may be opened for special purposes at other times, by appointment only. For Correctly answered by such an appointment, please contact Mel Pollinger by phone at (201) 791-9826, M-F noon to 9:30pm, or by email Wiebke Hinsch at [email protected]. Kevin E. Bennett From The Editor… Michael Reese Much if you have an email address: Getting the (see page 3 top right) newsletter by email means you can receive an extended pdf version that cannot be sent by Mystery Photo for Nov-Dec 2014 “snail mail.” Even if you only continue your USPS delivery of the newsletter, NYMS needs your email address for reporting priority events and special news. Being able to contact you quickly by email means better communication between you & NYMS■■ Mel Need to use a Microscope? The various microscopes that are presently set up on the main floor of the New York Microscopical Society building in Clifton, N.J. are there for the use of its members. From Gary Mayer: In need of parts for older Olympus Microscopes? Contact J.C. Ricky in Ohio at (740) 862-9252 Want to take a guess? Send it to me by email or call Microscope Cleaning Kit me: [email protected], (201) 791-9826 A complete set of tools and accessories to keep your ************************************************ microscope in optimum operating condition. The kit is Additional Historical NYMS Supplements put together by our previous Curator/Educational Email Newsletter recipients will also be getting copies of Chairman, Don O’Leary, and available directly from NYMS Newsletter pdf back-Issues from 2007. Copies of NYMS, while they last, for only $35.00 plus shipping & older newsletters will be sent as I convert them. handling, or may be purchased at a meeting. Call or ******************************************************* email Mel Pollinger for details (see page two for contact numbers). Attention NYMS Members Got something to sell? Article to NYMS Meeting Dates publish? Pictures for the newsletter? Looking to buy something? Want to use Most meetings of NYMS are usually held in the library? Want to use a NYMS Clifton on the last Sunday of the months of microscope? Jan., Feb., Mar., May, Sep., Oct.