Aquila Children's Magazine AQUILA Magazine Best Bits | Page 7

A design was sketched and an exciting idea jumped into life; what if paper could be used to build this piece of equipment? After all, it’s versatile, light, cheap and you can fold it into specific configurations with great precision. Jim and Manu decided to try and get the new tool into as many hands as possible. Since its inception, the team at Foldscope have succeeded in getting their origami microscope into the pockets of 500,000 people across at least 135 countries. By the end of 2019, they intend to have distributed one million Foldscopes across the globe. Microcosmos But this isn’t just the story of a very clever $1 paper toy. This is the story of an entire global community coming together online to share observations, answer questions, solve problems and have fun with science. OK, that ’s great and everything, but what has it actually done? Ed Access to cheap and portable microscopes has led to lots of breakthroughs across the planet. Let’s look at some case studies to see how the Foldscope is working in real life: H ow would you like the chance to win your very own Deluxe Foldscope PLUS an extra 20 Foldscopes for your school or community group? All you have to do is write to us explaining what you and your group would love to explore with your Foldscopes, and we’ll pick our favourite. Dr K. Indumathy is a project investigator working in the Vellore district of India, near the city of Chennai. Dr Indumathy and her team are committed to collecting, identifying and classifying the various pests and diseases that can affect crops in the region. They show farmers and local students how to assemble Foldscopes and use them in the field (literally) to examine disease pathogens and pests so they can treat them effectively. https://tinyurl.com/y5ywrjzj Marine scientist Dr Jorge Mardones and his team from Prakash Labs have been in Chile looking at the effect of salinity (saltiness) on toxic algae in Chilean waters. Their research will have a big impact on fish farming in the area. https://tinyurl.com/y2f57m24 Dr S. Meignanalakshmi uses the Foldscope to study the stomach juices of cows and diagnose acidosis and parasitic infections. Farmers can use the technology to help ensure the wellbeing of their cattle. https://tinyurl.com/y5hk6r2c Frugal science Prakash and his team believe that access to science and science education is a human right, and they’re doing everything in their power to make it so. It’s all part of a frugal science revolution; the idea that, if humanity is ever going to reach its potential as a species, the 1 billion people who currently haven’t got access to proper healthcare or infrastructure must be able to make discoveries alongside those who do. Five fantastic things to look at through a Foldscope: 1 Cheek cells 2 Pollen grains 3 Tomato skin 4 Fungi 5 Belly button fluff TAKING THINGS FURTHER Why not have a go at reinventing a useful device for modern living using the frugal science model? Take a high-tech object – it might be a food processor, a tumble dryer or a heart rate monitor. What are the essential components of that device? Can it be made simpler, cheaper and with fewer parts? How about making it from recycled materials? If you had to make the same device with a budget of £1, how would you go about it? LET’S DEBATE Do you agree that access to science is a human right? Why not write to us and let us know. Send your entries to: AQUILA Foldscope Competition Studio 2, 67a Willowfield Road Eastbourne, East Sussex BN22 8AP Email entries also accepted at [email protected] Closing Date: Monday 7th October 2019 *Competition is open to AQUILA subscribers only. **Class entries are accepted if the school subscribes. To learn more about foldscope instruments and join the frugal science revolution go to www.foldscope.com An invention to benefit humanity