♪♪ INTRO ♪♪ A little over three years ago, I saw a video on YouTube of a cell dying and I loved it so much that I reached out to the person who posted that video.

His name was James, and in that email, I wrote the following: “I have always wanted to do a microscopy show, we've just lacked the expertise. You have something pretty special on your hands, an obvious passion, talent, and the right equipment.

I'm interested in possibly partnering with you on a channel. I'm thinking of something that has a real chill look and feel. Something that celebrates the beauty of that world, gives people a chance to relax while also learning.” James agreed.

It is unusual for an idea to go from inception to execution with so little modification. That first pitch is very much what this channel continues to be today. Aside from the original idea for the name of the channel which was… The Germ House.

Through the years, there have been some very exciting developments. James has been able to upgrade his microscope multiple times. We’ve been able to share marine life as well as fresh water.

We’ve captured some truly exceptional moments and even, we think, discovered entirely new species. But also, how I have thought about microscopy has changed. Before I found James’ footage, I wanted to make microscopy content but I thought I couldn't.

There were so many microscopes, and so many different words I didn’t know. I honestly didn't even know what a ciliate was! As I watched more and more footage, and narrated more and more episodes, I started to understand that this isn’t something that’s just for experts.

Obviously, I will never be as accomplished as James. But after getting my own Microcosmos Microscope as part of our Kickstarter, I found that this was an extremely fulfilling and also fairly accessible hobby. Spending time in my neighborhood understanding my local microcosmos has been very exciting.

The changing ecology of the seasons, my first tardigrade sighting, and just the variety of life at different depths of water and sediment. The Microcosmos Microscope changed my whole outlook on this channel. It’s not just a project that tells people about their world, we hope it is an invitation into that world.

There are so many more people with telescopes than microscopes, but, no offense to all of the backyard astronomers out there, there is so much more to see looking down than looking up. And we want to help more people start their own journeys, so they can explore the unseen world that surrounds them. So that’s why we launched the Microcosmos Microscope Kickstarter in early 2021, and we made sure to offer a high quality introductory microscope, with a cell-phone adapter, so the everybody could document their own journeys.

And the people who supported that kickstarter have enabled the next step we are taking today the launch of Microcosmos.store. This new store exists to welcome folks on their own journeys. Right now, we’ve got a fairly limited number of Microcosmos Microscopes available, but we will be restocking them later this year, so get them while they're hot.

We’ll also be increasing the number of microscopy tools and accessories we offer. Right now, along with the microscope, you can get things like Rheinberg filters, oblique illumination filters, slides and cover slips, our microscopy field guide, and a Microcosmos microfiber cleaning cloth. We even have a series of instructional videos explaining how to get started with both the equipment and sampling your local microcosmos.

Also, of course, we’ve got some cool stuff that you can get to represent your appreciation for the microcosmos. You can download our soundtrack to listen to while you search your slides, or cozy up in our new Lacrymaria socks. We’ve also got a glow-in-the-dark tardigrade pin, a very cool and clever sweatshirt, and this new hydra t-shirt is just fantastic.

And finally, possibly my favorite thing is this poster, with art by one of James’ mentors that will help you identify the microbes you find in your samples. It has over 100 species on it and it also just looks really really cool. In case it’s not clear to you, we really have been going on a journey together.

And I’m not just saying words when I say thank you for coming on it with us. I am so grateful to have had this richness added to my life. A new and deep appreciation for something that was, just a few short years ago, the unseen world that surrounds me.

Now before we go, we’d also like to thank each and every one of our Patreon patrons. Without whom this channel and this store could not exist and we are so so grateful for all of you who have decided to sign up over at patreon.com/journeytomicro. If you’d like to see more from our Master of Microscopes James Weiss, check him out at Jam & Germs on Instagram.

And if you’d like to see more from us, there’s probably a subscribe button somewhere nearby.