In the exhibition we show various environments and their inhabitants as we can see them "with our own eyes". With the help of a binocular magnifying glass and a pocket magnifying glass, we now can have a glimpse into a world that has remained hidden from our eyes.
At two sites we have prepared various natural history items from following fields:
- geology and botany
- zoology (that is where you are right now :-)
Small guidance for using the binoculars:
- Ocular lens – part where you look with your eyes
- Objective lens – lower part pointing towards the observed item
- Focus wheel – you change the distance of the objective lens from the observed object by rotating it
- Total focus – focus of the ocular lens multiplied by focus of the objective lens. The maximum focus of our binocular is 40x.
GEOLOGY
Crystals
Crystals are formed, for example, when magma cools or water evaporates from a solution. The shape of the crystals (e.g. cubes, tetrahedrons, columns or needles) and their colour depend on the chemical composition of the mineral (e.g. iron appears red, calcium white, sodium blue). Under a microscope, the crystals are seen as differently rotated plates and edges. In this case, we see quartz crystals in the shape of a tetrahedron (wedge). Black dots are impurities caused by weathering, deformation or the presence of a foreign body inside the crystal.
Sand
Sand is formed by the weathering of rocks and subsequent transportation by flowing water and/or wind. It consists of grains of various rocks and minerals ranging from 0.05 to 2 mm. The most common component of sand is quartz, which is usually white to grey in colour. The yellowish to ochre components are feldspars or clay minerals. River sand is characterised by rounded grains; wind-blown sand has imperfectly rounded to angular grains. Sands formed by weathering of bedrock or sand washed over and deposited in the delta of a short river are characterised by sharp-angled grains.
BOTANY
Plants spread by seeds, which they usually produce in large numbers. Seeds come in different shapes, sizes, colours and adaptations for dispersal, e.g. by wind (seeds with hairs or wings) or animals (hook-like hairs).
Examples of seeds and fruits
Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
A biennial, light-loving plant growing in drier places in sand quarries, stone quarries or along rail roads. The small, angular seeds are spread by construction activity.
Morrison’s Spurry (Spergula morisonii)
Annual species typical of sandy areas. Seeds resemble a little suns due to their lighter edge. Spreads by wind or spontaneously.
Purple Sandspurry (Spergularia rubra)
An annual plant characteristic of sandy areas. Tiny brown seeds covered with warts spill from the capsules.
Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola)
Biennial light-loving ruderal plant. The fruit is an achene with fluff, which spreads by wind.
Long-headed Poppy (Papaver dubium)
An annual plant growing on field margins, in ruderal and sandy soils. The surface of the seeds has a typical net-like ornamentation. The seeds fall from the capsules.
Carrot (Daucus carota subsp. carota) – biennial, light-loving plant, growing in meadows, road embankments and ruderal habitats. The subspecies D. carota subsp. sativus is cultivated as a vegetable. The long-haired seeds are adapted for dispersal by animals.
Annual Fescue (Vulpia myuros)
Annual grass growing in sand quarries. The fruit is a caryopsis with a long hair. It spreads spontaneously.
Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)
A biennial, light-loving plant that was formerly grown as a root vegetable and is now used as a medicinal plant. The capsules drop light seeds into sand or cinder and spread during construction work.
Smooth Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris)
Annual or biennial plants occurring on drier, nutrient-poor soils in grasslands, quarries, sands. The fruit is an achenes with hairs, which are spread by wind.
Garden Sorrel (Rumex thyrsiflorus)
A perennial non-native plant found along roadsides and railways. The fruit are dark achenes with light brown scabs. It spreads by transport.
