Cells

ScienceWiz(R) Cells: Under a Microscope uses a breakthrough, clip-on microscope to convert a mobile device into a high-performance microscope. With 200 - 400 X magnification, children of all ages can view a microscope slide with need to squint down a long tube. NO FOCUSING REQUIRED!

The fully illustrated 40 page book explores the microscopic world of cells -- the building blocks of all life on Earth. Children learn to prepare their own microscope slides. They view and investigate onion cells, plant leaf cells and their own cheek cells. They watch pond scum and primitive single celled organisms swim in and out of view. They learn about the incredible and nearly indestructible tardigrades. They go water bear hunting. They learn what makes a cell, a cell, and what makes animal and plant cells different from bacterial cells. They learn what ALL cells have in common and the housekeeping chores they ALL have to accomplish. They learn about LUCA, the last common ancestor to all living cells on Earth. When did LUCA exist? What do we know about the likely genetic makeup of LUCA. This is the ultimate family tree of life. LUCA is the universal mother of all living things. The process of decoding LUCA's genetic make-up is a detective story.

Life is strange. It is not as you might think. Every cell alive today has always been alive for at least four billion years -- that is the logical conclusion of every cell coming from another cell!

--Penny Norman, PhD