1/x Have you ever wondered how #LEGO degrades when it's buried in a sandy #Danish garden for about 30 years?
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1/x Have you ever wondered how #LEGO degrades when it's buried in a sandy #Danish garden for about 30 years?
I did. Here's the answer. I took photos with a #microscope (30x magnification) of an old brick (1x2 slope) found in our garden, and a newish brick found on an elfish castle.
The photos (smartphone camera held above the oculair) answer the question of what it looks like.
More info in the ALT tags.
And back to work

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1/x Have you ever wondered how #LEGO degrades when it's buried in a sandy #Danish garden for about 30 years?
I did. Here's the answer. I took photos with a #microscope (30x magnification) of an old brick (1x2 slope) found in our garden, and a newish brick found on an elfish castle.
The photos (smartphone camera held above the oculair) answer the question of what it looks like.
More info in the ALT tags.
And back to work

2/x Context
Old brick. I assume two things:
First that it was in the garden for 30 yrs. I found it near bricks that were sold in the early 1970s. 30yrs might also be 40.
Secondly: previous owners of our house worked at LEGO and had access to "spillage". I assume it's a perfectly normal brick but I hear in the deep past employees sometimes took home bricks that were a bit off.
The new brick is not brand new either. It's between one and five years old and in a "play box".
They're both ABS.
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2/x Context
Old brick. I assume two things:
First that it was in the garden for 30 yrs. I found it near bricks that were sold in the early 1970s. 30yrs might also be 40.
Secondly: previous owners of our house worked at LEGO and had access to "spillage". I assume it's a perfectly normal brick but I hear in the deep past employees sometimes took home bricks that were a bit off.
The new brick is not brand new either. It's between one and five years old and in a "play box".
They're both ABS.
3/x Lunchtime #microscope break!
If you enjoy zoomed in #LEGO you might also be interested in some #photos of a zoomed in kevlar blanket that flew to #space in the cargo-bay of Spaceshuttle Discovery (last on STS-82, a Hubble repair mission).
The material is more reflective than it appears so very high magnification photos are difficult with my setup (an old microscope illuminated by overhead light and a smartphone hovering over it for photos).
Magnifications of 30x, 60x and 100x
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3/x Lunchtime #microscope break!
If you enjoy zoomed in #LEGO you might also be interested in some #photos of a zoomed in kevlar blanket that flew to #space in the cargo-bay of Spaceshuttle Discovery (last on STS-82, a Hubble repair mission).
The material is more reflective than it appears so very high magnification photos are difficult with my setup (an old microscope illuminated by overhead light and a smartphone hovering over it for photos).
Magnifications of 30x, 60x and 100x
4/x Here's two shots (from ESA/NASA) showing the interior of the orbiter's cargo bay.
The white blankets you see all over the exposed parts is what mine is an "example" of.
This specific one was installed somewhere on the engine side of the aft cargo-bay. They were only replaced when damaged. Mine looks fine though, I'd have kept it for another flight or so.
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4/x Here's two shots (from ESA/NASA) showing the interior of the orbiter's cargo bay.
The white blankets you see all over the exposed parts is what mine is an "example" of.
This specific one was installed somewhere on the engine side of the aft cargo-bay. They were only replaced when damaged. Mine looks fine though, I'd have kept it for another flight or so.
5/x FYI: if you're interested in used, flown in space, parts of spacecrafts these are available for $$ on the open market (or, like mine, as gifts from people working on these crafts as a lot of it has mainly non-intrinsic/ extrinsic value).
Flown #SpaceX parts specifically can be found for free in goat-pastures all over Canada. For more information follow @sundogplanets
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5/x FYI: if you're interested in used, flown in space, parts of spacecrafts these are available for $$ on the open market (or, like mine, as gifts from people working on these crafts as a lot of it has mainly non-intrinsic/ extrinsic value).
Flown #SpaceX parts specifically can be found for free in goat-pastures all over Canada. For more information follow @sundogplanets
6/x Here's more from #WillItMicroscope channel while I listen to a two hour MS Teams recording

It's 15gram of the Nantan nickel-iron #meteorite. If you have a friend who claims to have "a meteorite" it's likely from this source or they got scammed into buying a block of basalt..
As it's reflective and very "vertical" the best photos are at only 60x. They show the smoothing / melting from entering the atmosphere 15km/s or so.
Purchased in a nice mineral shop in #paris. About 5 euro (2004).
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6/x Here's more from #WillItMicroscope channel while I listen to a two hour MS Teams recording

It's 15gram of the Nantan nickel-iron #meteorite. If you have a friend who claims to have "a meteorite" it's likely from this source or they got scammed into buying a block of basalt..
As it's reflective and very "vertical" the best photos are at only 60x. They show the smoothing / melting from entering the atmosphere 15km/s or so.
Purchased in a nice mineral shop in #paris. About 5 euro (2004).
7/x Here's another one worth sharing, a synthetic mineral called crystalline Silicon Carbide (SiC).
Everyone reading this uses SiC. As an abrasive it's used for purposes like sandpaper and vehicle brake pads. As a semiconductor it powered the first LEDs. And as it shines (and is as hard) as diamant it goes in telescope mirrors.
Anyway. Posting as under a microscope it shines up like an olympic Eiffeltower!
This piece was produced by the Acheson Process in a Dutch factory.
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7/x Here's another one worth sharing, a synthetic mineral called crystalline Silicon Carbide (SiC).
Everyone reading this uses SiC. As an abrasive it's used for purposes like sandpaper and vehicle brake pads. As a semiconductor it powered the first LEDs. And as it shines (and is as hard) as diamant it goes in telescope mirrors.
Anyway. Posting as under a microscope it shines up like an olympic Eiffeltower!
This piece was produced by the Acheson Process in a Dutch factory.
8/x I was wondering what the color epaper of my #ereader (#kobo Libra Color) looks like in #microscope closeup. It's kinda interesting to see how the color and grey tones are two different layers and resolutions.
75x magnification.
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8/x I was wondering what the color epaper of my #ereader (#kobo Libra Color) looks like in #microscope closeup. It's kinda interesting to see how the color and grey tones are two different layers and resolutions.
75x magnification.
9/x Want to play a game? Here's an item at 100x magnification.
In three days I'll reveal what it is. I'll answer questions as long as it doesn't directly give away the answer.
Note: The fading yellow is due to photographing through the ocular with my phone. It's actually a solid yellow. All that you see in the circle is one object.
I'll post a "poll comment" below this post. By answering it you'll get a reminder

It's not a moth (and pls don't use google lens..).
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9/x Want to play a game? Here's an item at 100x magnification.
In three days I'll reveal what it is. I'll answer questions as long as it doesn't directly give away the answer.
Note: The fading yellow is due to photographing through the ocular with my phone. It's actually a solid yellow. All that you see in the circle is one object.
I'll post a "poll comment" below this post. By answering it you'll get a reminder

It's not a moth (and pls don't use google lens..).
Aaand it is time for the reveal! It's a small block of injection molded ABS with a pad printed layer. Or: a yellow #lego brick with the letter W.
Four people figured it out. Thanks for not spoiling it for others. First was @mattdawhit who somehow figured it out without any real hints. Also
to James, @CiaraNi & @cazmockett This one was fun. Thanks for all the excellent comments. I'll post a new one later today and will use the hashtag #MicroGuessr (hint: it'll be another human made item).
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