(1/n) Thrilled to share latest pre-print from lab - open imaging tool we have been working for the last 3 years "PlanktonScope V1 & 2" - modular (100x cost reduction) platform to enable citizens/sailors to study the world's largest habitat - our oceans! biorxiv.org/content/10.110… 
(2/n) Before describing the science/vision and the back story of 'Planktonscope" - it's important to highlight the incredible trio in lab that made this dream come true - led by Thibaut Polina @chevreuil3000, Adam Larson @planktonico & @hongquan_li - merging of art/design/science
(3/n) What is the problem we are trying to solve? The ocean is a big place (360 million sq km) - and presence/absence & type of microscopic life in ocean holds secrets to well being of our planet. Not enough research vessels/scientists/$ to map this microscopic life in its glory
(4/n) 3 years ago, while working on lowcost, high-throughput microscopy; I met an incredible group of biological oceanographers (Colmban, @fabien_lombard & others). Together we decided to envision "seatizen science" (which led to planktonplanet.org). We all love plankton!
(5/n) In coming months, we will release number of tools for citizen oceanography - Planktonscope (first step) is a modular open portable tool capable of autonomously imaging 1.7 ml per minute with a 1.5 μm resolution - built under $400 in parts. vimeo.com/415817853
(6/n) You start by collecting water you want to analyze (either through a plankton net or otherwise); pour it & microscope does the rest! From millions of single cells in solution, we get a snapshot of the ecosystem - who is present, what abundance - anywhere in the world.
(7/n) We took Planktonscope for test ride for last 3 years, from fjords in Chile to lake Chilika. Research vessels to mud-swamps. Every time we put a sample in, we learn something new about the living soup of the aquatic microworld - unraveling hidden ecosystems in plain sight.
(8/n) In the current BioRxiv paper, we describe two versions of the instrument - version 1 below is truly modular with lego like stackable parts but complex to manufacture/build sub-components. A few close up of parts in action.
(9/n) For an instrument designed for field including operation at sea; robustness is key. So we designed version 2; which is far more compact, robust and easy to manufacture and assemble. I often get an urge to use it in odd-ball locations like this drive in South Africa...
(10/n) or on research expedition on Kilo Moana with Adam @planktonico - the data sets are really fun to watch in real time but it is not humanly possible to actually display every cell being imaged. So we had to think hard about the software pipeline to handle large datasets..
(11/n) Partnering with Ecotaxa, Morphocut & folks including @fabien_lombard and co. on handling large ecological imaging datasets was amazing. We demonstrate 1-to-1 comparison with commercial tools - with equivalent performance but 100x reduction in cost.
(12/n) We are beginning scale-up of this project; engaging citizens & sailors globally to join the initiative (also see planktonplanet.org). We will soon announce online imaging platform - but feel free to write to us planktonscope@gmail.com. Build instructions coming soon..
(13/n) We are grateful for support @SchmidtFutures @MooreFound @czbiohub @simonsfdn @c3STC & others who have supported our open source development of tools for curiosity - for scientists within "all" of us. In times of crisis we find ourselves now, it is even more important
(14/n) I want to close with shout-out to amazing "sailor-scientist" in my lab - Thibaut Polina @chevreuil3000 (yes that is his job title). His passion and perseverance to never settle (literally) is what made this project truly unique. Still lot in store for everyone. More soon.
Forgot to mention - the above beautiful plankton mandala is creation of Noe & Christian Sardet (father son pair) at Plankton chronicles - I meant to reference it in earlier tweet. planktonchronicles.org
