A switching station

Ganglia are part of the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system includes all nerves outside the central nervous system (bundles of long nerve shoots with supporting cells) and small centers of nerve cells the ganglia.

A ganglion is a combination of mainly cell bodies (ganglion cells) with the nucleus of the nerve cell surrounded by cytoplasm without further shoots. This cell body with the nucleus as its center forms the metabolic center of the cell and is sensitive to stimuli. Ganglia function as switching stations for nerve impulses.

Stamens and a jewel clip

If anything stands out about the bunch of lilies pictured below, it is the large dark coloured stamens. These are worth seeing under the stereo microscope. There is a handy tool to enable this. 

The yak keeps you warm and tidy in the winter

The yak is a bovine species, that lives amongst others in Tibet. They graze in the cool higher part of mountainous areas. Yaks are not adapted to living in hot climates. The main raw material produced by the yaks is wool, existing of tail hair and long hair along the yak belly. Yak shearing takes place in the spring, which is a difficult action because of the furious personality of this animal. 

Hydra vulgaris

There are several types of Hydra that we can encounter in fresh water, for instance the Hydra Fusca, Hydra Viridis (Green Hydra) and the Hydra Vulgaris. All species have the same nutritional and environmental needs, only the appearance may differ slightly. 

A hydra can have 4 to 12 tentacles with which they catch their prey and can reach a length of 3 centimeters. These tentacles are equipped with nettle cells that paralyze their prey. They can reproduce in various ways, including division. For example, if they are pulled through the middle, both parts will recover and live on. 

A find on the beach

The shells or shields on the back of the various species of cuttlefish Sepia spec. consist of brittle lime (sometimes also referred to as Sea Foam) and are softer on one side than on the other. There is gas between the layers of lime, so that they float and often wash up on the beach.

Cuttlefish are good swimmers who can cover large distances. Sometimes animals wash ashore on the coast, but more often loose back shields. They have good buoyancy and can wash up on the beach at a great distance from the place where the animal died.