I dedicate this page to Mr. Rob, my science teacher for helping me post my first book on a website.

Preview audio:

storyj.mp/ahbfwcf9jn34

Sam: Look I found this electron microscope in my dad's science lab

Eli: I have no idea what an electron microscope is

Sam: An electron microscope is a microscope that uses beams of electrons to enlarge small objects

Eli: This is so cool, but why do we need this?

Sam: Have you heard of the new virus called "death fever"?

Eli: Yes, I heard that 3 people in our community and my best friend Evan already have it

Sam: We can use the microscope to see virus particles in a patient so we can make a vaccine to stop viral infections.

Eli: Cool beans! But what is a vaccine?

Sam: A vaccine is an injection(shot) that goes into your body and

teaches your immune system to defend against harmful germs

Sam: Let's go talk to the rest of the team and see if they want to create a vaccine too

Eli: ok but what is a virus and what is their structure

Sam: Viruses can be complicated, but their basic structure is made of genetic material (DNA or RNA) enclosed in a protein coat called a capsid. Some viruses also have an outer lipid envelope. An outer lipid envelope is a membrane of different molecules surrounding some viruses. This envelope contains viral proteins and helps viruses enter cells and evade the immune system.

Eli: Cool, what are the parts of a virus

Sam: All viruses have nucleic acid, either RNA or DNA and a protein capsid like a protective protein shell that goes around the genetic material

Eli: Cool, that helped a lot and I understand more about viruses now

Sam: Yup!

Sam: Hey Kyle do you want to help us make a vaccine for the disease

Kyle: sure thing but have you thought about how the world would be without microscopes

Sam: No but now that I think about it, people without microscopes would not be able to see viruses at all.

Kyle: Yeah and without being able to see viruses we did not even know viruses could infect us and impact us before the late 1800's!

Sam: Yes!

Kyle: But now we have one of the most advanced microscopes to help us build a vaccine

Sam: oh yeah, we do!

Kyle: Let's start by getting some infected patients to

examine the virus particles in them

Sam: ok let's get started

Sam: Hey Evan get back here and we are going to use the microscope to examine your virus particles because you have the virus already

Evan: sure thing but how will you just "examine the virus particles in my body"?

Sam: We will first do a throat swab which is just taking a swab and rubbing it over the back of your throat and tonsils and examining the sample by using the microscope

Evan: Will it hurt

Sam: I don't think so. anyway let's get started

Evan: Owwwww!

Sam: Nice job Evan now let's examine this sample in the microscope

Evan: Ok

Sam: This electron microscope can magnify the sample up to 50 million times so we can see the specimen clearly so people can examine their virus particles and

do many more things too!

Sam: Okay so now we need to hire a well-trained scientist to operate the microscope because an electron microscope is very hard to operate and was harder than I thought.

Evan: I think my friend used to operate an electron microscope if I think correctly

Sam: OK, Let's call him. (2 minutes later) Ding dong! Mark's here

Mark: Let's get straight to the point

Mark: First we need the sample and we need to drop 1 drop on the TEM grid

Mark: Now we have to turn on the microscope, wait a while, and then carefully insert the grid with the sample into the TEM column. The TEM grid is used to hold samples and is made of copper and steel.

Mark: Now this is the fun part. We have to align the electron beam to pass through the sample using a condenser lens. We also have to adjust the focus so we can easily see the specimen.

Sam: Wow Mark, you are helping us a lot here.

Mark: My pleasure, now all we have left to do is examine the sample.

Sam: OK and now how do we make a vaccine for this virus?

Mark: We just have to kill the virus

and make sure the immune system can recognize it and the

immune system will find a way to fight against this virus if

it comes again.

Sam: OK let's get to work

Mark: We will kill the virus by exposing it to heat, radiation, and UV light. (1 day later)

Sam: Now it's been a day after exposing the virus to heat, it is most likely killed.

Mark: A few hours ago I realized we could test the vaccine on my dog. This vaccine can prevent help from getting the virus. Let's test the killed version of the virus on him. Anyway, he's 11 years old so it's fine if it does not work.

Sam: Now let's get the killed version of the sample and inject your dog with it

Mark: OK, hopefully, it goes out well

Sam: (after injection) HE looks pretty fine

Mark: Yeah (3 days later)

Sam: Yes and how does this vaccine help

Mark: Inactivated vaccines cannot cause disease because the virus is no longer able to replicate. This makes them safer, especially for people with weakened immune systems or other health conditions.

Sam: Cool

Sam: (1 week later) I think the vaccine worked

Mark: So do I

Sam: Well let's make a website and give people 5 dollars to try our vaccine and if it works on them then.....

Mark: We will give it to the government and get them to give it out nationwide

Sam: Ok (1 week later)

Mark: Everyone who took our vaccine is giving us good reviews and we have a 5-star rating! Let's talk to the government.

Sam: What did the government tell you

Mark: The government told me to double-check the vaccine and get a lot of other people to test it and they will see the vaccine's safety and if it was efficient without major side effects. They will also experiment to get close to people with the virus and see if they get sick or not

Sam: Ok

Mark: The government has started to use the vaccine on other people and said it was a success and will reward us.

Sam: Let's go

Mark: HE will give us $10,000

Sam: Yes!

Mark: Doesn't this prove how science is so important?

Sam: It does!

Mark: That's the attitude

Sam: Now let's go tell Evan and Eli about this surprise.

Mark: OK

Sam: HI Eli and Evan did you hear how our discovery went out?

Eli and Evan: NO!