College student puts items under a microscope on TikTok, and it's hard to look away
You'll never look at bananas the same way again.

Microscopic images satisfy TikTok commenters' natural curiosity.
Ever wondered what an espresso looked like under a microscope? How about a pumpkin? Octopus sucker?
Thanks to pharm tech college student and TikTok star of science Justice Dodson, all of your micro-curiosities can be satisfied. And wow, it is crazy to look at our big, big world through this teeny tiny lens.
Dodson’s channel, where he takes requests for items to go under a microscope, is a unique blend of fascinating, educational and grossly pleasing. With more than a million followers, this kid gets a ton of requests. But here are some of the nanoscopic gems I found particularly interesting:Corona virus
@justice.dodson Reply to @user646472910474810 Corona or Corona? ##foryou ##microscope ##science ##TargetHalloween ##MakeItCinematic
♬ Pink Soldiers - 23
It’s probably no surprise that many, many, many people ask to see the coronavirus up close and personal. Although Dodson does a bit of a bait-and-switch here.
He starts the video by letting us know, “I have Corona, so I can finally show you what it looks like under a microscope”
… and then proceeds to pull out a Corona beer bottle.
This was still a teachable moment, because we learned that the virus is way too small and would need a much more powerful device to be visible. Something called an electron microscope. Sounds like something from a Marvel movie.
As one person commented, “I was excited, disappointed, and informed all in the span of 30 seconds,” and that accurately sums it all up.
Pepperoni
@justice.dodson Reply to @that_trippy_chick22 Cow + Pig = Pepperoni ##foryou ##microscope ##velabco ##wehavethemeats ##CurameChoreo
♬ #3 - Aphex Twin
It looks like pimply skin, then a gaseous planet. Don’t watch before pizza.
Octopus sucker
@justice.dodson Davy Jones vibes 🐙 ##foryou ##microscope ##velabco ##ocotpus ##NissanShowUp
♬ Davy Jones Theme (Pirates of the Caribbean) - Je Suis Parte
First off, an octopus is already fun to look at. But Dodson took a piece of an octopus arm (I’m guessing from a market?) and under the microscope it looks even more like an alien creature.
Bonus points for creativity, as he used the “Davy Jones Theme” from "Pirates of the Caribbean" for his audio. I giggled at that.
It’s also great to see that Dodson is inspiring other scientists-in-training, as many share their appreciation, knowledge and enthusiasm in the comments.
One person wrote, "hoping to be a medical lab scientist one day, love your videos."
Bug squishing
@justice.dodson Reply to @defender2090 I found it like this all shriveled up :( ##foryou ##microscope ##velabco ##123PandoraME ##TakeTheDayOffChallenge
♬ The Banjo Beat, Pt. 1 - Ricky Desktop
People really, really, really like the squishing ones.
Halloween pumpkin
@justice.dodson Reply to @user646472910474810 Happy Halloween! 🎃 ##foryou ##microscope ##pumpkin ##velabco ##science ##PUBGMOBILE
♬ Halloween Theme - John Carpenter & Cody Carpenter & Daniel Davies
Holy moly, that crazy transformation from 100x to 400x. I will never think of jack-o-lanterns the same way again.
Blood + wine
@justice.dodson Reply to @hnnh.cstr Red wine, extra red 🩸🔬 ##velabco ##microscope ##science ##wine ##JifRapChallenge
♬ Je te laisserai des mots - Patrick Watson
In a beautiful cascade, the red blood cells meet their demise, due to the alcohol.
So yeah, in case you were considering it, don’t inject red wine!
Dollar bill
@justice.dodson Reply to @.seanm RIP George ##foryou ##CowboyBebop ##MunchiesWithTubi ##microscope ##velabco ##science
♬ where is my mind - jewel :*
I was half hoping for some kind of hidden clue-like message that “National Treasure” always promised us. But still quite cool to see.
Especially toward the end where you see how money is a bunch of fibers seemingly sewn together. There's a metaphor for capitalism somewhere in there.
Mold … from a water bottle
@justice.dodson ##stitch with @noelmulk0 Do you have mold in your water bottle? 🔬🔬 ##foryou ##microscope ##velabco ##mold ##k18hairflip
♬ original sound - Justice Dodson
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Dodson's TikToks, it’s that nowhere is safe.
Water bear
@justice.dodson Reply to @nikki_smiht LOOK AT THOSE LITTLE CLAWS 🥺 ##foryou ##microscope ##velabco ##MyBrawlSuper ##waterbear ##tardigrade
♬ Elf - Main Theme - Geek Music
Found inside a little puddle on moss and dirt, and with a bonus tardigrade egg!
This is one of the cuter ones, most definitely.
Espresso cream
@justice.dodson Reply to @user646472910474810 lil bubbles ##foryou ##microscope ##CustomersMostLoved ##velabco ##DoTheJuJu
♬ original sound - джузель
It basically looks like a bubble bath, making me love coffee even more.
Banana
@justice.dodson Bananas making bananas 🍌 ##foryou ##didyouknow ##microscope ##velabco ##SaveIt4TheEndZone ##banana ##cells
♬ Eleanor Rigby - Cody Fry
Why no, Dodson, I did not know that banana cells look just like little bananas. But I certainly can’t un-know it moving forward.
We all have a science nerd inside, an inner curiosity that wants to know how things work, both big and small.
That’s what makes TikTok truly amazing for its bite-sized glimpses into subjects we might not otherwise be aware of.
Trust me, I did not wake up thinking I’d go down a rabbit hole like this one, but I’m so glad I did. Thanks Justice Dodson for sharing your passion and for helping us see the world in a whole new way.
This article originally appeared on 12.29.21
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."