Some of the Island’s million years of natural history is being brought into sharp focus thanks to The Common Space, a not-for-profit organisation working to revitalise public land and buildings by putting them to greater community use.

Using a high-powered microscope called a MicroEye purchased with grant money from Island Roads’ IW Foundation, The Common Space is giving people of all ages a whole new insight into the Island’s hidden ecology.

The MicroEye was unveiled for the first time during the Discovery Bay event held at Dinosaur Isle to coincide with British Science Week. The event featured a pop-up laboratory and featured over a 120 million years of natural history, with everything from dinosaur fossils to aquariums busy with modern day pond-life, run by team at The Common Space, Arc, Artecology, the National Poo Museum and hosted by Dinosaur Isle. Around 150 people of all ages, Island residents and visitors attended.

Claire Hector of Arc and The Common Space said: “This is the first of our nature and science events this year and the first outing for our amazing new microscope.  We were really happy to see how successful the MicroEye was in bringing the weird and wonderful natural treasures to the attention of visitors.

“Everything from seahorses and moth wings to soil and living moss gardens were all super-sized to widescreen, helping to transform how we see and think about everyday wildlife.”

Island Roads structures project manager Joanne Saunders, who supported The Common Space through their application for IW Foundation grant funding, also attended the Discovery Bay event.

“It was great to see the grant money being put to such good use inspiring young children and families to take a real interest in the natural world around them.”