Micropedia

geckotoe

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Geckos are small to average sized lizards belonging to the family Gekkonidae, found in warm climates throughout the world. Geckos are unique among lizards in their vocalizations, making chirping sounds in social interactions with other geckos. Gekkonidae is the largest family of lizards, with an estimated 2,000 different species worldwide and many others likely yet to be discovered. The name stems from the Indonesian/Javanese word Tokek, inspired by the sound these animals make.

volvox

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Volvox are spherical colonies of green cells situated in a hollow ball of mucilage. Each cell has a tail, or flagella, and these tails will all move in unison to propel the entire colony through water. These colonies will often show daughter cells in various stages of development. Sometimes colonies will be found to have granddaughter cells.

desmids

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Desmids are an order (Desmidiales) of green algae,[1] comprising around 40 genera and 5,000[2] to 6,000[3] species, found mostly but not exclusively in fresh water

hookworm

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

The hookworm is a parasitic nematode that lives in the small intestine of its host, which may be a mammal such as a dog, cat, or human. Two species of hookworms commonly infect humans, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus.

integrated_circuit

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

In electronics, an integrated circuit (also known as IC, chip, or microchip) is a miniaturized electronic circuit (consisting mainly of semiconductor devices, as well as passive components) that has been manufactured in the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material. Integrated circuits are used in almost all electronic equipment in use today and have revolutionized the world of electronics.

stromatolite2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

This piece of a greater stromatolite formation is about the size of your fist. This face shows a cross-section through several of the rock’s layers. The layers are due to the sedimentation of minerals generated by cyanobacterial mats that used to be prevalent before larger animals evolved and began eating them. Modern day bacterial mats can still be found in some areas that are inhospitable to animal life.

tick

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Tick is the common name for the small arachnids in superfamily Ixodoidea that, along with other mites, constitute the Acarina. Ticks are ectoparasites (external parasites), living by hematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles and amphibians.

tardigrade_sagittal_view

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Tardigrades (commonly known as water bears or moss piglets)[2] form the phylum Tardigrada, part of the superphylum Ecdysozoa. They are microscopic, water-dwelling, segmented animals with eight legs.

beetle

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Beetles are insects of the order Coleoptera, which contains more species than any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about 25% of all known life-forms. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates.

xyloplax_dorsal_view

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Xyloplax is a monotypic genus within the Concentricycloidea, an infraclass within the Asteroidea. Details of this new species are to be published in the May 2006 issue of Invertebrate Biology by Chris Mah, a scientist specialized in deep-sea starfishes. The dorsal (top) view shows the hard spines partially exposed where the softer flesh has come off during processing.

microbial_mat_4

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Microbial Mats are of interest to scientists because they are representatives of the oldest life on Earth. These thick layers of microbes would grow almost anywhere on Earth, but the evolution of plants started a competition for resources and as animals appeared they consumed the mats as food. With the proliferation of plants and animals now, the best place to find naturally occurring microbial mats are environments so extreme that plants and animals aren’t around. Billions of years ago, microbial mats produced stromatolites, our oldest records of life on Earth. Be sure to check out our stromatolite samples as well. (Credit: NASA) Read more about these mats at the NASA website.

moss_sporophyte

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Sporophyte moss is when the plant cells are diploid, meaning there is a double portion of chromosomes in their cells. Sporophyte moss produces spores by meiosis, and then these spores develop into gametophytes. In general, mosses are non-vascular plants and are distinguished by their multi-cellular rhizoids. These rhizoids are root-like structures that anchor the plant to the ground.

star_fish_arm_dorsal_view

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Starfish commonly have a spiny skin with tiny bone-like plates. On the surface of the dorsal view of a starfish arm, there are tiny arms with pincers called ‘pedicellaria’. These act in cleaning off debris and they also work with the spines that are sticking out to keep most predators at bay.

human_aorta

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

The aorta is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it branches off into two smaller arteries (the common iliacs). The aorta distributes oxygenated blood to all parts of the body through the systemic circulation.

nasa_heat_tile

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

This specimen is a small portion of a foam heat protection tile from one of the space shuttle orbiters. Sample was provided by the NASA Kennedy Space Center.

sap_beetle

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

The sap beetles are a family (Nitidulidae) of beetles. They are small (2–6 mm) ovoid, usually dull-coloured beetles, with knobbed antennae. Some have red or yellow spots or bands. They feed mainly on decaying vegetable matter, over-ripe fruit, and sap. There are a few pest species.

spirogyra

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Spirogyra is a filamentous algae found in nutrient-rich, warm waters, such as ditches and dune pools. It begins life underwater, but often rises to the surface as green patches buoyed by the bubbles of oxygen it produces.

moss_capsule

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm (0.4–4 in) tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations.

penicillium

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Penicillium (from Latin penicillus: paintbrush) is a genus of ascomycetous fungi of major importance in the natural environment as well as food and drug production. It produces penicillin, a molecule that is used as an antibiotic, which kills or stops the growth of certain kinds of bacteria inside the body.

amoeba

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Amoebae’s most recognizable features include one or more nuclei and a simple contractile vacuole to maintain osmotic equilibrium. Food enveloped by the amoeba is stored and digested in vacuoles.

ascaris

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Ascaris is a genus of parasitic nematode worms known as the “giant intestinal roundworms”. One species, A. suum, typically infects pigs, while another, A. lumbricoides, affects human populations, typically in sub-tropical and tropical areas with poor sanitation.

dog_esophagus

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

The esophagus (or oesophagus; see spelling differences), sometimes known as the Gullet, is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach.

human_blood

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body’s cells (in animals) – such as nutrients and oxygen – and transports waste products away from those same cells.

voltage_regulator

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

A voltage regulator is an electrical regulator designed to automatically maintain a constant voltage level. A voltage regulator is an example of a negative feedback control loop. It may use an electromechanical mechanism, or electronic components. Depending on the design, it may be used to regulate one or more AC or DC voltages.

colloidal_crystals

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

A colloidal crystal is an ordered array of colloid particles, analogous to a standard crystal whose repeating subunits are atoms or molecules. A natural example of this phenomenon can be found in the gem opal, where spheres of silica assume a close-packed locally periodic structure under moderate compression.

meteorite2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth’s surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids.

algae

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. The largest and most complex marine forms are called seaweeds. They are photosynthetic like plants, and “simple” because their tissues are not organized into the many distinct organs found in land plants.

dog_spleen

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock while also recycling iron.

ascaris2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

pyrite2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

In additional to small bumps, this sample has larger scale irregularly shaped patterns. The pyrite crystal may contain larger amount of mineral elements other than iron and sulfur. Those impurities are less resistant to oxidization and corrosion from environment, and therefore form larger scale patterns.

water_beetle

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

A water beetle is a beetle adapted to living in water. Water beetles rise to the water surface and take atmospheric air into their tracheal systems. There are approximately 2000 species of water beetles. The rest marine species tend to live in the intertidal zone. Water beetles are black, brown, or greenish and .08 to 1.57 inches long.

moss_antheridial_head

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

In ferns the antherdia is part of the reproductive system. The gametophytes or thallus, produce both motile sperm in the antheridia and egg cells in separate archegonia.

beetle_electron_microscope

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

human_kidney_stone

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Kidney stones (ureterolithiasis) result from stones or renal calculi (from Latin ren, renes, “kidney” and calculi, “pebbles”) in the ureter. The stones are solid concretions or calculi (crystal aggregations) formed in the kidneys from dissolved urinary minerals.

meteorite_nwa_1929

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Howardite: Found in the Sahara desert of North Africa. This meteorite is a breccia (rock composed of fragments of other rocks) of two types of asteroid magma from a differentiated asteroid. The likely source is the large basaltic asteroid Vesta.

ceramic_cup

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Ceramic is an inorganic, non-metallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous (e.g., a glass). Because most common ceramics are crystalline, the definition of ceramic is often restricted to inorganic crystalline materials, as opposed to the non-crystalline glasses.

digital_light_processing_chip

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

The DLP chip is perhaps the world’s most sophisticated light switch. It contains a rectangular array of up to 2 million hinge-mounted microscopic mirrors; each of these micromirrors measures less than one-fifth the width of a human hair. When a DLP chip is coordinated with a digital video or graphic signal, a light source, and a projection lens, its mirrors can reflect a digital image onto a screen or other surface. The DLP chip combined with the advanced electronics that surround it produce stunning images and video that have redefined picture quality.

euglena

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Euglena is a genus of unicellular protists, of the class Euglenoidea of the phylum Euglenozoa (also known as Euglenophyta). They are single-celled organisms.

rhizopus2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

A Rhizopus is a filamentous fungus found in soil, decaying fruit and vegetables, animal feces, and old bread. It is the cause of some serious, and often fatal, infections in humans and animals. They reproduce by sporulation, or the production of spores.

rhizopus

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

meteorite_nwa_2086

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

A carbonaceous chondrite (CV3): Found November 2003 in the Sahara desert of North Africa. This type is the most primitive of chondrites, having undergone the least amount of mixing and remelting since the formation of the solar system. Allende shows large chondrules and a fine grain silicate structure. Some of the large chondrules are made up of grains that are the oldest solid materials in the solar system. This meteorite has yielded abundant information concerning the conditions prevailing when our solar system was forming.

geckotoe2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

silicon_etching_coin

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

This piece of silicon wafer has been etched in the micro-image of a Nickel. It demonstrates the precision of computer control over Focussed Ion Beam (FIB) etching. A FIB accelerates and directs a stream of Gallium (Ga) ions which impact the sample, removing material at the nanometer scale. The pattern for this etching came from an image of the nickel downloaded from the US Mint website. The sample’s images were obtained on an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) which physically tapped the surface of the silicon wafer with a microscopic probe to determine its height at every point, essentially recreating the image used as the pattern for the FIB.

dog_liver

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion.

yeast

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Saccharomycetes is a class in the kingdom of fungi, and includes budding yeasts. These sugar-eating yeasts are of great importance to industry, and are central in the production of ethyl alcohol and many bread products.

star_fish_arm_ventral

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Starfish arms have tube feet on the ventral face, which belong to a hydraulic water vascular system. This system aids the starfish in movement and feeding.

microbial_mat

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:10 +0000

accelerometer2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

An accelerometer is a device that measures the proper acceleration of the device. This is not necessarily the same as the coordinate acceleration (change of velocity of the device in space), but is rather the type of acceleration associated with the phenomenon of weight experienced by a test mass that resides in the frame of reference of the accelerometer device. An accelerometer thus measures weight per unit of (test) mass, a quantity also known as specific force, or g-force.

gametophyte_moss2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Gametophyte moss is when the plant cells are haploid, meaning there is a single portion of chromosomes in their cells. Gametophyte moss produces male or female gametes by the process of mitosis. When a female and male gamete fuse together, a zygote is produced which develops into a sporophyte. In general, mosses are non-vascular plants and are distinguished by their multi-cellular rhizoids. These rhizoids are root-like structures that anchor the plant to the ground.

house_fly_2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

The housefly , Musca domestica, is the most common of all domestic flies, accounting for about 90% of all flies in human habitations, and indeed one of the most widely distributed insects, found all over the world.

algae2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

house_fly_1

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

meteorite_nwa_869

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

An ordinary chondrite (L5): Found 2001 in the Sahara desert of North Africa. Ordinary chondrites are the most common type of meteorite fall or find. They are largely composed of common minerals olivine and pyroxene and have about 1/4 free iron. The ‘chondrules’ are round b-b like formations that are thought to have formed directly from the gasses of the solar nebula. These cosmic b-b’s dominate the appearance of ordinary chondrites and are the original building blocks of the terrestrial planets.

charge_coupled_device_chip

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

A charge-coupled device (CCD) is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. Often the device is integrated with an image sensor, such as a photoelectric device to produce the charge that is being read, thus making the CCD a major technology for digital imaging.

lunar_dust_25um

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Lunar soil is the fine regolith found on the surface of the Moon. Its properties can differ significantly from those of terrestrial soil. It is essentially devoid of moisture and air, two important components found in soil on Earth.

blood

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

monkey_larynx

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

The larynx (plural larynges), commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the neck of mammals (including humans) involved in protecting the trachea and sound production. It manipulates pitch and volume. The larynx houses the vocal folds, which are an essential component of phonation. The vocal folds are situated just below where the tract of the pharynx splits into the trachea and the esophagus.

tardigrade_sagittal_view2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Tardigrades (commonly known as water bears or moss piglets)[2] form the phylum Tardigrada, part of the superphylum Ecdysozoa. They are microscopic, water-dwelling, segmented animals with eight legs.

tardigrade_dorsal_view2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Tardigrades (commonly known as water bears or moss piglets)[2] form the phylum Tardigrada, part of the superphylum Ecdysozoa. They are microscopic, water-dwelling, segmented animals with eight legs.

microbial_mat_3

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

lunar_dust_100um

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

xyloplax_ventral_view

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Xyloplax is a monotypic genus within the Concentricycloidea, an infraclass within the Asteroidea. Details of this new species are to be published in the May 2006 issue of Invertebrate Biology by Chris Mah, a scientist specialized in deep-sea starfishes. The ventral (bottom) view shows the tube feet that may be found around the edges of the disc-shaped animal. The patchwork pattern in the middle is due to charging–an undesirable phenomenon that was unavoidable with this particular sample.

pyrite

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

This piece of natural pyrite crystal from the Grand Teton National Park gift shop was broken to expose a fresh, clean cleavage for AFM imaging. The little bumps are iron compounds that have not been fully sulfidized. After being exposed to oxygen in the air, iron oxidized and formed little bumps because of volume increase. The long, smooth strip across the sample surface indicates a fully sulfidized layer of iron sulfide which had better cleavage quality (fewer defects) due to the lack of impurities.

martian_soil

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Martian soil is the fine regolith found on the surface of Mars. Its properties can differ significantly from those of terrestrial soil.

lichen

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic association of a fungus (the mycobiont) with a photosynthetic partner (the photobiont or phycobiont), usually either a green alga (commonly Trebouxia) or cyanobacterium (commonly Nostoc).

silicon_etching_spikes

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

The square array of spikes have been fabricated on single crystal silicon chips by a method called photolithography. This is the same popular technique to manufacture computer integrated circuits. Ultraviolet (UV) light with desired patterns is projected onto silicon wafers coated with some light sensitive liquid known as photo resist (PR). PR unexposed to UV light remains liquid and is later washed away leaving silicon exposed. PR exposed to UV light cures into solid protection layer on top of silicon wafers. The cured PR layer protects silicon from being removed by later chemical etching. Hence the UV light patterns are transferred onto silicon wafers.

accelerometer

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

diatoms

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Diatoms are a major group of algae, and are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Most diatoms are unicellular, although they can exist as colonies in the shape of filaments or ribbons (e.g. Fragillaria), fans (e.g. Meridion), zigzags (e.g. Tabellaria), or stellate colonies (e.g. Asterionella).

sand

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Sand on ocean beaches is frequently a mixture of weathered rock and crushed sea shells. In the second sample to feature X-ray data from our Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) detector you can clearly identify sand grains from silicon rich igneous rock and calcium based sea shells. Also of interest are the crystals of salt (Na and Cl) from the ocean water. The carbon paint used to stabilize the sand is also identifiable as well as a small area where the aluminum holder below the paint is visible.

kidney

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

The kidneys are organs with several functions. They are seen in many types of animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are an essential part of the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid-base balance, and regulation of blood pressure.

dog_jejunum

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

The jejunum is the middle section of the small intestine in most higher vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. In fish, the divisions of the small intestine are not as clear and the terms middle intestine or mid-gut may be used instead of jejunum.

firefly

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

There are 2,000 species of firefly found in temperate and tropical environments. Many are in marshes or in wet, wooded areas where their larvae have abundant sources of food. These larvae emit light and are often called “glowworms”, in particular, in Eurasia. In the Americas, “glow worm” also refers to the related Phengodidae. Fireflies produce a “cold light”, with no infrared or ultraviolet frequencies.

gametophyte_moss

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

geckotoe3

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

meteorite

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

house_fly

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

pyrite3

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

This sample has the highest quality iron sulfide. Generally the sample is pure showing steps of crystal layers and regular crack lines between grain boundaries. There are still small bumps of iron compounds like those dominating the two previous samples. Also, there are several large, kidney-shaped patterns indicating other impurities. This sample may have been under high temperature for a longer time underground, allowing those impurities to migrate together to form a larger clot.

stromatolite

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

silicon_etching_checkerboard

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

The checkerboard pattern has been fabricated on single crystal silicon chips by a method called photolithography. This is the same popular technique to manufacture computer integrated circuits. Ultraviolet (UV) light with desired patterns is projected onto silicon wafers coated with some light sensitive liquid known as photo resist (PR). PR unexposed to UV light remains liquid and is later washed away leaving silicon exposed. PR exposed to UV light cures into solid protection layer on top of silicon wafers. The cured PR layer protects silicon from being removed by later chemical etching. Hence the UV light patterns are transferred onto silicon wafers.

chinchilla_cerebellum

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Chinchillas are crepuscular rodents, slightly larger and more robust than ground squirrels, and are native to the Andes mountains in South America. Along with their relatives, viscachas, they comprise the family Chinchillidae.

moss_leaf

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

Liverworts and mosses are very similar, and the ways to tell the two apart are to look at their slightly different leaves. Moss leaves are of equal size, spirally arranged, and are not lobed. They are usually in more than three rows around the stem. Liverworts and mosses are very similar, and the ways to tell the two apart are to look at their slightly different leaves. These leaves are simple, with usually a single layer of photosynthetic cells.

flower

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:52:09 +0000

In addition to facilitating the reproduction of flowering plants, flowers have long been admired and used by humans to beautify their environment but also as objects of romance, ritual, religion, medicine and as a source of food.

moss_antheridial_head2

admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 09:44:20 +0000

An Antheridial head is the male sex component of gametophyte mosses. Mosses produce these small sex structures at regular intervals depending on the species and weather conditions. Water is needed to transport sperm from the antheridial head to the female counterpart called the archegonium. Once there, fertilization takes place and a zygote is produced making a sporophyte moss.