Imagine being tasked with counting every blade of grass in a field, noting every single species as you go. This is not far from the challenge many scientists face when analysing microscopic samples packed with thousands of tiny particles.

Imaging flow cytometry (IFC) solves this by guiding particles single-file past a camera and lasers, capturing detailed images of tens of thousands per second. It records the particles’ size, shape and optical properties, turning what was once painstaking manual work into automated analysis.

IFC has become a staple of biomedical research, with scientists using it to study blood viruses or classify tumour cells. It’s also increasingly used in environmental science – for example, to monitor water quality and detect microplastics.

Now, we’re using this medical tech on ancient mud, peat and lake sediments. It may help us identify exactly when ancient climate tipping points were crossed.

To predict future climate change, we need to understand how things changed in the past. To do this, scientists use natural archives such as sediment........

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