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Sep 1, 1500
Flea Glasses
After the invention of eyeglasses, which were the first step towards enhancing the visibility of objects, the next step in the progression of the microscope was taken in the 1500s when the first arrangement of two lenses was created to enhance the magnification of an object. -
Compound Microscope
Dutch spectacle makers Zaccaria and Hans Janssen lined up two lenses in a tube to create the first true compound microscope. This simple configuration is still in place as the fundamental architecture of today’s compound microscope. This type of microscope works by bending light rays from one lens to another, enlarging an object multiple times. -
Single Lens Microscope
Anton van Leeuwenhoek was the first to put the microscope to scientific use. His invention used an extreme curvature of one simple lens to magnify specimens up to 279 times. Because of this practical use, Van Leeuwenhoek became the true father of microscopy. His observations and experiments led to use of this microscope for studies of entomology for centuries to come. -
The Electron Microscope
As the use of microscopes increased and it became a more common tool in the field, advancements in its development increased as well.By the 1900s, scientists wanted more. They wanted to view smaller components that could not be seen by the compound microscope. By this time, the art of photography had been invented and the use of electrons to produce an image had been discovered. -
The Microscope Today
In today’s scientific world, the light microscope is still often used in the life sciences where living biology is observed. New histology advancements, stains, video, and dyes used to enhance the visibility of specimens are constantly evolving to improve the value of the light microscope and bridge the gap between the power of this instrument to view living specimens and the superior magnification abilities of the electron microscope.