The History of the Microscope

A biological tool which can be used to view objects that can’t be seen with the naked eye.

What is a microscope?!

Objects such as…CellsTissueMicroscopic Organisms

Blood Cells

Amoeba

Mosquito

First visionary aid was invented.

Known as a Reading Stone

What do we call these today?

1000 AD

Janssen and Janssen first experimented with multiple lenses in a tube◦ (First Compound Microscope)

1590

Compound Microscope Today

Robert Hooke viewed cork under his microscope.◦ Called them Cells

1665 (The Discovery of the “Cell”)

Anton Van Leeuwenhoek◦ “Father of Microbiology”◦ Created Simple Microscope to view blood, yeast,

and insects.◦ Invented knew methods in lens creation

Magnification up to 270 diameters

1674 (The Father of Microbiology)

Improvements were made to increase magnification and viewing capabilities

1830 - Jackson reduces the spherical abberations on lenses◦ Reduced Image Blur

1903 – Zsigmondy develops ultramicroscope◦ Allowed scientists to view objects smaller than wavelength of light (Noble Prize 1925)

1700-1930’s

Invented by Ernst Rusk◦ Uses electrons rather than light◦ Allows for the viewing of objects as

small as the diameter of an atom.◦ Won Ernst Noble Prize in 1953

1931 (Electron Microscope)

Rusk’s Electron Microscope (1930’s)

Electron Microscope

Today

Invented by Binning and Rohrer◦ Allows for 3D magnification◦ Total Magnification 100,000,000X

Atomic Level Birth of Nanoscience

◦ Won Noble Prize 1986

1981 (Scanning Tunneling Microscope)

Silicon Atoms

Surface of a piece

of gold

Binning and Rohrer with their STM

In Class◦ Compound Light Microscope◦ Stereo Microscope

HRTEM (High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope)◦ Worlds “Best” Microscope

For Scientific Use Total Mag = 47,000,000X

AFM (Atomic Force Microscope)◦ Worlds Most Powerful Microscope

Allows scientists to view individual atoms Total Mag = >100,000,000X

Today

High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope

Compound Microscope

Atomic Force Microscope

Stereo Microscope