History of Microscopes
Earliest Microscopes
Dutch spectacle maker Zacharias Janessen (1585) is creditted with making one of the earliest versions of a compound microscope around 1600. It could magnify 20-30x the normal size. In the 1660s, another Dutchman, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek made microscopes by grinding his own lenses that could magnify an object by up to 200 times. Leeuwenhoek observed animal and plant tissue, along with many things that had never been observed on a microscopic scale. Later, Robert Hooke would also make remarkable discoveries with a microscope by looking at thin slices of cork, and coined the term "cell".
Development of Microscopes
Prior to 1830, many scientist were weary of using microscopes as they weren't confident in what they were seeing due to two major issues: image blurring (spherical aberration) and colour separation (chromatic aberration). In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister and William Tulley developed a microscope that addressed both of those issues causing the usage of microscopes within the medical field to skyrocket.
Microscope in the Laboratory
Microscopes pushed forward cell theory being researched and scientist to start thinking microscopically. Rudolf Virchow, (1821-1902) developed stains to further push science, and lead scientist to distingush things they saw under the microscopes.
Development of Microscopes
In the 20th century, advancements like the electron microscope enhanced magnification and provided fresh insights into the body and diseases, enabling scientists to observe organisms like viruses for the first time. Eventually, technology would advance so much that we have digital versions of microscopes that allow people to view what is occuring on a screen versus the ocular lenses.
