Used as an instrument to enlarge small objects, microscopes, or versions of them, have been used for
thousands of years. In fact, there’s evidence dating back 4,000 years to
objects resembling current day lenses.
Here at Waveroom Plus, we
provide state-of-art technology to our customers. However, we love knowing the history behind
these products! Here are some fun facts
about the microscope that you may, or may not, have known.
·
In 700 BCE the “Nimrud lens,” or rock
crystal with a convex shape is believed to have been used as a magnifying lens.
·
During the year of 167 BCE, there is record of
the Chinese culture utilizing the first simple microscope technology. The microscope was made of a lens and a
water-filled tube.
·
The 13th century brought an increase
to the use of eyeglasses, basically a single lens magnifier for individuals.
·
Hans Martens and Zacharias Janssen invented the
compound microscope in 1590.
·
However, it was not until 1619 that Willem
Boreel recorded the description of the invention.
·
In 1624 Galileo improved the microscope and
presented it to Prince Federico Cesi.
·
1625 brought forth the first recorded
observations under the compound microscope.
·
1625 also brought forth the official term
“microscope” for the invention.
·
In 1674, Anton van Leeuwenhoek improved on a
simple microscope for viewing biological specimens.
·
After a lull of excitement, in 1825, Joseph
Jackson Lister developed combined lenses.
·
In 1846 microscopes began
to be mass-produced.
·
The first practical binocular microscope was
created sometime during the 1850s at Tulane University.
·
In 1863 further advancements were made with the
invention of the metallurgical microscope to observe the structure of
meteorites.
·
1931 brought about the invention of the first
electron microscope.
·
1936 brought about the invention of the first
field emission microscope.
·
1951 gave us the field ion microscope, which was
the first to see atoms.
·
1953 pushed new limits with the invention of the
phase-contrast microscope
·
In 1957, Marvin Minsky of MIT invented the
confocal microscope, a predecessor to today’s confocal laser scanning
microscope.
·
In 1967 Erwin Muller added time-of-flight,
making the first atom probe that allowed the chemical identification of
individual atoms.
·
1981 brought us the scanning tunneling
microscope.
·
1986 gave the world the Atomic force microscope.
·
Lastly, in 1991, the Kelvin probe force
microscope was invented.
Even though technology is continuously evolving,
we thought we’d stop here. For all of
your microscope and magnifier needs, visit Waveroom Plus. Providing our customers with a variety of
products for the electronics manufacturing industry since 1990, we pride
ourselves on customer satisfaction. For
more information on the variety of solutions, we can provide your business, give
our team a call at 603.437.4651.
