Random, Unintelligible Information About Microscopy

       The first microscope was constructed in 1590 by two Dutch dudes who specialized in eyeglasses.  Hans and Zacharias(The most kick ass name in the world) Janssen.

My mother loved me.

  Well, besides that there isn’t much else to say about them. A Dutch scientist by the name of Anton van Leeuwenhock (…those Dutch and their names) has been given more credit because by 1675 he had constructed more than 200 microscopes  with magnifications as high as 200 X. He examined water from a ditch and described a world of microscopic organisms as “animalcules.” He also discovered human spermatozoa.

Umm…so….

TYPES OF MICROSCOPES:

Light Microscopes - specimen is illuminated with rays of visible light. Both living and non-living specimen  can be viewed.   

             Compound Microscope – magnification typically from 40 X to 1000 X; image is inverted

            Stereomicroscope (aka dissecting microscope)- magnifications usually from 10.5 X to 35 X ; image not inverted

Electron Microscopes – specimen is irradiated with a concentrated bean of electrons. Only killed specimen can be viewed and a photograph or computer image is viewed rather than actual specimen.

             Transmission Electron Microscope – Specimen is irradiated with a concentrated beam of electrons; magnifications of 10,000 X to 200,000 X and over 1,000,000 X by enlargement of photographs.

             Scanning Electron Microscope – specimen is irradiated with a concentrated beam of electrons that is moved over the surface of the specimen causing secondary electrons to be emitted from specimen which produces a 3 dimensional view.

Well, thats all for microscopy in general..If you want to know more than the crap I just fed you Im pretty sure theres an overdone Wikipedia page somewhere. Im actually about to begin writing an actual article about Nikon microscopes..so if you care, STAY TUNED!