The usefulness of the microscope is due to the fact that through the rays of light, the lenses and the viewers that compose it, they allow the image to be enlarged, allowing the analyzer to observe their structure, size and their behavior, in the case of cells, viruses or bacteria.
The first microscopes were made in the 1300s. But it wasn’t until 1595 that father and son Hans and Zacharias Jansen created the first simple and compound microscopes, consisting of one and two lenses. The first discoveries with this tool were those of the cell, a term coined by Robert Hooke in 1665. While in 1921, Dr. Carl Nylen was given monocular use of the microscope.
The microscope has enabled the discovery of atoms, cells, molecules and micro-organisms, which has helped human beings to better understand our environment and its composition. You can know the parts of the microscope from here.
This device invented in Europe, like the telescope and the telescope, uses lenses with which it is possible to enlarge the image. In the 18th century, mechanical advances in the microscope were significant, which made it easier to use. But it was not until 1877, when Ernst Abbe unveiled his theory on the microscope, which meant one of the greatest breakthroughs for this instrument.
Uses of the microscope
- It gets exact results in the compound of an organism.
- Microorganisms can be observed and analyzed to determine effects on human health.
- He seeks an explanation for the pathogens he studies, what causes them, and how the effects can be reversed.
- It determines whether or not cells in the human body are cancerous.
- Observe the ailments that afflict the red blood cells.
- Thanks to the microscope, substances have been developed to fight diseases.
- In forensic science, the microscope has been used to collect evidence of crimes.
- Finds found at crime scenes are analyzed under the lens of a microscope.
- For corneal operations, the microscope ensures precise saturation.
- In otolaryngology procedures, it is necessary to work with a microscope.
- In implants and reconstructions of certain parts of the body such as the jaw, head, mouth and fingers, it is used to ensure that the tissues are placed in their position.
- Microscopes are also used to examine the cause of death of a living thing.
- Anthropology is another of the fields that has benefited from the characteristics of the microscope by making it possible to explore time, habits, characteristics and diseases.
Importance of the microscope
The microscope, whether simple or compound, represents an advance for humanity, since, since its creation, it has made it possible to advance biological, chemical, medical, anthropological research, among others. Each of them has opened a window of possibilities in the discovery of new organisms and in the behavior of diseases, which serves to create cures for them.
Types of microscopes
Depending on the position and number of lenses, microscopes can be simple or compound. Each of them comes in different shapes and colors, but their function remains the same.
simple microscope
It is also known as magnifying glass. It is simple because in its composition it has only one lens. The magnifying glass provides magnification on objects up to 10% in size. It is important that people who use this type of microscope take care to use it in very hot temperatures, as this could damage eyesight.
Compound microscope
The microscope is complete because its composition includes two or more lenses or lens systems. One of these lenses is located in the eye of the observer, which is called the eyepiece, and a second lens near the observed object, this lens is called the objective. This type of microscope has the particularity that the observer can control the distance or the proximity of the objective.