Introduction
A magnified image of a small item is created by a microscope instrument, giving the observer an extremely close-up view of tiny elements at a scale suitable for investigation and analysis. Through, at minimum, a single lens in the microscope, an object’s appearance is enlarged. By bending light in the direction of the eye, this lens gives the illusion that a thing is bigger than it physically is. Even at the cellular stage, various microscopes can be employed to study an object, enabling researchers to view a cell’s form and its nucleus, mitochondria, and other components. This paper analyses the innovation of the microscope, its use in understanding the natural world, the instrument’s development, advantages and disadvantages, and its impact on the environment.
Research Question
How has the invention of the microscope advanced human understanding of nature?
Use of Microscope in Understanding the Natural World
The intricacy and beauty of the world in which humans live go far beyond what the average person can observe unaided. Numerous details can be discovered on the microscopic scale, ranging from the anatomy of plants and animals through proteins and cells and even down to the level of individual atoms. Scientists would not be able to understand the genesis of cells, how organisms breathe, and how rocks transform through time without microscopes. Every living organism, from microbes to humans, has a structure and function that may be understood in terms of cells (Kondrashov). Scientists view cells as the tiniest unit of life because they contain the biological machinery that creates the chemicals, proteins, and signals necessary for every bodily function.
The Development of the Microscope
Early scientists used this ground-breaking technology to investigate their semen and the microscopic world of bacteria. Although it is unclear who created the first microscope, Zacharias Janssen, a Dutch spectacle craftsman, is attributed to creating one of the initial compound microscopes in the early 1600s (Zhnag and Gross 136). The early microscopes had a 20–30 fold or greater magnification power. Scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek created the first microscopes in the 1660s by grinding lenses; the device had just one lens and was more similar to magnifying spectacles ((Zhnag and Gross 139). Multiple lenses are used in modern microscopes to magnify a picture, such as compound microscopes. Scientists have gained a greater understanding of the human body and disease thanks to the creation of the microscope.
Advantages of Using the Microscope
In the discipline of microscopy, mobile optical illumination microscopes are frequently used instruments. The microscope is simple because it requires little training and experience and is uncomplicated. The microscope is also lightweight and portable, making it simple to move. These instruments may be set up in the field with the least expense and effort (Kondrashov). This renders them particularly suitable for field research, such as setting up mobile research laboratories in areas of disease outbreaks. Since they are typically compact, microscopes hardly take up a lot of room in the lab.
Disadvantages of Using Microscope
Despite the numerous advantages of using the microscope, there are some limitations to employing the instrument in scientific work. Although examining some subcellular structures with a light microscope is excellent, the resolution remains slightly poor. Structures that are fewer than half the wavelengths of light apart in the lateral direction are the only ones that can be observed (Kondrashov). While stereo microscopy can deduce three-dimensional shapes from the depth seen, portable microscopes cannot provide detailed information on the 3D structure (Kondrashov). Portable light microscopes need to be used under specific circumstances. Among the situations where it is almost difficult to run, one is in the dark.
Impact of Using a Microscope
Microscopy has an impact on almost every element of daily life for people. Jobs for persons with specialized and non-specialized skill sets have been established due to the establishment of industries and laboratories to construct and house these devices (Bangert 27). Additionally, their activities enable citizens to carry out several tasks, like recognizing harmful viruses and diseases and figuring out what cancerous cells look like. With the development of technology, people may now use microscopes to view viruses, electrons, proteins, cells, and other small objects (Bangert 30). Field biologists use the microscope to study a particular ecosystem, like a marine one, by counting the kinds and numbers of organisms present in specimens from the environment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the microscope’s innovation has greatly impacted humans’ daily livelihood. Through the advancement of technology, scientists can understand the natural world with the help of the microscope. Small organisms and cells that were not visible through the naked eye can now be studied and observed via a microscope. The innovation is easy to use and set up; therefore, it does not require highly skilled individuals to operate it. Despite technological advancements, the resolution of the microscope remains a challenge. The instrument plays a crucial role in society by creating employment in industries that make them, thus improving the economy.
Works Cited
Bangert, Michell. “Microscopes Meet Additive Manufacturing.” Troy, vol. 57, no. 7, 2018, pp. 25-34.
Kondrashov, D. Intelligent Microscope. Technische Universiteit Eindhoven.
Zhnag, Yueqian, and Herbert Gross. “Systematic Design of Microscope Objectives. Part I: System Review and Analysis.” Journal Advanced Optical Technologies, vol. 8, no. 5, 2019, pp. 134-145.