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Unveiling the Invisible: The Power and Potential of Microscopes

Unveiling the Invisible: The Power and Potential of Microscopes

The etymology of the word microscope is that it is derived from two languages. The first being the Latin word, “microscopian”, and the second being the Greek words derived from that, “mikros” (small) and “skopein” (to look at). The first ever “microscopian” was a light microscope which was discovered by the Dutch spectacle maker, Zacharias Jasssan in the 1600s. Centuries later the first transmission electron microscope allowing scientists to see in detail, was founded in 1931 by a physicist and an electrical engineer. Later, the first scanning electron microscope, allowing us to see small specimens in 3D, was made in the 1940s.


There are 3 types of microscopes, the light microscope, the transmission electron microscope and the scanning electron microscope. To begin, let us discover the main difference between the light and electron microscopes, which is the cost of light microscopes being cheaper. The electron microscopes are expensive because of the complex and highly technical machinery needed for electron microscopes to have extremely high magnification. Light microscopes are portable, allowing schools and people to easily use them, however electron microscopes are larger because of the multiple equipment compiled to make it, from the zinc protective screen, to the cathode, anode, specimen chamber, objective lens and condenser magnet.  Light microscopes, as described by the name, require light, whereas electron microscopes require electrons. The electrons help to increase the resolution and the magnification of a specimen. 



There are two types of electron microscopes, the scanning electron microscope and the transmitting electron microscope, both providing scientists with images of high magnification. Yet they produce different images.

Scanning electron microscopes basically creates an image by scattering electrons. This is done by an electron beam focused, using an electromagnetic lens on a sample, and knocking off electrons in a focused area. The interactions between the electron beam, sample and the backscattering electrons help create a magnified image. Scanning electron microscopes are 3D because of the electron beam scattering. 


Transmitting electron microscopes create an image by a beam of electrons going through a specimen. When the electrons penetrate through the ultrathin sample, they are absorbed. The 2D image of a high resolution sample is caused by the ability of the electrons to be absorbed by the sample.


Light Microscopes, despite being unable to have a magnification of 2,000,000 and more, still has its benefits in daily life. Light microscopes' main use is that they are used in hospitals globally to help diagnose illnesses; perhaps by blood samples which allows pathologists to see viruses and parasites attacking red blood cells. Light microscopes are also used in forensics to discover evidence of hairs, fibres, fragments and fingerprints left by victims at a crime scene. 


Scanning electrons' ability to have a magnification of up to several million times which allows you to view molecules, viruses and nano-particples. Scanning electron microscopes, unlike other microscopes, helps to magnify viruses and helps scientists to create cures and vaccines for infectious diseases. They are also used to help discover nanotubes and nanofibers. Scanning electron microscopes are also used in microscope production, designing low cost microchips. They are also used in forensic investigations for analysis of gunshot residue, jewellery examination and handwriting examination. SEM helps in biological science where it is used to measure the effect of climate change on a species, discover new species and work in the field of genetics. They are used in solid and rock sampling, for identification of tools and ancient artefacts or soil measurement for farming and agriculture. In medical science they help identify new diseases. 


Transmission electron microscopes help view thin specimens like tissue sections and molecules (because electrons can pass through generating a projection image). Interior of cells can be discovered with a TEM. Organization of molecules in viruses can be seen, as well as the arrangement of protein molecules in cell membranes 


All in all, electron microscopes have higher magnification allowing scientists to see thing in detail…. But a very high cost. 

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