4 ms·

Mystery of superior Leeuwenhoek microscope solved after 350 years (2018)

97 points by Bud 6y ago

JPLeRouzic 6y ago
I read somewhere that today a 100 times magnification requires a oil objective and very sturdy microscope frame. In Wikipedia they wrote that The single-lens microscopes of van Leeuwenhoek were relatively small devices, the largest being about 5 cm long. They are used by placing the lens very close in front of the eye, while looking in the direction of the sun. So van Leeuwenhoek was able to look in tiny device pointed to the sun and incredibly close to his eye and magnifying up to 275 time or more? Incredible, specially for someone like me who has shaky hands and poor vision!
- projektfu 6y ago
  That would be 10x100 or 1000X. 100X (10x10) is easily achievable with a high objective.
  - analog31 6y ago
    Indeed, a typical research microscope gets magnification from both the objective and the eyepiece. A scope with 100x objective and 10x eyepiece is no longer considered high tech, though not cheap. The oil objectives are still useful, and particularly so when specimens are mounted under cover glass.
nick_kline 6y ago
The interesting summary is they decided after using neutron tomography to scan the "too expensive and fragile to disassemble" microscopes that he was just really great at grinding them. Still uncertain is if he used some unusual variety of glass. I hate teaser titles.
- eru 6y ago
  Agreed. Though at least the article wasn't just all fluff only.
egberts1 6y ago
Probably made other larger lenses for the purpose of assisting the grinding that smallest lens.
- aliswe 6y ago
  I dont think the lenses were that small though. They seem to be at least a couple of millimeters if not more, because the article mentions the lens being mainly concealed inside the contraption.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
credit_guy 6y ago
Since we are at the topic of microscopes, here's the best pocket microscope I know of: Carson MicrcoBrite Plus. It has magnification 60-120x [1]. The same manufacturer makes a few more models. I personally bought this model and 3 others, some of them multiple times (they make for nice presents):20-60x, 60-75x, 60-120x (this one), and 100-250x. I also bought some other pocket microscopes from other manufacturers, Carson leaves them in the dust. And among Carsons, this one is in my opinion the best. I am not affiliated with them in any way, I'm simply a happy customer. Now, I'd like to make the jump to a higher magnification microscope, like 1000x, but they start being expensive, and you can't just use the strategy "buy and throw if you don't like" with them. If anyone from the HN crowd has any recommendations, that would be much appreciated. [1] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LAX52IQ/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LAX52IQ/
- fernly 6y ago
  And under $14.
- 13of40 6y ago
  I had a bit of a breakthrough a couple of years ago playing with a Microsoft USB camera. (Not that it's specific to MS but that's what brand it was.) Anyway, when I took the plastic shell off the outside, the lens was mounted on a threaded base that could be adjusted in and out. With the right adjustments, the camera became a microscope - not enough to see pollen or anything like that, but enough to get a 1080p picture dominated by an ant's face.
- praptak 6y ago
  Microbehunter on YouTube has some decent microscope recommendations.
- Abishek_Muthian 6y ago
  That's a great recommendation, they even seem to ship internationally and seems to be good value for money. Could be used for magnification of tiny electronics as well, Thank you.
- ramraj07 6y ago
jtrip 6y ago
There was this 1977 science fiction book called 'Inherit the Stars' by James Hogan [0] about finding the corpse of 50,000 year old astronaut on the moon. He carried a 'book' that was too fragile to read and to explore with any kind of electromagnetic radiation. They used neutron tomography, like they do here, to 'read' the book. The author predicted something like to emerge by 2027. Neutron tomography has been around for a while [1]. [0] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/776489.Inherit_the_Stars https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/776489.Inherit_the_Stars [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_tomography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_tomography
tauwauwau 6y ago
Just going to leave it here. Leeuwenhoek microscope made an appearance in a Manga Isekai Yakkyoku [Other world pharmacist] https://mangadex.org/chapter/10571/18 https://mangadex.org/chapter/10571/18

97 points by Bud 6y ago

I read somewhere that today a 100 times magnification requires a oil objective and very sturdy microscope frame. In Wikipedia they wrote that The single-lens microscopes of van Leeuwenhoek were relatively small devices, the largest being about 5 cm long. They are used by placing the lens very close in front of the eye, while looking in the direction of the sun. So van Leeuwenhoek was able to look in tiny device pointed to the sun and incredibly close to his eye and magnifying up to 275 time or more? Incredible, specially for someone like me who has shaky hands and poor vision!

projektfu 6y ago
That would be 10x100 or 1000X. 100X (10x10) is easily achievable with a high objective.
- analog31 6y ago
  Indeed, a typical research microscope gets magnification from both the objective and the eyepiece. A scope with 100x objective and 10x eyepiece is no longer considered high tech, though not cheap. The oil objectives are still useful, and particularly so when specimens are mounted under cover glass.

nick_kline 6y ago

The interesting summary is they decided after using neutron tomography to scan the "too expensive and fragile to disassemble" microscopes that he was just really great at grinding them. Still uncertain is if he used some unusual variety of glass. I hate teaser titles.

eru 6y ago
Agreed. Though at least the article wasn't just all fluff only.

egberts1 6y ago

Probably made other larger lenses for the purpose of assisting the grinding that smallest lens.

aliswe 6y ago
I dont think the lenses were that small though. They seem to be at least a couple of millimeters if not more, because the article mentions the lens being mainly concealed inside the contraption.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

credit_guy 6y ago

Since we are at the topic of microscopes, here's the best pocket microscope I know of: Carson MicrcoBrite Plus. It has magnification 60-120x [1]. The same manufacturer makes a few more models. I personally bought this model and 3 others, some of them multiple times (they make for nice presents):20-60x, 60-75x, 60-120x (this one), and 100-250x. I also bought some other pocket microscopes from other manufacturers, Carson leaves them in the dust. And among Carsons, this one is in my opinion the best. I am not affiliated with them in any way, I'm simply a happy customer. Now, I'd like to make the jump to a higher magnification microscope, like 1000x, but they start being expensive, and you can't just use the strategy "buy and throw if you don't like" with them. If anyone from the HN crowd has any recommendations, that would be much appreciated. [1] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LAX52IQ/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LAX52IQ/

fernly 6y ago
And under $14.
13of40 6y ago
I had a bit of a breakthrough a couple of years ago playing with a Microsoft USB camera. (Not that it's specific to MS but that's what brand it was.) Anyway, when I took the plastic shell off the outside, the lens was mounted on a threaded base that could be adjusted in and out. With the right adjustments, the camera became a microscope - not enough to see pollen or anything like that, but enough to get a 1080p picture dominated by an ant's face.
praptak 6y ago
Microbehunter on YouTube has some decent microscope recommendations.
Abishek_Muthian 6y ago
That's a great recommendation, they even seem to ship internationally and seems to be good value for money. Could be used for magnification of tiny electronics as well, Thank you.
ramraj07 6y ago

jtrip 6y ago

There was this 1977 science fiction book called 'Inherit the Stars' by James Hogan [0] about finding the corpse of 50,000 year old astronaut on the moon. He carried a 'book' that was too fragile to read and to explore with any kind of electromagnetic radiation. They used neutron tomography, like they do here, to 'read' the book. The author predicted something like to emerge by 2027. Neutron tomography has been around for a while [1]. [0] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/776489.Inherit_the_Stars https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/776489.Inherit_the_Stars [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_tomography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_tomography

tauwauwau 6y ago

Just going to leave it here. Leeuwenhoek microscope made an appearance in a Manga Isekai Yakkyoku [Other world pharmacist] https://mangadex.org/chapter/10571/18 https://mangadex.org/chapter/10571/18