Microscopes are an essential part of any good science education. The exciting new perspectives can inspire a lifelong interest in nature and learning. But buying the right microscopes for your school can be daunting. Faced with so many models and options, how do you know what features are really necessary? And how will you balance your needs with your budget? This guide will help you find the right microscopes for your school without breaking the bank.
If your lab or classroom uses shared microscopes, the first thing you should do before getting down to work is adjust your eyepieces. Everyone’s eyes are different – the distance between your eyes will be different from other people's and your left eye often sees a little differently from your right eye. Fortunately, microscope manufacturers are aware of this, and most microscopes let you easily compensate for the differences. Follow these simple steps.
For a small transparent square, cover slips are remarkably useful. If you’ve encountered a microscope before, you’ve likely run into a cover slip. They are small pieces of glass or plastic of a particular thickness that you place on top of the samples you look at under your microscope. They are a cornerstone of many areas of microscopy and not only protect your samples and equipment but help give you the best quality image of your specimens.
Sperm motility refers to how well sperm can move – a critical factor in any livestock breeding program. Sperm that do not ‘swim’ properly will not reach the egg to fertilise it – a serious problem for breeders. However, you can’t evaluate sperm motility properly with any old microscope. For a proper assessment, you need to be able to clearly see your specimens while they’re still alive and healthy, which is difficult to achieve with a standard microscope.
Warning – don’t get scammed by empty magnification. A microscope is only as good as its resolution. And having higher magnification without higher resolution to go with it will inevitably produce a blurry, distorted image. The effect is like zooming in too far on a picture or a website – you get blurry pixels rather than more detail. This phenomenon is usually referred to as ‘empty’ or ‘false’ magnification, and it has led many an unsuspecting customer astray.
Bacteria are hard to see under a normal microscope – not just because of their size – but because they’re largely transparent. This makes it difficult to differentiate the bacteria from their background. The solution is simple – make your bacteria less transparent! You can use stains (‘dyes’) to colour your specimens, enhance the contrast and make it much easier to see the bacteria and their internal structures.
Working with microscopes can be surprisingly dangerous. The long hours and repetitive motions frequently lead to pain or injury, which in turn lead to medical costs, understaffing and a loss of productivity. The best way to address these concerns is through ergonomics. By making the workplace safer, you can keep everyone happier and healthier while increasing efficiency.
Darkfield microscopy is a technique that uses oblique lighting and a dark background to illuminate hard-to-see samples. If you’re going to get the best out of your darkfield condenser, you need to make sure it’s properly centred.
With electronic components shrinking all the time, a good-quality Industrial Inspection Microscope is quickly becoming a necessity for electronics repair work. Whether you’re inspecting PCBs or soldering surface mount components, you’ll need a good microscope to make the best use of your talents. Fortunately, there’s a microscope to suit any budget. Here are the most important qualities to consider when you're looking for a microscope that won’t let you down.
