Microscope

The microscope is an instrument that magnifies small objects such that they become observable by humans. Here, small (or microscopic) means below the spatial resolution of the human eye (around 100μm).

The history of the microscope

See:

• http://www.archive.org/details/CantorLecuturesTheMicroscope
• http://www.worldscibooks.com/popsci/4034.html
• http://www.press.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/hfs.cgi/00/233106.ctl