Around the year 1000 CE, the first vision aid known as a 'reading stone' was created. This reading stone was a glass sphere that magnified reading materials when placed on top of them.

In 1284, the first eye glasses were invented, marking a significant advancement in vision correction.

The first pair of eyeglasses is believed to have been invented in Italy in the 13th century, building upon the simple lenses created by the Romans. This invention marked the earliest form of microscopy and laid the groundwork for the development of the compound microscope.

Germans invented the concave lens in 1451, contributing to the advancements in optics and lens technology. This innovation played a crucial role in the development of various optical instruments, including microscopes.

In the last decade of the 16th century, Dutch spectacle maker Hans Janssen and his son Zacharias built the first compound microscope with adjustable magnification between 3 and 9x.

A microscope dating back to 1595, believed to be one of the earliest models of Janssen microscopes, is housed in a Middleburg museum.

The invention and development of the microscope in the 17th century revolutionized science by enabling scientists to observe and study objects and organisms at a microscopic level.

Galileo, known as the father of modern physics and astronomy, played a significant role in perfecting the microscope. He refined the principles of lenses to create a more enhanced focusing device, discovering that telescopes could be modified to observe tiny objects.

Around 1620, astronomer Cornelius Drebbel presented an early microscope made of two converging lenses, although the idea was attributed to Johannes Kepler.

Galileo improves on a compound microscope he sees in Rome and presents his occhiolino to Prince Federico Cesi, founder of the Accademia dei Lincei.

In 1625, German botanist Giovanni Faber coined the word 'microscope' from the Greek words for 'small' and 'to look at', referring to Galileo's invention. Faber was a member of the Accademia dei Lincei, the science academy.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutchman, was born on October 24, 1632. He achieved the highest microscope magnifications of his time, magnifying objects more than 200 times with his single-lens microscopes.

In an investigation by Willem Boreel, Dutch spectacle-maker Johannes Zachariassen claims his father, Zacharias Janssen, invented the compound microscope in 1590. Findings are published by writer Pierre Borel.

The word 'microscope' originated in 1656 from the Latin word 'microscopium', meaning 'an instrument for viewing what is small'. It is a combination of the Greek words 'micro-' and '-skopion', referring to 'means of viewing' and 'look at' respectively.

Marcello Malpighi observed capillary structures in frog lungs.

In 1665, Robert Hooke published Micrographia, a groundbreaking work where he detailed his microscopic studies. The book became famous not only for its scientific descriptions but also for the exceptional drawings Hooke included.

Robert Hooke, an English scholar, published 'Micrographia' in 1667, a significant work that showcased his observations with the microscope and made microscopy more accessible to the public.

The user discovered little eels or worms, which were actually bacteria, in a drop of water under a microscope. This discovery was considered one of the most marvelous in nature.

In 1674, Leeuwenhoek's microscope allowed him to observe tiny animals swimming in water, blood cells, yeast, and bacteria, opening up a new world of microscopic exploration. His groundbreaking discoveries led to him being hailed as the father of microscopy and credited with inventing the microscope.

In 1675, Anton van Leeuwenhoek used a single-lens microscope to observe insects and bacteria, making significant contributions to the field of microbiology.

The first observation of living cells was made in 1676, providing crucial insights into the nature of life at a microscopic level.

Advancements in creating higher quality lenses, including the use of purer glass, during the 18th century helped address issues like color distortion and low image resolution in microscopes.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, the Dutchman known for achieving high microscope magnifications, passed away on August 26, 1723. He revolutionized microscopy by using single-lens microscopes.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Joseph von Fraunhofer made significant advancements in reducing image aberrations by enhancing the quality of glass used for microscope optics.

Joseph Jackson Lister creates lenses that eliminate spherical and chromatic aberration when combined.

Joseph Lister solved the problem of spherical aberration in microscopes by placing lenses at precise distances from each other. This, combined with other discoveries, led to a marked improvement in the quality of microscope images.

In 1838, Charles A. Spencer invented the first American-made achromatic objective microscope, which marked the beginning of a blossoming microscope industry in America.

In 1846, Arthur Hill Hassall published a two-volume study titled 'The Microscopic Anatomy of the Human Body in Health and Disease', which was the first English textbook on the subject.

In 1863, the Ernst Leitz company introduced the first revolving turret with five objectives for microscopes, addressing a mechanical issue and advancing the quality of lenses.

In 1866, Carl Zeiss recruited Ernst Abbe as his director of research, leading to the development of the modern computational optics approach. Abbe emphasized the importance of magnification and resolution, laying the foundation for future advancements in microscopy.

In 1869, Ernst Abbe invented the Abbe condenser, a patented illumination device that revolutionized microscopic imaging. This invention was based on Abbe's wave theory of microscopic imaging and mathematical modeling, leading to the creation of new microscope objectives.

Ernst Abbe, research director of the Zeiss Optical Works, developed the Abbe Sine Condition in 1872. This mathematical formula enabled precise calculations for achieving the highest resolution in microscopes.

In 1873, Ernst Abbe laid the foundation for the mass production of high-powered microscopes by introducing calculated optics, a departure from the previous trial and error method.

The Abbe equation, formulated in 1874, played a key role in understanding and improving the optical performance of microscopes.

In 1877, the first homogeneous oil immersion objective lens was developed after John Ware Stephenson came up with the idea. This innovation revolutionized microscopy by improving the clarity and magnification of microscopic images.

In 1878, Ernst Abbe formulated a mathematical theory linking resolution to light wavelength, laying the foundation for advancements in microscopy.

In 1880, the first microtomes were used to prepare significantly thinner samples, improving sample quality.

In 1889, the Carl Zeiss Foundation was established, and it continues to exist today. The foundation played a crucial role in the advancement of optics and microscopy, contributing significantly to the development of high-quality lenses and microscopes.

In 1893, August Kohler developed the Kohler illumination system, providing uniformly illuminated specimens, bright images, and minimal glare, leading to almost perfect images.

In the 1900s, instruments were introduced that enabled the image to stay in focus even when the microscope was adjusted.

In 1903, Richard Zsigmondy invented the ultramicroscope, a microscope capable of studying objects below the wavelength of light. This invention greatly improved resolution and revolutionized fields such as chemistry, physics, biology, and microelectronics.

In 1904, Zeiss introduced the first commercial UV microscope, overcoming the resolution limitations of visible light microscopes.

A Papanicolaou (Pap) stained smear was obtained from a needle biopsy of a chordoma of the C2 vertebrae, located at the top of the neck. This technique is used for the early detection of cervical cancer.

In 1926, Austrian chemist Richard Zsigmondy was awarded the Nobel Prize for his invention of the ultra microscope. This innovative microscope utilized a high-powered light beam to observe particles smaller than the wavelength of visible light, contributing to the advancement of microscopy.

Edward Hutchinson Synge publishes the theoretical framework for the near-field scanning optical microscope.

In 1930, Fritz Zernike discovered phase contrast innovation, allowing the viewing of unstained cells using the phase angle of rays.

In 1931, German electrical engineer Max Knoll and physicist Ernst Ruska invented the electron microscope, a revolutionary tool that uses a focused beam of electrons to create highly magnified images with exceptional resolution, enabling the visualization of objects as small as atoms. Despite its remarkable capabilities, the electron microscope's high resolution destroys living specimens, necessitating the continued use of light microscopes for examining living cells.

In 1932, Frits Zernike invented the phase-contrast microscope, allowing for the study of colorless and transparent biological materials. This innovation was a significant contribution to microscopy.

Erwin Wilhelm Müller invents the field emission microscope.

In 1938, Ernst Ruska invented the electron microscope, utilizing electrons for imaging and significantly enhancing resolution in microscopy.

In 1941, Fritz Zernike constructed the first phase contrast microscope, revolutionizing the world of microscopy with this innovative technique.

In 1942, Ruska improved on the TEM by building the first scanning electron microscope (SEM) that transmits a beam of electrons across the specimen, revolutionizing microscopy.

The EM2/1 electron microscope was developed in Manchester in 1947.

Frits Zernike is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his development of the phase-contrast microscope.

Dutch physicist Frits Zernike was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1953 for his invention of the phase contrast microscope, enabling the visualization of colorless and transparent materials at a microscopic level without staining them.

In 1955, Georges Nomarski, a professor of microscopy, published the theoretical foundation of differential interference contrast microscopy, a technique used to enhance the contrast in unstained, transparent samples under a microscope.

In 1957, Marvin Minsky, a professor at MIT, developed the confocal microscope, an optical imaging method that improves resolution and contrast by using a spatial pinhole to eliminate out-of-focus light, laying the groundwork for modern confocal laser scanning microscopes.

The scanning electron microscope (SEM) was developed in 1965, utilizing electrons instead of light for image formation. Samples are dehydrated and coated with a conductive material before being scanned in an evacuated chamber.

In 1967, Erwin Wilhelm Müller integrated time-of-flight spectroscopy into the field ion microscope, creating the first atom probe that enabled the identification of individual atoms based on their chemical composition.

Microscope Experts was established in 1979, specializing in providing expertise in the field of microscopes.

In 1981, Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer invented the scanning tunneling microscope, which provides three-dimensional images of objects at the atomic level. This invention led to them winning the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986.

Heinrich Rohrer and Gerd Binnig invented the scanning tunneling microscope in 1982. This microscope allows viewers to see 3D images of objects and is considered the strongest microscope ever created.

In 1986, physicists Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics for their development of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), a groundbreaking tool that allows imaging of surfaces at the atomic level using an ultrafine tip.

In 1988, Alfred Cerezo, Terence Godfrey, and George D. W. Smith improved the atom probe by incorporating a position-sensitive detector, enabling three-dimensional material resolution with near-atomic precision.

In 1991, the Kelvin probe force microscope was invented, allowing the measurement of surface potential variations at the nanoscale, providing insights into the electronic properties of materials.

In 1999, Intel and Mattel collaborated to produce the $100 Intel Play QX3 Computer Microscope, which was later discontinued. This collaboration aimed to bring the microscope into the consumer marketplace.

The development of compound and stereo microscopes as the gold standard for various applications, such as examining historical documents, repairing mechanical components, and studying microorganisms.

In 2008, the scanning helium microscope was introduced, offering a novel imaging technique that utilizes helium atoms to image surfaces with high resolution, contributing to advancements in nanoscale imaging.

On November 18, 2012, Leica Microsystems introduced compound light microscopes that meet the highest demands for various applications.

The future of microscopy is envisioned to progress towards a more informative and innovative frontier, combining advanced technology with the foundational principles established by scientific pioneers over the centuries.

The history of microscopy dates back to the Middle Ages when plano-convex lenses were used as reading stones. The development of these lenses into microscopes involved the contributions of various scientists and scholars.

An in-depth exploration of the origins and evolution of the microscope, detailing its significance in scientific discovery.

Germany and Japan are known for producing high-quality microscopes with metal frames and glass optics, offering better clarity and durability compared to other countries.