Pick up a compound microscope for the first time and it can feel overwhelming — there are knobs on the side, a rotating turret at the bottom of the head, and a cluster of lenses you’re not sure whether to touch. Once you know what each part does and why it’s there, operating the scope …

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Most people picture a compound microscope the moment the word comes up — the upright tube and a rack of objectives that defined every middle school science class. But that single image barely scratches the surface: there are dozens of microscope types in regular use today, from handheld USB devices a kid can run off …

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