Optics, toys, and phone components inspire next-generation scientists

Microscopy is an essential tool for biomedical research and applications but can be problematic for users in other applications given its often higher cost and fragility. Now, a unique method in developing what promises to be a more affordable and accessible has been implemented by a team led by the University of Göttingen (Göttingen, Germany) in conjunction with a group from the University of Münster (Münster, Germany) is aiming to make such technology more affordable and plausible to a previously and often-untargeted, wider range of users.¹

“An understanding of science is crucial for decision-making and brings many benefits in everyday life, such as problem-solving and creativity,” says researcher Timo Betz, a professor at the University of Göttingen. “Yet we find that many people … feel excluded or do not have the opportunities to engage in scientific or critical thinking. We wanted to find a way to nurture natural curiosity, help people grasp fundamental principles, and see the potential of science.”

The team has created a very unique high-resolution microscope that is fully functional and features capabilities close to those of modern research microscopes. In addition to the traditional optics used to create such technology, this new microscope comprises toy bricks and parts of average smartphone cameras, both of which are affordable for most and can be more durable (see figure). According to the researchers, the newly developed instruments “are of such high quality that they can make it possible to resolve even individual cells.”

While the team typically utilizes microscopes for research in fundamental biophysical processes, they focused this study on youths ages 9 to 13, and even enlisted a 10-year-old co-author. In guiding a portion of the young group through the process of this unique way of building a microscope, the study measured their actual understanding of it by providing the parts and allowing them to construct the instrument themselves (see figure). This significantly increased the youths’ knowledge of microscopy and their understanding of such technology’s functions. Using it as more of a simple magnifying glass allowed them to explore how such technology works and discover other scientific uses and possibilities.

“We have shown that scientific research does not need to be separate from everyday life. It can be enlightening, educational, and fun,” Betz says. “We hope that this modular microscope will be used in classrooms and homes all over the world to excite and inspire children about science.”

REFERENCE

1. B. E. Vos, E. Betz Blesa, and T. Betz, Biophys. (2021); https://doi.org/10.35459/tbp.2021.000191.