Mark Noel’s Leeuwenhoek

This topic has 13 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 25 February 2026 at 22:49 by Nigel Graham 2.

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

Author

Posts
20 November 2025 at 19:06 #825455
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
A fascinating article in the current issue of ME&W … thank you, Mark

My only frustration was the inability to copy & paste the links to the references, when viewing the digital edition !

This one, I consider essential reading, and it’s freely downloadable in PDF

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abf2402

MichaelG.
Advert

20 November 2025 at 21:54 #825477
John Haine
Participant
@johnhaine32865
Michael, I’m puzzled, which article, is it the November issue?
21 November 2025 at 08:49 #825495
Thor 🇳🇴
Participant
@thor
Hi John,

It is in the December issue (#4771). @Michael, thanks for an interesting link.

Thor
21 November 2025 at 08:56 #825499
John Haine
Participant
@johnhaine32865
Aha! So not the latest issue according to this website then?
21 November 2025 at 09:17 #825508
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
On 20 November 2025 at 21:54 John Haine Said:

Michael, I’m puzzled, which article, is it the November issue?

Hoist by mine own petard !

Sorry, I thought “current issue” would suffice

MichaelG.
21 November 2025 at 11:16 #825522
noel shelley
Participant
@noelshelley55608
The current issue is time dependant ? Noel.
21 November 2025 at 15:06 #825545
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
On 21 November 2025 at 11:16 noel shelley Said:

The current issue is time dependant ? Noel.

Quite so !

and my post was date stamped … which made my statement correct, and equally valid when quoted.

Since time immemorial, Magazine publishers have issued prior to the calendar date printed on the cover … so as to maximise shelf-life.

Please don’t blame me for the ineptitude of the web-page manager.

MichaelG.
22 November 2025 at 17:54 #825737
old mart
Participant
@oldmart
I had a read through it yesterday and now that the method of manufacturing the high power lens is known, I expect that many interested people will be trying their hand at making their own microscope. I had no idea that a single lens could have such high magnification.

I had no difficulty getting the first link to work.
22 November 2025 at 19:45 #825765
John Haine
Participant
@johnhaine32865
I’ve now read the article as the latest issue is available through my library. As many of us will have blowtorches I wonder how would one go about making a glass lens?
23 November 2025 at 09:24 #825825
Robert Atkinson 2
Participant
@robertatkinson2
At about 9 or 10 years old I made a microscope from a design in a book. The stage was made from threaded pipe fittings with a light inside and also provided focus. The lens was globule type, the broken off end from a lens end torch bulb. It worked quite well as I recall.

Robert.
23 November 2025 at 10:47 #825846
John Haine
Participant
@johnhaine32865
It seems that making a glass drop lens is as easy as heating a glass rod until a portion of it is soft, pulling the end apart to form a thread, breaking the thread when cool, then carefully melting the end of the thread in a flame so it forms a spherical bead (presumably holding it vertical). Then when cooled the thread is broken off from the bead and the remaining “stalk” used to align the bead in the ‘scope frame.
25 February 2026 at 11:44 #839266
Mark Noel
Participant
@marknoel89254
Thank you Michael for your kind comments. Such words encourage me to continue writing for ME&W.
25 February 2026 at 17:35 #839317
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Please do, Mark

MichaelG.
25 February 2026 at 22:49 #839369
Nigel Graham 2
Participant
@nigelgraham2
Yes – I found it very interesting!
Author

Posts