Researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego, have developed a microscope that works underwater. Previously, if scientists wanted to study marine animals at the microscopic level they needed to take the animals back to the lab. The problem with this, of course, is that animals don’t always act naturally in the lab environment.
The researchers came up with a novel approach – bring the microscope to the sample. This clever design uses a soft lens that adjusts focus by adjusting it’s own shape, like the lens in your eye. This not only reduces the number of moving parts but also gives a greater working distance between the lens and the sample.
Find out more in this video by Insider Science.
