Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch tradesman and scientist, is widely considered the father of microscopy. Although Hans and Zacharias Janssen are credited with creating the first compound microscope in 1590, Leeuwenhoek's contributions to the field were significant. He developed single-lensed microscopes of his own design and used them to observe and experiment with microbes, becoming the first person to do so. Leeuwenhoek's meticulous observations and detailed drawings revolutionized the understanding of the microscopic world.
While the Janssen's compound microscope was the first of its kind, Leeuwenhoek's microscopes were remarkably powerful for their time. He achieved magnifications of up to 200x, allowing him to see details previously unseen. His discoveries included bacteria, protozoa, red blood cells, and sperm cells, forever changing the way we view the world around us.
