You don’t have to be a scientist to enjoy zooming in on things. Mousepad, pen nib or a rogue eyelash: stick anything from your desk under a microscope and you’ll find it looks fascinating when magnified a few hundred times. The world looks very different down there.
But to see all the small things, you normally need a big one. Because of the complex optics required to get a clear picture at micron scale, most quality microscopes demand a hefty slice of desktop real estate. And a good chunk of pocket money, too. Even junior zoomers come with a sizeable footprint.
