#Scanning Electron Microscope

Table top scanning electron microscope is amazing tool. #sem #scanningelectronmicroscopy #microscopes #nano #micro #tech #geek #science

Some sped up clips of Paramecium to better see the contractile vacuoles in action 🦠🔬 . . . #science #biology #microscopy

New Video Live on YouTube - What if you just keep zooming in? This is a tiny piece of metal just three millimeters across. And here’s what happens if you just keep zooming in: 1,000 times, 100,000 times, 50 million times. Each of these blobs is an actual atom. I saw this the other day at the University of Sydney, and it kind of blew my mind because up until just 30 years ago, directly seeing atoms like this was thought to be impossible. ‘The rooms that you’re going to see here are perhaps the most shielded rooms on campus, or even in the whole of Sydney, I would say. And perhaps also the most expensive.’ So why is it so hard to see atoms? Written and directed by @gregor_cavlovic #science #veritasium #physics #microscopes #electrons #atoms #micro #electronmicroscope

A parasitic tick, as seen on a scanning electron microscope (SEM). This is a type of electron microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning the surface with a focused beam of electrons. The electrons interact with atoms in the sample, producing various signals that contain information about the surface topography and composition of the sample. #MicroscopicMonday 🧫🔬

The First Electron Microscope Directed by Gregor Čavlović, Derek Muller, and Tim Usborne Written by Gregor Čavlović, Tim Usborne, Emily Zhang, and Casper Mebius #veritasium #sciene #physics #electron #microscope

Two stentor species in a single sample. While not totally uncommon, it’s still exciting 💙 🔬 Olympus BX51 w/ DIC 🎥 iPhone + ilabcam 🏷️ #science #microscope #artinnature

Making major headway, I just built this mainframe controller for all of the electronics. All of the big electronics, like power supplies and controls are built, but the micro electronics and signal conditioning is still in progress. I still need to build a chassis for the microscope itself, but I’ve got about everything I need Currently leak testing the chamber itself, and I’ve achieved 1/60,000,000th of an atmosphere inside I will be outsourcing the fabrication of the lenses, my machine tools are not precise enough. But I’ve made a rough draft of the detector and electron gun. I’m planning on capturing the first images on an oscilloscope before I digitally aquire an image to ease troubleshooting. But the ultimate goal is to get an image in this screen I have hooked up to my Xbox here I’ll try answering as many questions as possible in the comments

Unlike traditional light microscopes, SEMs use a focused beam of electrons to scan a specimen’s surface point by point, generating ultra-high-resolution images with remarkable depth and texture. Insects are especially powerful SEM subjects because their bodies are covered in microscopic structures evolved for highly specialized functions. What looks smooth to the naked eye is often an intricate landscape of sensory hairs, armored plates, interlocking joints, compound eye facets, pollen-trapping textures, breathing pores, and nanostructures engineered by evolution over hundreds of millions of years. A mosquito proboscis resembles a bundle of surgical instruments. Butterfly wings contain layered scales that manipulate light through physical structure rather than pigment alone. Beetle shells reveal lattice-like reinforcement patterns optimized for strength while minimizing mass. Fly eyes are made of thousands of repeating ommatidia, each functioning as an independent photoreceptive unit. SEM imaging works by scanning electrons across conductive specimens inside a vacuum chamber. As electrons interact with the surface, detectors measure emitted secondary electrons and backscattered signals to reconstruct topographical detail. Because electrons have much shorter wavelengths than visible light, SEM systems can resolve features down to the nanometer scale. Most biological specimens cannot simply be placed directly into the microscope. Insects are typically dehydrated through critical point drying or chemical preparation methods, then coated with an ultrathin conductive layer such as gold, platinum, or carbon to prevent charge buildup under the electron beam. SEM has transformed fields far beyond biology: * Materials science uses SEM to study fractures, crystal growth, and nanoscale defects * Medicine uses electron microscopy to examine tissues, pathogens, and biomaterials * Semiconductor engineering relies on SEM for chip inspection and nanofabrication * Paleontology uses SEM to analyze fossil microstructures and ancient biological remains #SEM #ScanningElectronMicroscope #Microscopy #Entomology

The famous "maggot face" image captured by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is one of the most widely recognized examples of how extreme magnification can distort our perception of nature. ​While the photograph looks like a monster with two bulging eyes and fangs, the biological reality is a bit different. ​The "Eyes" That Aren't Eyes ​The most striking part of the image–the two large, round "eyes"–are actually prothoracic spiracles. These are essentially breathing holes located on the larva's body. Maggots do not have complex eyes like adult flies; instead, they have simple light-sensing organs that help them move away from bright light and toward food sources. ​The "Fangs" and Mouth ​The dark, hook-like structures seen at the bottom of the "face" are mouthhooks. Since maggots don't have teeth, they use these hooks to latch onto surfaces and pull food into their mouths. Because they feed on decaying matter, these hooks are designed for efficiency and movement rather than for biting in a traditional sense. ​The Power of the SEM ​This level of detail is only possible through a Scanning Electron Microscope. Unlike a traditional microscope that uses light, an SEM fires a beam of electrons at a sample that has been coated in a thin layer of metal (usually gold).

Tungsten carbide, a robust material is widely employed in industrial tools, cutting equipment and machining Watch it metal cutting under a scanning electron microscope. Credit #breakingtaps #metallurgy #metallurgicalengineering

😮Mesmerising view of a 1980's chip under a microscope. Amazing video by @albin.jd . . #electronicsengineering #vintageelectronics #microprocessor #transistor #soldering #integratedcircuit #ic #whatsinside #curiousminds #technology #electronics

The same Stentor with three different light techniques. 🦠🔬 . . . #science #biology #microscopy