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Historical Treasures - AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT

ROBERT HOOKE MICROSCOPE

An essential but imperfect implement that helped pioneer scientific observation England, 1675

Alongside the great works of invention, philosophy, art and scientific understanding, the Enlightenment also saw advancements in our understanding of the natural world. Among those who made significant strides in this field was Robert Hooke, a physicist first and foremost, who made great progress with the use of microscopes.

Hooke had studied with Christoper Wren and Thomas Willis at Oxford University, where they had started using microscopes in their work. From 1663 he moved to London under the patronage of Robert Boyle and he began work on what would become his book examining creatures at high levels of magnification.

Use of magnification was not uncommon before the Enlightenment, but the microscope grew in use from the 1630s. While he didn’t make his own microscopes, Hooke experimented with the lenses and ways to reduce the amount of distortion he was getting from the device. This included reducing the number of lenses being used, changing the shape, using different materials and applying light to the subject in different ways. While others in his time were working on the theory of how lenses could be improved and understanding the refraction of light, Hooke was working on practical solutions through experimentation and iteration.

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All About History
Issue 151
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