Abstract
Almost every aspect of our day-to-day existence has been influenced by microscopy. ‘The impact of microscopy’ considers a few examples to demonstrate the universality of microscopy. It considers the use of microscopy in forensic science; in art history to search for original works of art; in environmental sciences and mining; in food and drugs manufacture; and in avalanche risk research. It concludes with the creation of the ‘foldscope’, a basic light microscope made from a sheet of thin card, which can be assembled in minutes, has no mechanical moving parts, and can be used in remote areas for diagnosis of infectious diseases such as malaria.
