Mighty Microscope

The Mighty Microscope is a life-size model of a compound light microscope that you would typically find in a high school biology classroom.  It was built with mostly standard brick and pieces that were left over from other sets.  The lenses rotate as well as the coarse adjustment and fine adjustment knobs.   There is even a diaphragm underneath the stage.  A dome on the front of the base serves as the light for the scope.  The stage comes with stage clips as well as a slide.  After many rebuilds, the life-size microscope is sturdy and fun to pretend with or display in any room or on any shelf.   

I built the scope because my family has always been interested in the big and small things in nature.  We enjoying look at tetrahymena, tiny aquatic protists, as well as other pond water creatures.  We recently scavenged in our yard to find moss, old tomato peels and thin leaves of some weeds.  While we were amazed at the tiny cells and the power of the microscope, we thought: "Let's build it." Several days later we were done.  Although we are proud, we love to have Lego create a microscope based on this model. 

This would make a great Lego set for all ages of boys and girls.  The Mighty Microscope would inspire young children to create their own scientific instrument builds, and get excited about science and the tiny world we cannot see.  Because of the rotatable pieces, anyone who uses the Mighty Microscope will have a true sense of how the instrument works.  I can definitely see children asking for a real scope on their next birthday or holiday.   I can also see guests commenting on the Mighty Microscope displayed on a shelf in the dining room or living room.  Let's build it, Lego!