Science Lab

Microscope Simulator

MICROSCOPE • PREVIEW Press Play to start the Microscope Simulator.

Microscope Simulator

The Microscope Simulator is an interactive digital microscopy lab built around a library of 1,400 prepared and living samples. The collection includes plants, human and animal tissues, bacteria, protists and microbes, fungi, insects and arachnids, small animals, and hair and fibers. Each sample is paired with its name, scientific identification when provided, a short description, a visual feature to look for, and live microscope readouts.

The microscope can be changed between 40×, 100×, and 400× objective views. Visitors can also adjust smooth view zoom, coarse and fine focus, lighting mode, and light intensity. The specimen images are scientifically informed schematic illustrations, not photomicrographs; they are designed to emphasize recognizable morphology, common stain appearances, and specimen-specific structures.

How To Use

MICROSCOPE CONTROLS
Select a specimen from the library, choose an objective lens, then adjust focus, zoom, and lighting while observing how the specimen changes inside the microscope field of view.

Control	Setting	What It Does
Objective Lens	40×	Scanning view. Shows a wider field of the specimen.
Objective Lens	100×	Low-power view for examining more specimen detail.
Objective Lens	400×	High-power view for examining smaller structures in greater detail.
Smooth View Zoom	SLIDER	Changes the visual zoom within the current microscope view.
Coarse Focus	SLIDER	Makes larger focus adjustments to bring the specimen closer to focus.
Fine Focus	SLIDER	Makes smaller focus adjustments for a sharper specimen image.
Lighting	MODE	Switch between Brightfield, Warm, Cool, and Darkfield views.
Light Intensity	SLIDER	Raises or lowers the illumination of the specimen.
Sample Search	TYPE	Search the 1,400-sample library by specimen name.
Category Tabs	SELECT	Filter the library by specimen category.
Sample List	SELECT	Load a specimen into the microscope and display its information.
Readouts	VIEW	Shows current magnification, field of view, lighting, and focus status.

01Choose a category or search for a specimen, then select it from the sample library.

02Start at 40× and use coarse and fine focus until the specimen becomes clear.

03Try 100× or 400×, then compare lighting modes and read the specimen information below the microscope.