When something made from LEGO isn’t busting Rubik’s Cube world records, it’s delving deeply into the far corners of science. OK, maybe not the furthest corners, but the fact someone has crafted a working microscope purely from LEGO means almost anyone with time (and a bunch of plastic bricks) can poke around.
Carl Merriman, the master builder responsible for figuring out exactly how one can build a microscope from the popular toy, has thrown his creation up on LEGO Ideas (the site formerly know as Cuusoo), in the hopes that 10,000 supporters will cast their vote in favour of it. When this milestone is hit, it’ll be reviewed by officials at LEGO, who will decide if the project is worthy of mass-production.
So far the microscope has gathered just shy of 2700 votes, but it has 276 days to collect the other 7300.
As for the design itself, it packs a surprising amount of flexibility. It has dials for coarse and fine adjustments and the magnification level can be tweaked. It even comes with its own lights.
My favourite part? The swords used to keep the plates in place.
[LEGO Ideas, via IFL Science]
Photos: Carl Merriman