This DIY guide shows how you can, using a centuries old technique, turn a strand of glass into a powerful and portable microscope.

In the 17th century Dutch cloth merchant Antonie van Leeuwenhoek stumbled upon a way to create cheap single-lens microscopes that were vastly superior to the multi-lens models available at the time. Using nothing more than a piece of cardstock, a glass tube (such as a laboratory capillary tube), and a blow torch, you can create tiny lenses capable of magnifying 100x-200x using the same techniques he used centuries ago. It’s a fascinating DIY project that yields a product you can take out into the world for some close-up scientific fun.

Hit up the link below for step-by-step instructions including a downloadable PDF guide.

Make Your Own Van Leeuwenhoek Microscope [via Last Word On Nothing]