This week, we’re exploring early microscopes, 1600s Dutch experimenter Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and red blood cells. Van Leeuwenhoek was an innovator, a microbiologist, and a curious man. Curious enough to make tiny lenses so he could examine leaves, metal and milk, as well as mites, lice and fleas. We uncover his eyeballing of eyeballs as well as his up close examination of exploding gunpowder, faeces and even the crust which developed between his toes after leaving his socks on for 10 days.

_______________ Follow us on: Bluesky - @physiciansgallery Instagram - @physiciansgallery TikTok - @physiciansgallery Facebook - www.facebook.com/PhysiciansGallery Sign up for our newsletter - www.rcpe.ac.uk/newsletter To support heritage at the RCPE, please donate: www.rcpe.ac.uk/donate _______________ The Team: Dr Charlotte Holmes (@_CCHolmes_) - Editor/Producer Rachel Forrest - Researcher/Presenter Dr Daisy Cunynghame - Researcher/Presenter Dr Sarah Hayward - Editor/Producer Elizabeth Van Trampe - Editor/Producer

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