The<unk> , often referred to as the "light<unk> ", is a type of<unk>  which uses visible light and a system of lenses to magnify images of small samples.<unk> s are the oldest and simplest of the<unk> s.
There are non-optical<unk> s, which require chemical or ion staining of non-living samples, and can magnify exponentially greater than the<unk> . See: scanning electron<unk> , transmission electron<unk> .
Optical microscope
Microscopy
Electron microscope
Cell culture
Dark field microscopy
X-ray image intensifier
Microbiology
Medical laboratory