I was just talking with A last night about how I refused to dissect animals in Biology class in 10th grade. But I do remember peering through microscopes to draw amoebas or whatever they were - of course I’m not much of an artist, so I found looking back and forth between a lens and the paper very difficult. But I just discovered something at OpticsPlanet that eliminates the need to draw on paper - a digital microscope with PC link! You can hook up the microscope to your computer via USB, and take pictures of whatever it is you’re peering at.

OpticsPlanet also offers hobby microscopes, gemology microscopes, a buyer’s guide, and a Microscopes Blog that’s a lot more interesting than you might have expected such a topic-focused blog to be. I was amused to read about cell phones that are so tiny you need microscopes to see them, and I enjoyed reading about how to view snowflakes under a microscope.

With the holiday season coming up, OpticsPlanet is a great place to buy presents for kids who are fascinated by science and all things small. They have gifts for children that are both affordable and educational. And really, wouldn’t you prefer your kid to be studying microbes than playing the latest video games?