The invention of the microscope is one of the most critical advances in microbiology. This device was constructed by Zacharias and Hans Janssen at the end of the 16th – beginning of the 17th centuries. However, the invention and the practical use of the microscope are associated with Robert Hooke and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.
They studied microorganisms and communicated concerning this topic with the Royal Society. The technologies changed dramatically from when the microscope was invented, but the use of this device remains unchangeable. For instance, modern microscopes use nonvisible light to see the microorganisms in detail. Therefore, the invention of the microscope is the first advancement in microbiology.
The second historical advancement in microbiology is articulating the germ theory of disease. Scientists understood that microbes they could see using the microscope caused infections. As a result, the methods of treatment improved significantly.
In general, the invention of the microscope allowed researchers to see completely unknown microorganisms that affect the functioning of all living beings. The germ theory of disease helped scientists treat existing health problems effectively and save thousands of lives.