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Did YOU look through this historic microscope?

09 Jul 2010

MOSI seeks former users of EM2/1 electron microscope

Curators at MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester) want to hear from anyone who used one of Britain's first mass-produced electron microscopes* at UMIST between the 1940s and 1980s. The Museum is currently preparing the EM2/1 microscope for a new display when MOSI's main building reopens later this year, but there is little information about who used it or the work that was carried out with it.

The EM2/1 electron microscope (serial number 029770), which stands over two metres tall, was made by Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Company around 1947 and was the first mass produced electron microscope in Britain. It was acquired by the Museum from UMIST in 1986.

Log books, pictures of researchers using the EM2/1, memories and anecdotes would all be welcomed by the Museum to help interpret the object, which will be part of the new Revolution Manchester gallery, showcasing how the city changed the world. The people who used the EM2/1 and the discoveries they made while using it are just as an important part of the story as the microscope itself.

If you remember using the EM2/1 electron microscope at UMIST or elsewhere in Manchester, please contact:

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* Electron microscopes produce an electronically magnified image of an object this one could magnify up to 10,000x, compared to light microscopes which are limited to 2000x magnification. They are usually used for observation of biological and inorganic specimens such as microorganisms, cells or metals.