For a microscope to function properly, / it must meet certain minimum requirements.

These include an eyepiece, / a tube through which the viewer looks, / and a lens for magnification.

The microscope must also have a component / that can hold a specimen / and move from side to side / to explore different areas of the specimen.

Furthermore, a mechanism to bring the specimen into focus, / usually accomplished / by moving it closer to or farther from the lens, / is necessary.

Finally, / a light source is required / to illuminate the specimen.

An ideal microscope / would be made with the best performing materials and mechanisms / for each component.

However, / such a microscope / would likely be enormously expensive.

On the other hand, / a cheap microscope / may not be able to deliver high performance.

Prakash and Cybulski experimented with various designs and materials / in order to find a suitable compromise.

While many manufacturers might have settled for a middle ground / between these two extremes, / Prakash and Cybulski were determined / to create a microscope / that was both inexpensive and high-performing, / while remaining accessible to all.