Myriad, Microscopic and Marvellous: The World of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek

The pioneering Dutch microbiologist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek uncovered hidden worlds of minuscule life. With his ingenious, self-made microscopes, he observed inconceivably tiny creatures and structures everywhere, in well water, sperm, pimples and many other unlikely things besides. In the seventeenth century his discoveries opened the door to realms previously unseen, making him a renowned researcher. Myriad, Microscopic and Marvellous explores Van Leeuwenhoek’s brilliant and sometimes peculiar ideas, setting them in the context of his time. Geertje Dekkers reveals how Van Leeuwenhoek’s curiosity and inventions propelled the study of nature in surprising new directions, leaving a legacy that is still admired three centuries later.