Our favorite day of the week is here again, happy fiber optic Friday everyone! In honor of #FOF we decided to post about a new microscope developed using fiber optics that is helping scientists get deeper into the brain to explore!!

A team of Neuroscientists and bioengineers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus created a miniature, fiber-optic microscope that is able to look deep into the brain. Most microscopes only go about a millimeter into the brain, and a lot of important things we want to see are much deeper. The fiber optic lens also allows you to adjust the lens, while most current models are fixed. The microscope works fast and is not motion sensitive, giving scientists and doctors a much clearer view of what’s inside.

The microscope has a thin fiber optic cord that is mounted on the head so the person, or animal, can move while the brain is being examined. Parts of the brain like the amygdala will now be available to look at for the first time. This new advance will help with understanding brain disease and creating new treatments. One small step for fiber optics, one giant leap for mankind!!

Happy fiber optic Friday everyone!