The new underwater microscope is named the Benthic Underwater Microscope, or BUM for short.  Despite its name, we aren’t talking about some hodge-podge consumer microscope here.  Just one look at this microscope (below) is a testament to its impressive engineering.

The BUM will allow researchers to study corals like we have never been able to before.  The battery-powered microscope can capture both still and video images with its CCD sensor up to an optical resolution of up to 2.2 μm.  A ring of LEDs illuminate the subject at various distances (ie. the microscope does not need to be butted right up against a coral), which is brought into focus using an electrically tunable focusing lens.  The LEDs can be fitted with either full spectrum (white) or blue spectrum for fluorescence imaging.  The BUM can be manually diver-operated or be set up for extended operation.

For more information about BUM, read Nature’s open access paper about its development and technical specifications.