The Scanning Electron Microscope, a Major Break-through for Micropaleontology

Abstract

Significant new vistas are opened up in micropaleontology by the advent of the scanning electron microscope. This instrument accepts whole microfossils and images them with extreme depth of field over a range of magnifications from 15 x to over 50,000 x. The greatly increased potential for observation of detail of specimen surface topography will significantly affect our understanding of morphology, as well as phylogenetic, biostratigraphic, and paleoecological interpretations based on morphological data. Furthermore, the vexing problem of scientific illustration is at last provided with an elegant means of solution. The scanning electron microscope, a major break-through for micropaleontology WILLIAM W. HAY AND PHILIP A. SANDBERG University of Illinois Urbana, Illinois