https://www.thefarside.com/2026/10/12/0

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ELECTRON MICROSCOPE LAB

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This isn't something you can do with an electron microscope, but I do stuff like this with optical microscopes all the time

i don't get the joke. this seems very reasonable

Electron microscopy is usually used for kidney specimens right? I don't get the joke intended with the picture though

The janitor use the expensive/complex equipment to look at his lunch leftovers like a curious child with his toy microscope. The panel shows some kind of optical microscope and not an electron microscope.

seems very reasonable to me. who wouldn't want to look at lunch leftovers magnified?

I used to do stuff like that all the time with the CT scanners and x-ray machines at work. I still have an old pic of my wrist watch's scan somewhere.

electron microscopes usually operate in a vacuum. If you put organic stuff in there without properly treating the sample, it will damage the equipment

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theories_of_humor#Incongruity_theory

It's just the janitor fucking around with the equipment after hours.

Oh wow. Didn't know that. I saw a kidney biopsy in an electron microscope before but I never really learned how they worked because I figured I'd never work with one.

Guess I just missed the joke. I have a lab background so I probably am looking at this whole thing too literal

They're super cool! The reason for the vacuum is that electrons are much more likely to scatter in atmosphere than photons, so you want as little air present in the chamber as possible. Also many microscopes generate their electron beams with a heated tungsten filament (which is soo expensive), so iirc the vacuum prevents it from burning up quickly.

Electron miscroscopes often have a "low vacuum" setting for when samples can't be subjected to such a high vacuum. Usually you need some training before anyone will let you use their electron microscopes.

Wow thanks for the information. An electron microscope has to be the coolest microscope. The images I've seen were always interesting

I used to work at a research facility ... Back before 3d printers were common or particularly good, one of the researchers showed me that they'd done a detailed scan of their brain, then 3d printed a miniature version of it.

If they're in vacuum, they probably are pretty cool! Other than that tungsten filament that other commenter mentioned, apparently.

Hey if someone is using the equipment for pleasure and raw curiosity, I see no issue here. Just because he's the janitor doesn't mean he's not entitled to discovery.

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