A collaborative story, currently being developed by SeaLabX
The Curiosity microscope has its origins in a collaborative effort that began with the Plankton Planet initiative, an international scientific initiative dedicated to observing and understanding plankton and ocean biodiversity.
The initial work and prototypes were developed by a community of researchers, engineers, and makers, including Noan Le Bescot and David Le Guen. This effort gave rise to a simple idea: to make the observation of living organisms more accessible, more portable, and easier to share.
The founding of SeaLabX by Noan Le Bescot in 2023 marked a new milestone. Development of the Curiosity microscope continued within this independent organization, with the goal of transforming this early work into a robust, repairable, and widely accessible instrument designed for research, education, and scientific exploration.
Today, the Curiosity microscope is developed, manufactured, and marketed by SeaLabX.
Observe to Understand
Seeing living things changes the way we understand them.
A drop of water, a soil sample, or a few milliliters of seawater can contain a multitude of organisms invisible to the naked eye. The microscope makes this diversity visible, sparks questions, and transforms curiosity into a journey of exploration.
The Curiosity microscope was designed to facilitate this encounter with living things, both in the lab and in the field, for scientists as well as children, teachers, educators, and anyone with a sense of wonder.
Observe. Question. Understand. Share.
A tool designed for the field
The Curiosity Microscope is a high-resolution, portable digital microscope designed for easy use, whether in the field or in the laboratory.
Its design prioritizes:
- ease of use;
- portability;
- durability;
- repairability;
- modularity;
- sharing observations.
The goal is not to make the technology more complex, but rather to make high-quality observation capabilities accessible to a wider range of users.
Technology for Exploration
The Curiosity microscope is first and foremost a tool for observing and exploring living organisms.
It allows users to observe microscopic organisms and structures in a wide variety of environments: plankton, freshwater, seawater, sediments, plants, pollen, or any other samples.
The images produced can be viewed in real time, photographed, filmed, and shared. They can thus be used for individual discovery as well as for educational, scientific, or collaborative purposes.
An open approach
The Curiosity Microscope is part of an initiative to make science accessible and shared.
We seek to design tools that can be understood, used, maintained, and—as much as possible—repaired by their users.
This approach is based on a simple belief: scientific technology is most useful when it allows everyone to take an active role in their own exploration.
The Curiosity Microscope is thus designed not only as a tool, but also as a starting point for observing, experimenting, learning, and sharing.
SeaLabX
SeaLabX is an independent company founded in 2023 by Noan Le Bescot, a research engineer and Ph.D. in science.
Its mission is to develop simple scientific solutions to explore and understand the world by bringing together research, engineering, fieldwork, education, and innovation.
Today, SeaLabX develops, manufactures, and distributes the Curiosity microscope as well as other scientific tools designed specifically for the exploration and study of aquatic ecosystems and their biodiversity.
Plankton Planet
The Curiosity microscope has its roots in the scientific and collaborative spirit of the Plankton Planet initiative.
Plankton Planet is an international scientific initiative that aims to develop cooperative approaches to observing plankton on a global scale and to contribute to our understanding of the dynamics and evolution of ocean biodiversity.
Today, the Curiosity microscope is an independent tool developed by SeaLabX and available to a wide range of programs and communities. Programs supported by Plankton Planet are among its users, alongside other scientific, educational, and field-based initiatives.