Who is credited with developing the first microscope?

Zacharias Janssen is credited with developing one of the first compound microscopes in the late 16th century. He was a Dutch spectacle maker who, along with his father Hans Janssen, created an instrument that combined two lenses, allowing for greater magnification than previously possible with single-lens devices. This invention set the stage for the advancement of microscopy and significantly contributed to the field of biology and medicine by enabling scientists to observe microorganisms and cellular structures in detail.

The work of Janssen laid the groundwork for future developments in microscopy, influencing later figures such as Robert Hooke, who would famously use a microscope to describe cells in the 17th century. However, it is Janssen's early contribution that is often recognized as the origin of the microscope as we understand it today.