I dont know how anyone makes progress. Some materials and methods dont really describe in much detail what processes are used to produce such images. Whats more problematic is that there is no even consensus amoung journals about how best to show the images and image properties, or even something as simple as a standard for micron markers.

There are standards out there. I know I used to have a grid to establish the magnification (which then had to be calculated back from what pole pieces and objectives I used, but I still tried to do that). Even when markers are present they are obviously off even according to the accompanying text.  Whats more, there was no standard way to put the magnification down for light micrographs… we used to say, “original magnification” 100x, which could mean absolutely nothing depending upon print mag, optivar, objectives camera magnification and whatever.

1. Electron Microscopy Sciences.
2. Electron Microscopy Sciences
3. Electron Microscopy Sciences (for AFM)