Electron microscope goes out of focus
I was a contractor in the '80s at an unnamed Federal research facility. I briefly acted as PM for the asbestos lab years after these events transpired.
At some considerable expense, and with much fanfare, a new, top of the line electron microscope was purchased for the examination of asbestos samples.
Being too large for the elevator cage, the car was brought to the service position in the roof housing, and the very heavy electron microscope was put in the elevator shaft suspended on a cable with the lens facing down, for the trip up five floors to the lab. It would have of course made more sense to simply relocate the lab to the ground floor.
The rest as they say is history. Now that's what I call zooming in on your target!
The story, and the pieces, were quietly swept under the rug.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
