Digital inverted microscopes are used to observe living cells or organisms at the bottom of a petri dish or tissue culture flask which microscope camera can connected via USB cable to a laptop or computer and allows live image viewing. Images can be captured and saved and included software allows for making measurements and adding annotations to captured microscopy images. Live cell analysis is accomplished because larger containers of liquid provide more natural conditions for specimens than a small glass slide where the sample is squished between the slide and cover slip, as when samples are viewed under a traditional upright biological microscope.