They view atoms through an electron microscope.
An electron microscope.
B. Scanning Tunneling
The good kind! :D
Well the atoms are never going to change but, as you can see the more scientists study the atom we have the ability to add to our technology.
"View" may not be exactly the right word. A Scanning Tunneling Microscope can be used to gather data that a computer can turn into an image, but they're not really "seeing" the individual atoms directly.
Scientists don't believe atoms exist- they know atoms exist. No matter what type of field they study, the 'theory' of the atom explains many things about matter and chemistry and what make things happend in the physical world.
21 different kinds of atoms
Atoms are the topic of interest for many scientists.
microscope
So as to explain the properties of atoms.
how does the modern view differ from this ancient view
The alchemists were unaware that atoms even existed.