miércoles, 2 de marzo de 2011

A microscope to observe live virus

A team of researchers has developed a microscope that can see objects 50 nm under natural light, a record that multiplies by 20 the previous record. The developers say the device would allow scientists to peek inside the cells and study live virus.


The makers of the new invention, dubbed 'Nanoscopy microspheres' are Professor Lin Li and Dr. Zengbo Wang, School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil of the University of Manchester. The researchers, with Li in the lead, with the cooperation of scientists from Singapore and publish the results of their work in the journal Nature Communications. "

So far, the tiny object that a scientist had looked under a microscope with some clarity current measured 0.001 mm, but the new microscope can view objects below the diffraction limit of light.



At first, the device works with a virtual image reflected and expanded microspheres. Then the procedure is combined with a conventional optical microscope to see even greater results. Thus, Li and his colleagues watched images of up to 50 nanometers (a nanometer is a billionth of a meter).
Li and his team argue that in the future serve as a microscope to see even smaller objects.



Researchers say that thanks to its Nanoscopy Biomedicine will delve into the mysteries of living and studying viruses inside our cells.

Today, when scientists want to see really small objects often turn to electric or electron microscopes, but these devices also have limitations and fail to look inside the cells, but only to its surface.

Moreover, although scientists can use fluorescence microscopes pass this barrier, this is only possible after staining the samples with chemicals, but these dyes do not penetrate into the virus.


11 comentarios:

  1. Fascinating indeed. Maybe they'll finally be able to see what makes a virus tick and be able to make cures for the big ones.

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  2. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY!

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  3. Biologists just got happier it seems. Hopefully they can use this to figure out new types of medicine or treatments

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  4. Interesting post, its always exciting to hear about new technology n__n

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  5. That's awesome maybe they'll discover something useful! :D

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  6. Hopefully this will help with the aids virus and other no currables.

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  7. Haha good stuff! followed!
    alphabetalife.blogspot.com

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