this post was submitted on 23 Aug 2024
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Scientists Develop World’s Fastest Microscope — It’s So Fast It Can Capture Electrons Moving (www.zmescience.com)
submitted 1 year ago by karashta@lemm.ee to c/science@lemmy.world
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Their attosecond system involves a powerful laser split into two components: a fast electron pulse and two ultrashort light pulses. The first light pulse, called the pump pulse, energizes a sample, triggering electron movement or other rapid changes. The second pulse, known as the optical gating pulse, creates a brief window to generate a single attosecond electron pulse. The timing of this gating pulse determines the image resolution. By precisely synchronizing these pulses, researchers can control when the electron pulses probe the sample, allowing them to observe ultrafast atomic-level processes.

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[–] Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is pretty amazing. I have a random shower thought about the headline at this point.

Microscopes are any device that can see things smaller than what we can manage with our own eyes.. But that range has become extremely massive. It's to the point where I'd really like a new set of terms for scopes based on the magnification levels.

[–] ASDraptor@lemmy.autism.place 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Nanoscopes, picoscopes...

[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Deciscope for the awful toy ones that don't really work

[–] angrystego@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So my eyes are the basic scope.

[–] idiomaddict@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Makes “no scoping” someone even more impressive

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

Smell-O-Scope

[–] entropicdrift@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Centiscopes, maybe?

[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

That's for low magnification professional microscopes, like that thing jewelers use (apparently called a loupe)

Edit: damn, loupes are typically 10x so they would literally be deciscopes.

[–] Ziglin@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Planck-length-o-scopes?

[–] b3an@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Planck-o-vision

[–] ChihuahuaOfDoom@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (3 children)

With this microscope, we hope the scientific community can understand the quantum physics behind how an electron behaves and how an electron moves.

Since I am totally ignorant, what's the practical benefit of this?

[–] ThePyroPython@lemmy.world 33 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Each time we peer into the quantum world we do a shit load of what is called Fundamental Research. This fundamental research leads to new discoveries in our understanding of quantum physics which then leads on to commercial research to apply these new discoveries to engineer new things.

What this new tool does is unlock a whole new batch of fundamental research that can be done which in turn will advance what we can build on top of it.

[–] Brickardo@feddit.nl 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

So, in gaming terms, we're upgrading our gear to kill stronger bosses?

[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 1 year ago

I would say instead: we unlocked a new research tree. We still need to research it, and once it's done, new gear will be available to buy.

[–] ThePyroPython@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

Essentially, yes.

In Minecraft this is the equivalent of crafting a hoe which unlocks the whole of agriculture in the game.

Nobody knows what discoveries we'll make and what will grow from these discoveries. Exciting times.

[–] JWBananas@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It may or may not have one, at least until we observe the results

[–] CaptainSpaceman@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

But observing results skews results! Checkmate scientists

[–] just_another_person@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Replicators and world peace.

[–] HairyHarry@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Replicators with subscription plans, depending on product classes and value and WW3.

So a simple Tea-Machine will cost you 15 Bucks/m but a cocktail mixer 4500,-

[–] Eiri@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Argh, no images?

I really wanted to see the electrons.