by Xiaoxiao Yaoedited by Natalie Hudson-Smith Human beings have been trying to figure out the elementary composition of the universe since the era of ancient Greece. Democritus, an ancient Greek philosopher, created atomic theory. In …
diffraction
The Atomic Difference Between Diamonds and Graphite
by Cathy Murphy Everything is made of atoms. Usually these atoms are strongly connected to one another, in an amazing variety of configurations. But atoms are so tiny, how can we possibly understand the structure …
What’s the Difference between Magnification and Resolution? Dog of Science Demonstrates.
by Tom Kuech Seeing small objects is no simple task, but it is an essential one for scientists from fields as diverse as astronomy and nanotechnology. In order to see tiny things, we need to …
Zooming in on the Nano World: Limitations and Breakthroughs in Light Microscopy
by Ian Gunsolus The idea that an image is worth a thousand words applies just as much in science as it does in other contexts. Using images, scientists can convey complex information more quickly and …