Australian Scientists take first ever photograph of a single Atom shadow using visible light - Polidicks

[img]http://i.imgur.com/7qcHd.png[/img] [quote]A PIXELATED image of a black spot on an orange background isn't likely to win any photographic competitions. But the seemingly bland image, taken by scientists at Queensland's Griffith University, could potentially revolutionise mankind's understanding of physics and how the world works. A research team at the university's centre for quantum dynamics in Brisbane has been able to photograph the shadow of a single atom for the first time. Professor Dave Kielpinski says the image is at the extreme limit of microscopy. "You cannot see anything smaller than an atom using visible light," Prof Kielpinski said in a statement. "We wanted to investigate how few atoms are required to cast a shadow, and we proved it takes just one." The scientists used a super high-resolution microscope not available anywhere else in the world. A single atom of the element ytterbium was held by electrical forces and exposed to a specific frequency of light, which caused it to cast a shadow that could be photographed. Research team member Erik Streed said the photo had myriad implications, including revolutionising quantum computing and biomicroscopy. "Because we are able to predict how dark a single atom should be, as in how much light it should absorb in forming a shadow, we can measure if the microscope is achieving the maximum contrast allowed by physics," Dr Streed said. "This is important if you want to look at very small and fragile biological samples such as DNA strands where exposure to too much UV light or x-rays will harm the material."[/quote] [url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-tech/first-photo-of-atoms-shadow-at-griffith-university/story-fn5fsgyc-1226416263078]SOURCE[/url] [editline]July 3rd[/editline] [url=http://i.imgur.com/bnn4R.png]Fixed image for non-Australians[/url]

JESUS GODDAMN CHRIST If you don't understand how amazing this is: It's pretty goddamn amazing.

There, we have done it. It is like looking at God's nipple.

Sounds like one of those weird questions you ask yourself when you're on the toilet. "How many atoms does it take to cast a shadow?"

For the more empirical readers: [URL]http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v3/n7/full/ncomms1944.html[/URL] I wish news websites would cite more sources when publishing scientific discoveries/results.

Damn we have a winner here.

Why is nobody stating what atom it is? I assume it's caesium or barium though, but still would be nice to know.

[QUOTE=Kendra;36606359]Why is nobody stating what atom it is? I assume it's caesium or barium though, but still would be nice to know.[/QUOTE] [SUP]174[/SUP]Yb+ Ytterbium ion

[QUOTE=Kendra;36606359]Why is nobody stating what atom it is? I assume it's caesium or barium though, but still would be nice to know.[/QUOTE] It says ytterbium in the article. [editline]3rd July 2012[/editline] Light is quite cool. The interference pattern in the picture reminds me of a lab we did where we managed to measure deformation down to nanometers by creating two holographic exposures of a cup on the same film.

hey i know erik streed, he lectured one of my classes of quantum dynamics.

[QUOTE=Swebonny;36606421]It says ytterbium in the article. [editline]3rd July 2012[/editline] Light is quite cool. The interference pattern in the picture reminds me of a lab we did where we managed to measure deformation down to nanometers by creating two holographic exposures of a cup on the same film.[/QUOTE] Oh right, I read the the one Bradyns posted as it was "more empirical" :v:

[QUOTE=Kendra;36607387]Oh right, I read the the one Bradyns posted as it was "more empirical" :v:[/QUOTE] Mock me if you will, but the actual article is a better source.

[QUOTE=Bradyns;36607731]Mock me if you will, but the actual article is a better source.[/QUOTE] Better source because it's the actual research article. Not as informative because it's just the abstract and I don't think many people are going to pay to read it.

Scientists are cool. Amazing that we can get pictures of stuff that tiny now.

[url]http://arxiv.org/pdf/1201.5280v2.pdf[/url] the full journal entry

No picture of the atom itself ?

[quote]The scientists used a super high-resolution microscope not available anywhere else in the world.[/quote] Sometimes I wonder whether these articles are written for common folk or just children.

[QUOTE=DireAvenger;36633547]Sometimes I wonder whether these articles are written for common folk or just children.[/QUOTE] A national news show I was watching today described the Higgs Boson particle by comparing it to Justin Bieber and his fans being attracted to him. Please be happy with what you get.

[QUOTE=darcy010;36634112]A national news show I was watching today described the Higgs Boson particle by comparing it to Justin Bieber and his fans being attracted to him. Please be happy with what you get.[/QUOTE] jesus christ

[QUOTE=TonyP;36633534]No picture of the atom itself ?[/QUOTE] Atoms are smaller than any wavelength of light iirc

[QUOTE=Jetblack357;36608520]Scientists are cool. Amazing that we can get pictures of stuff that tiny now.[/QUOTE] One day we will be able to photograph your dick

[QUOTE=Bradyns;36606413][SUP]174[/SUP]Yb+ Ytterbium ion[/QUOTE] Then why call it an atom?

[QUOTE=Kingy_ME;36638843]Then why call it an atom?[/QUOTE] A molecule or atom can be an ion.

Strange how it looks like the milky way galaxy.

[QUOTE=Last or First;36606265]If you don't understand how amazing this is: It's pretty goddamn amazing.[/QUOTE] thank you for explaining why

Oh wow. This is incredible, thank you for sharing.

[QUOTE=Remscar;36639831]Strange how it looks like the milky way galaxy.[/QUOTE] Yes....Too strange indeed.. [I]Too strange.[/I]

[QUOTE=BenJammin';36642746]Yes....Too strange indeed.. [I]Too strange.[/I][/QUOTE] There are a lot of similarities between micro and macro world, the electrons circling around the proton is like planets circling around the Sun

All waves and particles up in this bitch Question; why do we still teach the electron-shell model of atoms in High School? Does it bear any weight in the scientific world at all now that we generally consider atoms to have a more cloud-like electron structure?

[QUOTE=Maloof?;36643330]All waves and particles up in this bitch Question; why do we still teach the electron-shell model of atoms in High School? Does it bear any weight in the scientific world at all now that we generally consider atoms to have a more cloud-like electron structure?[/QUOTE]They're easier to visualize and work with when you say "fuck it" to scale and accuracy