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Converting lateral scanning into axial focusing to speed up 3D microscopy

A team of scientists has developed a novel optical design that enables fast imaging in 3D microscopy by converting lateral scanning into axial focusing. This technology accelerates axially swept light-sheet microscopy (ASLM) and raster scanning microscopes to multi-kHz rates, outperforming previous aberration-free focusing technologies.

Get diamonds, take temperature

Researchers from Osaka City University developed a microscope-based thermometer that uses quantum technology to detect temperature changes in live, microscopic animals. The thermometry algorithm successfully tracked temperature fluctuations in C. elegans nematode worms after inducing a fever by stimulating their mitochondria.

SourceOsaka City University·JournalScience Advances·DateSep 11, 2020

Shining light into the dark

Researchers have developed a new method to analyze microscopic samples without using external light, reducing interference and damage to living specimens. The 'glow in the dark' approach uses chemical stimuli to activate chemicals, enabling precise control over localized oxidative hotspots.

SourceCurtin University·JournalCell Reports Physical Science·DateJul 9, 2020

Laser takes pictures of electrons in crystals

Researchers have developed a new laser-based microscope that can resolve the distribution of electrons in crystal lattices with unprecedented resolution. The technique, known as Light Picoscopy, uses powerful laser pulses to drive electrons into fast motion, allowing them to emit radiation that reveals their position within the crystal.

SourceUniversity of Rostock·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 1, 2020

Insight into the synapses

A recent study published in Science Advances has shed light on the molecular organization of synapses, revealing that glutamate receptors are directly connected to calcium channels and Munc-18-1. This new understanding could lead to a better comprehension of brain function and signal transmission.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalScience Advances·DateApr 16, 2020

Visualizing diffusive dynamics beyond tracking limit with standard optical microscope

Researchers at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology developed a new approach to detect crystallization signs without fluorescent labeling or tracking. They used particle image diffusometry to analyze microscopy movie data, revealing the collective motion of molecular clusters before nucleation.

SourceTokyo University of Agriculture and Technology·JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·DateFeb 17, 2020

Hybrid microscope could bring digital biopsy to the clinic

Researchers developed a hybrid microscope that combines optical and infrared measurements with machine learning algorithms to create digital biopsies. The hybrid microscope closely correlates with traditional pathology techniques and outperforms state-of-the-art infrared microscopes in terms of resolution, consistency, and coverage.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 12, 2020

Evading Heisenberg isn't easy

Researchers at EPFL have found unexpected constraints on the achievable sensitivity of measurements, even with backaction-evading techniques. Tiny deviations in optical and mechanical frequencies can cause mechanical oscillations to amplify out of control, affecting quantum sensors and applications.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalPhysical Review X·DateOct 31, 2019

HD microscopy in milliseconds

Researchers from Bielefeld University have developed a faster method for super-resolution SR-SIM microscopy, allowing for real-time recording of cell movements and observations of small structures. This enables biologists to explore such structures in detail, particularly in the study of viral particles on their way through cells.

SourceBielefeld University·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 20, 2019

Fiber-optic probe can see molecular bonds

Engineers at the University of California, Riverside, have developed a new technology that tunnels light into the quantum realm with unprecedented efficiency. The device integrates a glass optical fiber with a silver nanowire condenser to squeeze visible light to the tip of the condenser and interact with molecules locally.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalNature Photonics·DateJun 10, 2019

A bubbly new way to detect the magnetic fields of nanometer-scale particles

Researchers at NIST developed a method to measure magnetic properties of nanoparticles by rapidly enlarging magnetic bubbles, revealing the orientation of individual nanoparticle poles. This technique enables fast and economical measurement of magnetic stability for various medical and environmental applications.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalPhysical Review Applied·DateJun 10, 2019

A new vision for neuroscience

Researchers at Harvard University have developed a new tool that records and controls neural activity in real-time using genetically encoded voltage indicators. This breakthrough enables the study of complex behaviors and neural interactions with unprecedented clarity.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNature·DateMay 1, 2019

Deep learning merges advantages of holography and bright-field microscopy for 3D imaging

Researchers developed Bright-field Holography to overcome limitations of holographic 3D imaging. The method combines the image contrast advantage of bright-field microscopy with the snapshot volumetric imaging capability of holography, allowing for rapid creation of images equivalent to those from a bright-field microscope.

Virtual lens improves X-ray microscopy

Researchers at PSI develop a new method that uses a small but efficient lens to create high-resolution images of X-ray microscopes, providing absorption and phase contrast information. This technique has the potential to reveal material properties and improve image quality for biological samples.

SourcePaul Scherrer Institute·JournalScience Advances·DateFeb 1, 2019

Inflate cells to observe their inner life

Researchers at the University of Geneva have developed a new technique called Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy (U-ExM), which allows for the visualization of cellular structures and protein complexes at a nanoscale. This method enables the detection of biochemical modifications and mapping of large intracellular molecular complexes.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalNature Methods·DateDec 17, 2018