Most Powerful Optical Microscope

At the moment I am studying Biological and Medical Research and doing a course in Microbiology so I was thrilled to read this, this morning.

World's Most Powerful Optical Microscope: Could 'Solve the Cause of Virusses'

Scientists have created a microscope which shatters the record for the smallest object the eye can see. With this microscope they can see 20 times smaller under normal lights. This is actually beyond the theoretical limits of optical microscopy.

Electron microscopes can see much smaller objects, however they can only show the objects surface and not the inside structures. Also you're not able to see living specimens with electron microscopes due to the treatment the specimens have to undergo before they can be seen under an EM.

With this new optical microscope they will be able to see living cells at scales never seen before allowing them to be able, amongst other things, to examine "living" virusses!

This is amazing,

I only wish they had a diagram or something to explain how it works, or have explained further what the
"microsphere" actually is.

Here's a small part of an article and an image I found describing the workings of the microscope more technically.

Optical Imaging at 50nm

reply to post by Anodyne


Thanks for this, S & F.

Sounds like a very exciting new tool for biology in general and medical research specifically.