Nobel Prize 2014: The boundary between chemistry and physics becomes blurred – Interia

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What fluorescence microscopy has to do with chemistry? This year’s Nobel Prize in this discipline is further evidence of the blurring of boundaries between the fields of science.

Nobel Prize winners” defeated the limit of resolution “

/ AFP

Recall that this year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded the work of the three scientists on the high-resolution fluorescence microscope. The winners are Eric Betzig from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Ashburn (USA), Professor William E. Moerner from Stanford University and a Stefan W. Hell Max-Plack-Institut für Chemie in Munich Biophysykalische.

For the layman fluorescence optics and nanoskopia tend to be more field of physics, not chemistry.

– That’s right, you can have such an impression. It should be noted, however, that a great many years the boundary between chemistry and physics becomes blurred – comments in an interview with interi dr hab. Andrzej Kudelski from the Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw.

confirmation of his words researcher cites the example of the Warsaw University, where the Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics have guided two common trends.

– More difficult to attribute the problem to one area and say – simplifying – what is chemistry, and physics – Kudelski said.

– Research on fluorescent microscopy at first glance appear to be achieving in physics, but more will benefit from the chemists and biologists – said the scientist at the University of Warsaw.

Dr. hab. Andrzej Kudelski highly values ​​the achievement of winning scientists.

– Traditional microscopes can show two objects if the distance between them is greater than half the wavelength of light. Nobel laureates have developed a useful method of microscopic imaging, which defeated the limit of resolution – said Interia.

– no doubt thanks to the achievements of people exploring the processes occurring in the cells receive more precise information – he added.

This means that the high-resolution fluorescence microscope allows to observe, inter alia, proteins involved in the development of brain-damaging diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. Precisely for this reason, the Nobel Committee decided to award Eric Betziga, William E. Moernera and Stefan W. Hella.

Recall that according to the last wishes of prize founder Alfred Nobel prizes are to receive those who “brought the greatest benefit of mankind.” Fight among others Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s undoubtedly part of the message contained in the will of Swedish scientist.