Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Femtosecond Laser Shatters Viruses

Posted by kdawson on from the like-a-soprano-with-crystal dept.

wattrlz writes "In a development reminiscent of nineteenth century pseudo-science, the father-son team of Kong Thon and Shaw Wei Tsen recently demonstrated that the tobacco mosaic virus can be destroyed in vitro by nano-scale mechanical resonant vibrations induced by repeated ultra-short pulses from a laser. The total energy required is reportedly far below the threshold for human tissue damage and the technique should generalize to human pathogens. Cleaning stored blood is one obvious application."

13 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. TINY VIRUS SIZED WARNING by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do not look into the femtosecond laser with your remaining Capsid.

    (and you thought I was gonna say eye...)

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
  2. Delivery mechanism? by notnAP · · Score: 4, Funny

    Assuming the technique also leaves shark tissue undamaged, I got the perfect delivery mechanism in mind.

  3. looks up at ceiling, Koooooooooong! by jollyreaper · · Score: 4, Funny

    Kong Thon? There's a man waiting for a video game event to be named after him.

    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  4. cleaning stored blood? by OglinTatas · · Score: 2, Funny

    What? I don't think even the heaviest chain-smoker gets infected with tobacco mosaic virus. I'm sorry, I just don't see the "obviousness" of this application.

    --
    More music, fewer hits
    1. Re:cleaning stored blood? by Smordnys+s'regrepsA · · Score: 3, Funny

      I know, this is almost as bad as that quack who wanted us to eat moldy bread!

      --
      Just -1, Troll talking to another.
    2. Re:cleaning stored blood? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Sure, Ogg, I can see that your "fire" roasted the mouse. It even tastes good. But how often do we actually eat mice, anyway? Now, if this fire thing worked on mammoths, that might be interesting.

      I'm sorry, I just don't see the point of this mouse application.

  5. Also being played in the lab by digitaldc · · Score: 4, Funny

    Shattered

    Destroyer

    The Safety Dance

    She Blinded Me With Science

    --
    He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
  6. Re:RTFA by SolitaryMan · · Score: 2, Funny

    Your nickname is kinda apt now :)

    --
    May Peace Prevail On Earth
  7. Re:Danger of re-self-assembly and evolution? by Greyfox · · Score: 4, Funny

    So just put the frequencies that kill different viruses into a file and just have the laser cycle through them. The evolution problem could be solved by regularly updating your antivirus files. Naturally most people won't do this and will end up compelled to send junk mail to people...

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  8. Re:Cells may be safe, but what about their content by Setti45 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Being as they are using the resonant frequency to destroy the virus, I imagine the differences in the mechanical structures between viruses and other surrounding material would isolate the applied force to the virus. Disclaimer: This is no where near my field of study.

  9. The Safety Dance by TheSciBoy · · Score: 2, Funny

    The list begins and ends with "Safety Dance". Why would you need any other music?! (sings)"Everybody pull up your pants..."

    --
    Badgers, we don't need no stinking badgers! - UHF
    1. Re:The Safety Dance by Xiaran · · Score: 3, Funny

      Y'know, that dance wasn't as safe as they said it was.

  10. Obviously... by Auraiken · · Score: 4, Funny

    How do you calibrate this magic laser to several unknown viruses at the same time?

    With funding of course! :D