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MIT Physicists Build World's First Fermion Microscope

Posted by samzenpus on from the all-the-better-to-see-you-with dept.

Zothecula writes: Researchers working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) claim to have created a method to better observe fermions – the sub-atomic building blocks of matter – by constructing a microscope capable of viewing them in groups of a thousand at a time. A laser technique is used to herd the fermions into a viewing area and then freeze them in place so all of the captured particles can be imaged simultaneously.

16 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. not the first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    But actually the third group. The groups of Stefan Kuhr of the University of Strathclyde and Marcus Greiner in Harvard were first.

  2. Hmmmm ... by gstoddart · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A laser technique is used to herd the fermions

    So ... do fermions most resemble cows, or cats? I'm confused.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    1. Re:Hmmmm ... by Guy+Harris · · Score: 4, Interesting

      A laser technique is used to herd the fermions

      So ... do fermions most resemble cows, or cats? I'm confused.

      Well, fermions are called that because they exhibit Fermi-Dirac statistics, so they're arguably more like cats than cows.

    2. Re:Hmmmm ... by gdshaw · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Fermions => cats

      Bosons => cows

      (Bosons can be herded into the same quantum state, fermions cannot on account of the Pauli exclusion principle.)

    3. Re:Hmmmm ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Well, assuming a spherical cow..

    4. Re:Hmmmm ... by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      Here's an sample specimen, but why would anybody want to see these annoying creatures up close?

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    5. Re:Hmmmm ... by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 2

      A new standard has been set. Now I will demand a cat/cow analogy every time. Seriously this makes it clear why this is neat, at least to me it did.

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      Time to offend someone
    6. Re:Hmmmm ... by IMightB · · Score: 1

      Where's BadAnalogyGuy when you need him?

    7. Re:Hmmmm ... by sconeu · · Score: 1

      MIA since 2011, according to his profile page.

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
    8. Re:Hmmmm ... by matfud · · Score: 1

      That is McDonalds.

    9. Re:Hmmmm ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Once large herds of fermions used to roam free the quantum fields
      Then white man came

    10. Re:Hmmmm ... by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

      Fermions => cats

      Bosons => cows

      Bosons heavy and rare which I argue is more like a Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    11. Re:Hmmmm ... by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      That is perfectly valid in the Furbian dialect of English.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  3. Re:rule 34 applies by sconeu · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's because they've been listening to Barry-White-ions.

    Most scientists don't know about them because you have to search in lower frequency ranges.

    --
    General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  4. Re:How Much New Information? by matfud · · Score: 1

    Stupid question.

    If you drop orange sand on black paper what would you see? Do you see what you expected? cool you have just added evidence to your hypothesis as to how you dropped your sand and what outcome that would have.

  5. Hmmm... by Kozar_The_Malignant · · Score: 1

    My microscope is machined steel and a bit of plastic. I never heard of one made of fermions.

    --
    Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.