6 ms·

Y use light? Couldnt they use soundwaves or something else to map cells?

• quenix 5y ago
  Sound waves have a much larger wavelength (in the tens or hundreds of meters). That can never map out the details of a cell. Light, on the other hand, has a wavelength in the order of nanometers. If my math is correct, the wavelength of light is smaller than that of sound by a factor of around 1000000000000 on average.
  • grishka 5y ago
    Couldn't they use shorter wavelengths of light than the visible spectrum to resolve more detail? Like low-energy x-rays or something.
    • Retric 5y ago
      Up to a point. Unfortunately, shorter wavelengths mean more energy per photon which interacts with what you’re trying to observe.