Molecules of Life - Imaging Life’s Machinery - July Lectures in Physics 2020

Explore the intersection of physics and biology in this illuminating webinar on imaging life's molecular machinery. Delve into the history and advancements of microscopy, from Hooke's Micrographia to modern super-resolution fluorescence techniques. Examine diffraction physics principles applied to various microscopy methods, including electron and X-ray sources. Discover cutting-edge technologies like cryogenic electron microscopy and X-ray free-electron lasers, and their applications in studying protein structures and photosynthesis. Learn how these imaging techniques reveal the intricate workings of life at the molecular level, from amino acids to complex biological processes.

Intro
STRUCTURE, DYNAMICS AND MACHINERY
SCALES OF LENGTH
HOOKE'S MICROGRAPHIA (1665)
OPTICAL MICROSCOPY: 1665-2020
SUPER-RESOLUTION FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPY
"THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM AT THE BOTTOM", RICHARD FEYNMAN (1959).
DIFFRACTION PHYSICS: MICROSCOPES
DIFFRACTION PHYSICS: ONE ATOM
DIFFRACTION PHYSICS: MANY ATOMS
DIFFRACTION PHYSICS: CRYSTALS
DIFFRACTION PHYSICS: ELECTRON SOURCES
DIFFRACTION PHYSICS: DE BROGLIE AND HEISENBERG
DIFFRACTION PHYSICS: X-RAY SOURCES
DEMONSTRATION: MEASURING LIGHT WITH A RULER
CRYOGENIC ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
STARDUST: THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF AMINO ACIDS
PROTEIN CRYSTALLOGRAPHY: PHOTO 51
X-RAY FREE-ELECTRON LASERS
SERIAL FEMTOSECOND CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
PHOTOSYNTHESIS