Microscopic World Research Articles

The cracks of classical mechanics and the Birth of quantum mechanics

At the end of the 19th century, with the development of Newton's classical mechanics and Maxwell's electromagnetism, a great number of individuals believed that the laws of physics had reached the point of perfection. Physicists like Pierre-Simon Laplace even thought that Newtonian mechanics could be used to calculate the future. However, the "dark clouds" such as the Michelson-Morley experiment and black body radiation demonstrated the flaws of the classical theory. With the efforts of quantum mechanics pioneers such as Planck, Einstein, Schrodinger, and Heisenberg, the discipline of quantum mechanics has gradually developed and has become the key to opening the door to the microscopic world. This paper demonstrates the cracks that occurred in classical physics at the end of the 19th century, and then illustrates the birth of the quantum mechanics and some of the most important concepts of it. Finally, some cutting-edge technologies related to quantum are introduced.

Detecting nanoparticles by "listening".

In the macroscopic world, we can obtain some important information through the vibration of objects, that is, listening to the sound. Likewise, we can also get some information of the nanoparticles that we want to know by the means of "listening" in the microscopic world. In this review, we will introduce two sensing methods (cavity optomechanical sensing and surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensing) which can be used to detect the nanoparticles. The cavity optomechanical systems are mainly used to detect sub-gigahertz nanoparticle or cavity vibrations, while surface-enhanced Raman scattering is a well-known technique to detect molecular vibrations whose frequency generally exceeds terahertz. Therefore, the vibrational information of nanoparticles from low-frequency to high-frequency could be obtained by these two methods. The size of the viruses is at the nanoscale and we can regard it as a kind of nanoparticles. Rapid and ultrasensitive detection of the viruses is the key strategies to break the spread of the viruses in the community. Cavity optomechanical sensing enables rapid, ultrasensitive detection of nanoparticles through the interaction of light and mechanical oscillators and surface-enhanced Raman scattering is an attractive qualitatively analytical technique for chemical sensing and biomedical applications, which has been used to detect the SARS-CoV-2 infected. Hence, investigation in these two fields is of vital importance in preventing the spread of the virus from affecting human's life and health.

Wide-Field and Real-Time Super-Resolution Optical Imaging By Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle-Assembled Solid Immersion Lens.

Super-resolution optical imaging techniques can break the optical diffraction limit, thus providing unique opportunities to visualize the microscopic world at the nanoscale. Although near-field optical microscopy techniques have been proven to achieve significantly improved imaging resolution, most near-field approaches still suffer from a narrow field of view (FOV) or difficulty in obtaining wide-field images in real time, which may limit their widespread and diverse applications. Here, the authors experimentally demonstrate an optical microscope magnification and image enhancement approach by using a submillimeter-sized solid immersion lens (SIL) assembled by densely-packed 15nm TiO2 nanoparticles through a silicone oil two-step dehydration method. This TiO2 nanoparticle-assembled SIL can achieve both high transparency and high refractive index, as well as sufficient mechanical strength and easy-to-handle size, thus providing a fast, wide-field, real-time, non-destructive, and low-cost solution for improving the quality of optical microscopic observation of a variety of samples, including nanomaterials, cancer cells, and living cells or bacteria under conventional optical microscopes. This study provides an attractive alternative to simplify the fabrication and applications of high-performance SILs.

New perspectives in time-resolved laser-induced electron diffraction

Imaging the microscopic world in real space and real time is a grand challenge of science. In the landscape of time-resolved imaging techniques, laser-induced electron diffraction (LIED) has recently shown to be a promising candidate to push the frontiers of ultrafast molecular imaging. In this work, we review the main achievements of LIED research in terms of experimental results and advanced modelling. We also envision interesting perspectives toward the future advancement of time-resolved LIED imaging.

Underground Tests of Quantum Mechanics by the VIP Collaboration at Gran Sasso

Modern physics lays its foundations on the pillars of Quantum Mechanics (QM), which has been proven successful to describe the microscopic world of atoms and particles, leading to the construction of the Standard Model. Despite the big success, the old open questions at its very heart, such as the measurement problem and the wave function collapse, are still open. Various theories consider scenarios which could encompass a departure from the predictions of the standard QM, such as extra-dimensions or deformations of the Lorentz/Poincaré symmetries. At the Italian National Gran Sasso underground Laboratory LNGS, we search for evidence of new physics proceeding from models beyond standard QM, using radiation detectors. Collapse models addressing the foundations of QM, such as the gravity-related Diósi–Penrose (DP) and Continuous Spontaneous Localization (CSL) models, predict the emission of spontaneous radiation, which allows experimental tests. Using a high-purity Germanium detector, we could exclude the natural parameterless version of the DP model and put strict bounds on the CSL one. In addition, forbidden atomic transitions could prove a possible violation of the Pauli Exclusion Principle (PEP) in open and closed systems. The VIP-2 experiment is currently in operation, aiming at detecting PEP-violating signals in Copper with electrons; the VIP-3 experiment upgrade is foreseen to become operative in the next few years. We discuss the VIP-Lead experiment on closed systems, and the strong bounds it sets on classes of non-commutative quantum gravity theories, such as the θ–Poincaré theory.

A numerical method to solve fractional Fredholm-Volterra integro-differential equations

The Goolden ratio is famous for the predictability it provides both in the microscopic world as well as in the dynamics of macroscopic structures of the universe. The extension of the Fibonacci series to the Fibonacci polynomials gives us the opportunity to use this powerful tool in the study of Fredholm-Volterra integro-differential equations. In this paper, we define a new hybrid fractional function consisting of block-pulse functions and Fibonacci polynomials (FHBPF). For this, in the Fibonacci polynomials we perform the transformation x → xα, with α a real parameter. In the method developed in this paper, we propose that the unknown function Dαf(x) be written as a linear combination of FHBPF. We consider the fractional derivative Dα in the Caputo sense. Using theoretical considerations, we can write both the function f(x) and other involved functions of type Dβf(x) on the same basis. For this operation, we have to define an integral operator of Riemann-Liouville type associated to FHBPF, and with the help of hypergeometric functions, we can express this operator exactly. All these ingredients together with the collocation in the Newton-Cotes nodes transform the integro-differential equation into an algebraic system that we solve by applying Newton’s iterative method. We conclude the paper with some examples to demonstrate that the proposed method is simple to implement and accurate. There are situations when by simply considering α ≠ 1, we obtain an improvement in accuracy by 12 orders of magnitude.

High precision tracking analysis of cell position and motion fields using 3D U-net network models

Cells are the basic units of biological organization, and the quantitative analysis of cellular states is an important topic in medicine and is valuable in revealing the complex mechanisms of microscopic world organisms. In order to better understand cell cycle changes as well as drug actions, we need to track cell migration and division. In this paper, we propose a novel engineering model for tracking cells using cell position and motion fields (CPMF). The training sample does not need to be manually annotated, and we modify and edit it against the ground truth using auxiliary tools. The core idea of the project is to combine detection and correlation, and the cell sequence samples are trained by a U-Net network model composed of 3D CNNs, which can track the migration, division, and entry and exit of cells in the field of view with high accuracy in all directions. The average detection accuracy of the cell coordinates is 98.38% and the average tracking accuracy is 98.70%.

The Life of Human Beings to Know Nature and Understand Themselves—Commemorating the 136th Anniversary of the Birth of Schrödinger, the "Legislator" of the Microcosm

Schrödinger is a great figure in the history of physics development in the 20th century and one of the founders of quantum mechanics. In this paper, by consulting relevant literature, the Schrödinger equation proposed by Schrödinger is used to describe the state of motion of microscopic particles. He has made great contributions to the development of quantum mechanics, and it is the first time to express the volatility of particles in the form of specific formulas. The Schrödinger equation is important in the microscopic world and is close to the position of Newton's laws of motion in classical mechanics. I use this article to commemorate the 136th anniversary of the birth of the "legislator" Schrödinger of the microcosm.

Intelligent sensing based on active micro/nanomotors.

In the microscopic world, synthetic micro/nanomotors (MNMs) can convert a variety of energy sources into driving forces to help humans perform a number of complex tasks with greater ease and efficiency. These tiny machines have attracted tremendous attention in the field of drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery, in vivo sampling, and environmental management. By modifying their surface materials and functionalizing them with bioactive agents, these MNMs can also be transformed into dynamic micro/nano-biosensors that can detect biomolecules in real-time with high sensitivity. The extensive range of operations and uses combined with their minuscule size have opened up new avenues for tackling intricate analytical difficulties. Here, in this review, various driving methods are briefly introduced, followed by a focus on intelligent detection techniques based on MNMs. And we discuss the distinctive advantages, current issues, and challenges associated with MNM-based intelligent detection. It is believed that the future advancements of MNMs will greatly impact the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases.

Toward Identifying the Critical Ecological Habitat of Larval Fishes: An Environmental DNA Window into Fisheries Management

Environmental DNA (eDNA)-based ecological co-occurrence networks can provide a valuable tool for fisheries and conservation management. In the past, it was nearly impossible to explore the microscopic world of larval fishes in one sampling event. Now, eDNA data and ecological co-occurrence network modeling provide windows into ecosystems that support larval fishes and upon which subsequent fisheries rely. Thus, there is great potential for eDNA methods coupled with ecological network analyses to provide a holistic understanding of community composition and species interactions and to develop indicators for fisheries and ecosystem-based management.

Basic Introduction to Detectors of the Large Hadron Collider

Particle physics is intended to explore the microscopic world, to be more specific, to understand the physical laws of particles. So far, the Standard Model (SM) is the best theory we have to explain particle properties and their behaviors. Such great success attributes to the data acquired from experiments in particle physics. These experiments not only provide evidence about the correctness of the SM but also reveal the limitations and what may be beyond the SM. Since microscopic phenomena cannot be observed by human eyes, it is necessary to use special instruments to do these experiments, and one of them is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). This review shall introduce the basic information of the LHC and focus on the basic structure and principles of the detectors used in two experiment projects of the LHC.

Al-Ghazâlî’s Concept of Causality and Quantum Physics: Finding a Point of Relevance

Al-Ghazâlî views the connection between what is believed to be natural cause and effect is not necessary. For him, God is the Agent in every event. He is the determining factor. As a result, a natural event cannot be seen with certainty, in other words it is probabilistic. On the other hand, quantum physics developed in the early 20 th century, which tries to explain the microscopic world is only able to predict events probabilistically. So it can be said that quantum physics that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century supports and affirms the views of al-Ghazâlî formulated in the 11th century at least in terms of probability. In addition, the many strange and complicated things that have not been well explained in the atomic world should be an indication that a more in-depth and thorough study of the universe leads to an increasingly "visible" Entity that is Almighty, namely God—where He has made nature as the âyât (signs) of His existence. Furthermore, from this study of al-Ghazâlî’s concept of causality and quantum physics, it can be understood that there are differences that become the end of the problem, namely metaphysical beliefs. So that an important effort that must be made to build Islamic science is to form an intellectual commitment based on metaphysical beliefs originating from Revelation.

Resolving the spurious-state problem in the Dirac equation with the finite-difference method

To solve the Dirac equation with the finite difference method, one has to face up to the spurious-state problem due to the fermion doubling problem when using the conventional central difference formula to calculate the first-order derivative on the equal interval lattices. This problem is resolved by replacing the central difference formula with the asymmetric difference formula, i.e., the backward or forward difference formula. To guarantee the hermitian of the Hamiltonian matrix, the backward and forward difference formula should be used alternatively according to the parity of the wavefunction. This provides a simple and efficient numerical prescription to solve various relativistic problems in the microscopic world.

"The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi: Exploring the Microscopic World in our Forests, Homes, and Bodies" by Keith Seifert, 2022. [book review

"The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi: Exploring the Microscopic World in our Forests, Homes, and Bodies" by Keith Seifert, 2022. [book review

Gravitational Waves—A New Window on the Universe

Imagine you could choose a new set of eyes that would help you see things you have never been able to see before. Maybe you would choose Superman’s X-ray vision, or maybe you would prefer to zoom into tiny things and see the wonders of the microscopic world. Science has recently gained a new set of eyes—a new way to look into the mysteries of the universe—using gravitational waves, which are waves produced by gravity itself. In this article, I will take you on a journey that begins with an explanation of gravity—from the classical perspective of Isaac Newton to the modern and more complex view of Albert Einstein. I will then explain how movements of massive objects create gravitational waves, which are ripples in space and time, and how they might be used to explain some mysteries of the universe, and even help us to understand the origins of our planet Earth.

A Custom-Made Board Game to Familiarise Primary School Children With Atoms

To discover the link between the abstract concept of atoms and the macroscopic material world is often seen as one of the key challenges for new students in chemistry. Failing to make this connection results in low student grades, little interest, and eventually small numbers of graduates in chemistry or related disciplines. Science education research approaches this challenge by designing and creating new learning experiences and curricula for children without any prior knowledge about atoms. One promising approach is to introduce atoms and/or sub-microscopic particles in late primary school, such that children can start making connections between the macroscopic and the microscopic world. In this paper, an educational, custom-made board game that combines science content and fun for primary school children is presented to accomplish this difficult task. The board game features cooperative gameplay for 2 to 4 players, simple strategic elements, and play time between 20 and 30 minutes. Intrinsic integration of the learning content was the leading design idea and, as a result, concrete associations between sub-microscopic particles and macroscopic events related to material hardness lie at the core of the game. Another pivotal criterion was that the game is fully playable for children at home, like other board games, or in school lessons. This contribution, therefore, discusses: (i) how the game works, (ii) the essential design elements of the current game from a designer’s and educator’s perspective; and (iii) the basic atomic concepts which could be facilitated by playing the game. Preliminary play tests suggest that players, or learners, believe the game to be fun, and appreciate the balance between elements of strategy and luck. In summary, a compact, playful activity could trigger children to think of hardness of solid materials as a property that emerges from the strength of interactions between atoms. Such a change in conceptual thinking could in turn ease students’ pathway for future chemistry education.

Performance Optimization Model of Molecular Dynamics Simulation Based on Machine Learning and Data Mining Algorithm

Molecular dynamics simulation is an effective method for related research in the microscopic world, mainly related to molecular atomic research, and it has a wide range of applications in physics, medicine, and other disciplines. Meanwhile, with the expansion of data to be studied, the performance of molecular dynamics simulation in terms of calculation speed and other aspects can no longer fully meet the needs of today’s data analysis and calculation. On the basis of the original method, parallel calculation and optimization improvement of the method have become the focus of researchers. This paper will use machine learning (ML) and data mining algorithms to optimize the performance of molecular dynamics simulation and use Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBM) and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) in the molecular dynamics simulation system. Through the parallel optimization experiment of KNN, the effectiveness of KNN optimization is obtained, and finally the molecular dynamics simulation optimization experiment is designed. Through comparative analysis with the simulation system before optimization, it is concluded that when the number of particles is 4096, the efficiency ratio of force calculation running time is the highest of 31.15%. When the number of particles is 512, the running time efficiency ratio of the motion trajectory equation is up to 30.28%. When the number of particles is 256, the efficiency ratio of running time tending to balance judgment is the highest of 36.96%. All the results show that the performance of the optimized simulation system has been improved. The experimental results are in line with expectations.

Analysis of Brownian Motion by Elementary School Students

To stimulate the intellectual curiosity of elementary school students, we conducted a workshop in distance education aimed at exploring the microscopic world inside a cell. In this workshop, elementary school students motivated to learn more on the subject of science analyzed movies of the Brownian motion of micrometer-sized particles suspended in water, using the open-source software Tracker. These students then performed two-dimensional (2D) random walk experiments using a dice game sheet to examine the physical mechanism of Brownian motion. After the workshop, we conducted a questionnaire-based survey. Many participants answered that the contents were difficult but interesting, suggesting that our workshop was very efficient in stimulating the curiosity of motivated students.

Foldscope microscope, an inexpensive alternative tool to conventional microscopy-Applications in research and education: A review.

Microscope is a device used for the visualization of tiny objects which are not visible to the naked eye. Traditional microscopes have been crucial for the advancement of contemporary science and medicine. Recent advancements in the field of microscopy have fueled its exponential growth rate. However, due to their expensive cost and complicated structure, modern microscopes remain inaccessible to the majority of the public. Nonetheless, the foldscope paper microscope has made it possible for anyone to explore and understand the world of microbes and organisms. In this review, we have listed foldscope-based research projects in various domains, as well as their key properties when compared to traditional research microscopes. In addition, we have briefly explored the impact of a foldscope microscope on public health, clinical diagnostics, forensic science, agriculture, basic science, developmental biology, and education. Moreover, the major drawbacks of paper microscopes and the current steps being taken to upgrade foldscope and its features are discussed in this review. Finally, we have concluded with our perspective that the microscope may be updated to imitate the advancement of a conventional microscope. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The foldscope, a low-cost instrument for studying the microscopic world. Foldscope applications were compared to conventional microscopes in many sectors. The foldscope microscope's existing limitations and potential prospects are highlighted.

Block by Block the Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Thermodynamics

Abstract This book entitled ‘Block by Block The Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Thermodynamics’ provides a solid fundamental foundation interlaced between the three different worlds of academicians, practitioners and historians. Most thermodynamic books focus only on problem solving using some laws and equations but lack in deep understanding the concepts that are central to thermodynamics. This book takes the approach of providing inspiration, confidence and creativity to students for ultimately solving a whole range of thermodynamic problems faced by chemical, mechanical, aerospace and environmental engineers in academia and industry. It is easy to read, providing meaningful information to someone with little background in thermodynamics. Historical understanding combined with scientific understanding truly helps to enhance one's understanding of thermodynamics. This 646-page book with over 11 pages of references is much different from most books on thermodynamics. The book is written in simple plain text with no equations, solved problems or example problems at the end of a section or chapter. The book focuses primarily on history perspectives which is mostly omitted in thermodynamic books. It shares how the concepts and terminologies used today were elevated from their historical origins. These when combined with good scientific understanding, enhances good grasp of thermodynamics. The book has four parts. The first part is on Big Bang and the synthesis of the elements in the stars. The macroscopic thermodynamics is governed by microscopic atomic world. The second part is on the atoms that can be thought of as hard spheres that attract and repel each other. The third part is on energy and conservation laws since one always have some cause behind an effect. The last part of the book is on entropy and the laws of thermodynamics. A broader discussion is provided of the scientific method as to how it appears and how it should be conducted. Contributions made are in general on similar processes with gathered data from some set of hypotheses to provide conclusions or test against the reality to support the proposed hypothesis.