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The Spotify Playlist

Molecular Photography: The Spotify Playlist
John Doran , August 28th, 2009 09:20

When expensive microscopes aren't being trained on evil looking insects, the results can be amazing . . .

Listen to our microscopic photography playlist on Spotify by clicking here

So it’s Friday afternoon and that probably means you’re wondering what the deeper truth of things is. Well, it turns out that after all, when you look closely enough, all matter appears to be made out of tiny egg boxes.

According to the BBC the world’s first photo of a molecule has been taken recently using a magnifying glass. As the report states: “The physical shape of single carbon nanotubes has been outlined before, using similar techniques — but the new method even shows up chemical bonds. Understanding molecular structure on this scale could help in the design of many things on the molecular scale, particularly electronics or even drugs.”

The research done by IBM was published in the Science Journal recently and the photo marks yet another milestone passed using the mighty power of the microscope, the first example of which was built in Holland in 1595 and is often credited to Hans Lippershey, who also built the first telescope. Of course, this microscope was pretty much just a tube with two lenses in it.

The Zurich based instrument that photographed the carbon monoxide molecule is what is referred to as an atomic force microscope, which can take 3-D pictures of surfaces even smaller than your common or garden electron microscope.

Anyway this playlist of microscopy and atomic particle-related songs is dedicated to all the nano-gazers who help us understand what stuff is made out of, when not taking gnarly pictures of spider’s faces for advertising billboards.

Zu 'Carbon'
Elektrons 'Dirty Basement'
Blackalicious 'Chemical Calisthenetics'
T Rex 'Life's A Gas'
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci 'Miniature Kingdoms'
Frida Hyvonen 'Science'
R.E.M. 'Electron Blue'
Hope Of The States 'Boxes For Particle'
UNKLE 'Chemistry'
Sweating Honey 'Carbon Monoxide'
The Chemical Brothers 'Chemical Beats'
Newcleus 'Jam On It'
British Sea Power 'Atom'
Blur 'Chemical World'
Simon Bookish 'Carbon'
Deerhunter 'Twilight At Carbon Lake'
Blondie 'Atomic'
George Clinton 'Atomic Dog'
Fucked Up 'The Chemistry Of Common Life'
Jean Michel Jarre 'Oxygene Part 2'