Seeing is believing—or, for scientists, the beginning of understanding. Researchers can visualize atomically small details with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) by beaming electrons through the sample and capturing their interactions to form an image. But such tiny specimens can evade the electrons, so they need to be specially treated with heavy metals to ensure interactions. To see viruses, for example, the current standard is to douse the virus sample with a solution containing a radioactive, tightly controlled substance called uranyl acetate.
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Source: Phys.org