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Scientists Manage To Get Picture Of DNA's Double Helix

November 29, 2012 / aha!, amazing, biology, corkscrew, dna, holy smokes, i bet right now some of your DNA is in the shape of a balled up Kleenex hoho BURN!, learning by looking, my DNA is CRAPPY, pictures, shapes, small, teensy, we've come so far (but still have even further to go if we're ever gonna clone dinosaurs GET ON THAT SHIT SCIENTISTS!), well will you look at that

dna-double-helix.jpg

Seen here looking suspiciously like a hair under a microscope, scientists have managed to capture an image of DNA's double helix structure for the first time, officially ending the era of me being able to claim DNA is actually shaped like little rainbows. Truly a sad day.

The image was taken by Enzo di Fabrizio from the University of Genoa, Italy. He choreographed the scene by pulling a small strand of DNA from a diluted solution and then propping it up like a clothesline between two nanoscopic silicon pillars.

Man, actually taking a picture of DNA -- that's insane. So is taking pictures of roadkill. Taking closeups of your butt so you can examine it better than you could in a mirror? That's totally normal. I mean I can't be the only one, right?

Thanks to Shawn, who claims he took a picture of a naked lady once but he wouldn't show it to me so I don't believe him.

There are Comments
  • MightyMolecule

    this is such a huge deal that a witty, improper comment must be withheld...

  • Actually, Rosalind Franklin photographed DNA in 1952. Her data is what James Watson and Francis Crick relied on to formulate their hypothesis that DNA was structured as a double helix the following year.

  • $18922249

    While true, x ray crystallography is a bit abstract, while TEM is good ole fashioned electron photography. There are some really neat sub-diffraction limit techniques headed down the pike using light microscopy. The idea that at some point in the not-too-distant future that we will be able to literally see viruses and molecules is bananas.

  • Agent 355

    Okay thank you. I was going to ask: Well then how in the hell did we know what DNA looked like before today?! Question answered. Yay.

  • dahasn

    Looks like mines

  • ZerglingPack

    That's a pretty good eye you have there, I was just thinking that it looked like yours.

  • Science is fan-fcking-tastic.

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