Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is an electron-beam–based imaging method in which a focused, raster-scanned electron probe interacts with a specimen surface to generate signals such as secondary electrons, backscattered electrons, and characteristic X-rays. These signals are collected by detectors to produce high-resolution, high-depth-of-field images and, with appropriate detectors, compositional or crystallographic information. SEM typically operates under high vacuum, though variable-pressure and environmental modes allow imaging of non-conductive or hydrated samples with reduced preparation. Common applications include surface morphology characterization, microstructural analysis, failure analysis, and correlative studies with techniques like EDS/EBSD for integrated materials and biological research.
The cell's endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a central role in protein synthesis, folding, and calcium (Ca²⁺) storage. When damaged, ER-phagy (self-eating) removes affected ER regions via double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes. ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 7, 2026
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Coral reefs over the past 12,000 years grew best when the ocean temperature was 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius), according to new research from Florida Tech. Recent ocean warming and regional and local disturbances ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 12, 2026
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65
Scientists say they have drilled deeper than ever beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, peering back millions of years to reveal signs it was once, at least in part, open ocean.
Earth Sciences
Feb 21, 2026
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61
Just how small can a QR code be? Small enough that it can only be recognized with an electron microscope. A research team at TU Wien, working together with the data storage technology company Cerabyte, has now demonstrated ...
Nanomaterials
Feb 17, 2026
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144
Many technological applications, such as sensors and batteries, greatly rely on electrochemical reactions. Improving these technologies depends on understanding how electrochemical reactions work. However, most current methods ...
Nanomaterials
Feb 16, 2026
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80
Zoom in far enough on an empress cicada wing, and a strange landscape materializes. At the nanoscale, densely packed spires rise from the surface, covering the wing in an endless grove of bowling pins.
Nanophysics
Dec 16, 2025
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26
Have you ever wondered what makes shark skin so tough and sleek? It's dermal denticles—tiny, tooth-like structures that cover a shark's skin. Made of the same material as teeth and shaped like small scales with grooves, these ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 15, 2025
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31
About 100 years ago, humanity learned to see with the help of electrons. In 1924, Louis de Broglie posited that—like light particles—electrons have wave properties. In 1927, the U.S. physicists Davisson and Germer provided ...
Optics & Photonics
Dec 9, 2024
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62
Surfaces play a key role in numerous chemical reactions, including catalysis and corrosion. Understanding the atomic structure of the surface of a functional material is essential for both engineers and chemists. Researchers ...
Nanophysics
Nov 18, 2024
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76
Scientists have found a new way to see how butterflies develop their colors.
Bio & Medicine
Sep 11, 2024
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112
