B.C. researchers develop cheaper, faster microscope for testing molecules
VANCOUVER — A new, cheaper microscope developed at a university in British Columbia has the potential to rapidly accelerate research on molecules, scientists say.
The mini-radio centrifuge force microscope is designed to test the strength of molecules and can complete a decade’s worth of experiments in a matter of days, said Nancy Forde, a physics professor at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby.
It also comes with an appealing price tag. The new microscope costs only $500 to build, compared with $150,000 for similar devices.
“There are just so many questions we’re able to answer now at a much faster rate,” Forde said. “It’s phenomenal.”