

Japanese scientists photograph hydrogen atom for first time  - geoka9
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101105a1.html

======
danparsonson
It may seem pedantic, but it's not actually a "photograph" since it was taken
using an electron beam - from Wikipedia
(<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photograph>):

 _A photograph (often shortened to photo) is an image created by light falling
on a light-sensitive surface_

The clue is in the name - photo-graph, as in 'photon'. It's an important
distinction, as electron microscopy offers much greater resolution than
optical microscopy, due to the difference in wavelength between an electron
and a photon of the same energy ([http://hyperphysics.phy-
astr.gsu.edu/hbase/quantum/debrog2.h...](http://hyperphysics.phy-
astr.gsu.edu/hbase/quantum/debrog2.html)).

It's generally better to stick with the headline when posting news articles
("Research team takes image of hydrogen atom" in this case).

Very interesting article though!

~~~
hugh3
Also while I'm sure it's the first _something_ it's certainly not the first
imaging of an individual hydrogen atom; we were "imaging" single hydrogen
atoms on various surfaces with scanning tunneling microscopy at least a decade
ago. Possibly this is the first time it's been done with SEM though.

------
gaoshan
I'm fascinated by how precisely arranged the atoms are. Not surprised per se,
I just think it is so neat to see the precise structure of something at such a
minute level of detail. Now I want to see what it looks like even lower down
the scale!

------
_grrr
Was anyone else expecting to see the photo on that page?

~~~
w1ntermute
What photo? The one I see looks right to me.

~~~
_grrr
OK, that's weird, when I first visited the OPs link I could swear it was to a
page on the Telegraph newspapers website that had no image
([http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8109291...](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8109291/Japanese-
scientists-photograph-hydrogen-atom-for-first-time.html)) clearly now though
it's not. Maybe I got my browser tabs confused.... apologies for starting this
pointless thread!

~~~
geoka9
Spooky. My original post did link to the Telegraph website (which had no
image). I have no idea why and how it got updated to link to
japanesetimes.co.jp, which has that picture. Maybe some HN AI magic? :)

~~~
_grrr
Aha - I am still sane after all. Yes, I'd like to know how it got updated too,
is Arc that smart?!

~~~
w1ntermute
I think a mod did it.

