First Image EVER of the Hydrogen Atom!

What you’re looking at is the first direct observation of an atom’s electron orbital — an atom's actual wave function! To capture the image, researchers utilized a new quantum microscope — an incredible new device that literally allows scientists to gaze into the quantum realm.

Source: io9
Primary Source: Phys Papers

I'll admit i have not done any research to confirm this is real or not, But it was to interesting to not post as I saw nothing similar and will not have time to confirm its validity for awhile.

Hmph..... not impressed

Its about time scientist actually did something for a change

I'm ready for my close up Mr Demille.

Very cool, what a first!
Thanks for sharing.

reply to post by Tlexlapoca


Hmmm.... scientist do ALOT fo things. You just have to stop paying attention to the ones funded primarily by focus groups and lobby organizations through alot of the accredited universities.

What do you consider "accomplishing something" this forums breaks major scientific discoveries at least a few times a month.

reply to post by vind21


Well I'm impressed
Cool image I look forward to more from this new technique .

Next thing they will see is a galaxy.

Isaac Asimov put it in words better then anyone else I know, the deeper we look into our self's, the more of the universe we would see that surrounds us.

Basically he had the idea that, if were to create a microscope strong enough to see an atom, then we would see a star, and planets revolving around it.

S&F. Amazing find Op.
The things were able to do just keep getting greater, and greater. Think of what we will be capable of a hundred or two down the road? Wow.

Originally posted by Tlexlapoca
Hmph..... not impressed

Its about time scientist actually did something for a change

edit on 28-5-2013 by Tlexlapoca because: (no reason given)

Yeah, as opposed to providing EVERYTHING you've enjoyed over the last well..forever.

The only reason we are talking right now is because of science, and although you may not recognize how important and ground breaking something like a Quantum Microscope is, doesn't mean that's science grabbing it's behind.

~Tenth

reply to post by XaniMatriX

Next thing they will see is a galaxy. Isaac Asimov put it in words better then anyone else I know, the deeper we look into our self's, the more of the universe we would see that surrounds us. Basically he had the idea that, if were to create a microscope strong enough to see an atom, then we would see a star, and planets revolving around it.

Those darn fractals!

...sorry nerd humor couldn't help myself.

Originally posted by Tlexlapoca
Hmph..... not impressed

Its about time scientist actually did something for a change

edit on 28-5-2013 by Tlexlapoca because: (no reason given)

Steam engine
advanced mathematics
nuclear fission
electricity
space travel
worldwide instant communication
the internet
internal combustion engine
air travel
the computer
radar
transplant procedures
skin grafting
mapping the human genome

And most of that's just in the last few hundred years, most in the last century alone.


You're right, it's about time scientists started doing something useful....

WOW! Amazing

I would like to read an explanation of what is being seen here.

Are the red dots the proton itself? If so, it doesn't look spherical.

The electron shell looks pretty thick.

Chances are this technique will be improved, and we will get more detail from future pictures. This should revolutionize atomic theory. I have always thought that the current model isn't very accurate, and from this picture, I think that is very possible.

im skeptical.... i think it is hydrogen atom but a false image....

How the heck did they get the orbital? it does not exist as a circular line...

reply to post by poet1b



I have not had time to read the real report on phys reviews yet, but it sounds very similar to the process that was used to take pictures of a packet of photons as it entered a coke bottle in that ted video.


They essentially figured out how to image it by bouncing other electrons off the field millions of times and developed an image off the data.

After zapping the atom with laser pulses, ionized electrons escaped and followed a particular trajectory to a 2D detector (a dual microchannel plate [MCP] detector placed perpendicular to the field itself). There are many trajectories that can be taken by the electrons to reach the same point on the detector, thus providing the researchers with a set of interference patterns — patterns that reflected the nodal structure of the wave function.

It would seem logical if they are only able to image in 2d currently that it would come out looking like an orbital pattern since that's all they can see.

What I really want to see is a picture of carbon or something with more electron "orbits" to see if thier image differs or it jsut looks like the same blurred orbit pattern as everything is located in the cloud etc.

Originally posted by vind21
What you’re looking at is the first direct observation of an atom’s electron orbital

If I understand this correctly, its some kind of a composite of multiple observations. Each electron ripped off a hydrogen atom contributes one bit of the composite picture, so its not a picture of "an" atom.

The group observed several hundreds of thousands of ionization events to obtain the results, with the same preparation of the wavefunction for each

But quite remarkable.

Thank you OP for this! Quantum Microscopy: new worlds ahead.

Strongly urge anyone who thinks this is a yawner to check out the source in the original post.

Why can't they ever get us these kinds of pics in 1080p, HD?

reply to post by setibuddies


Yeah, the article is not long and I didn't wanna just copy/paste the entire page. There is technically lite explanation of what/how they did what they did.

They hydrogen atom is probably the only image they will release. I doubt we will be seeing any of the higher count atoms unless the images wont hurt the perception of accepted science it was pretty brave of them to show an image, rendered or otherwise, of the actual wave function even if it is only 2d.

reply to post by XaniMatriX


I've been saying the same thing since I was a child. Only it was a less educated verison.
"If you could shrink yourself to the size of an atom and take a microscope with you, what would you see?"
Funny how almost everything that has ever been said, thought, or done, has been said, thought, or done by someone else.

I saw this posted on Facebook the other day. I looks like Hoag's object. Also, I understand they had to take many many pictures to get this image. Otherwise the electron cloud wouldn't be perceptible. Once they get the image cleaned up it is going to look a lot like a galaxy.

... I am shaking a little right now, weeping if I am honest. The fact that this is possible in my life time, presenting us with the capacity to directly observe such a tiny object is somewhat overwhelming.

I am now in a flat spin. I may check back when I recover my equilibrium.