Three scientists who developed new ways to capture the clearest snapshots of life’s complex molecules have been awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry. Dubochet, Frank and Henderson, each in their own ways, managed to chip away at this problem. In 1990, Henderson used an electron microscope to create a 3-D image of bacteriorhodopsin, a purple-hued protein that captures solar energy for photosynthetic bacteria. When you use an electron microscope on a bunch of proteins, lying any old way, it leaves a shadow-like image. Frank grouped similar images (clearly taken from the same angle) together to create a much higher resolution than the individual snapshots.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 04, 2017 10:15 UTC