Hop, skip and a jump: Researchers reveal molecular search patterns
Monday, March 7, 2016 - 12:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Like an albatross scanning for pods of squid in a vast ocean, molecules on solid surfaces move in an intermittent search pattern that provides maximum efficiency, according to new research. While this behavior had been proposed theoretically, these researchers have made the first experimental observations of this phenomenon, providing a gateway for potential improvements in fields ranging from medical diagnostics to chemical production.