Forty years ago, as a young graduate student at Stanford University, one professor (later to become my advisor) came to me with the suggestion that we should study the early microscopic processes of photosynthesis, as 50 years from then it could become very important as an ideal energy source. The problem was that there were no tools nor instruments capable of doing it, as theoretical models suggested that the most important steps occurred on a sub-nanosecond time scale. He then suggested to me to build a laser capable of generating short enough pulses to allow the study of ultrafast phenomena in materials in real time - something like an ultrafast photographic flash capable of freezing motion on basically any time scale - including biological materials, photosynthesis in particular. I did that over a period of four years - the laser worked fantastically well - and we applied such laser techniques to many different areas, from physics to engineering to biology, now down to femtoseconds (just a few cycles of light oscillations, effectively stopping light in the laboratory). Yes, the best science should look years into the future, and the best scientists should have very curious and open minds. And then just do it.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 08:30:51 +0000
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