Chem
ArticleLight from Within: Sensing Weak Strains and FemtoNewton Forces in Single Molecules
The Bigger Picture
Mechanical stress at the molecular scale plays a crucial role in a wide variety of (bio)chemical processes, ranging from the sensing of the mechanical environment by cells to the failure of high-tech engineering materials. Although we know these molecular forces exist, making them visible and quantifying them at the molecular scale have remained impossible to date. This lack of direct insight at the molecular level has precluded a deeper understanding of how mechanics govern these problems. Here, we demonstrate quantitative force sensing in individual molecules at an unprecedented force resolution. Our approach is completely non-invasive and thus opens the way to visualizing and quantifying mechanical stresses in molecular materials and complex biological scenarios.
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UN Sustainable Development Goals
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