According to the belief, molecules closer together than 200 nanometers could not be told apart with focused light. This is because, in a packed molecular crowd, the molecules shout out their fluorescence simultaneously, causing their signal, their voices, to be confused. Stefan Hell beliefcauseclose share on social
I got bored with the topic; I felt this was 19th century physics. I was wondering if there was still something profound that could be made with light microscopy. So I saw that the diffraction barrier was the only important problem that had been left over. Stefan Hell 19thbarrierbore share on social
Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come - even if it came in a - living room - or to someone - with a humble living. Stefan Hell humbleidealive Change image and share on social
I've always enjoyed doing challenging things and also challenging common wisdom. Stefan Hell challengecommonenjoy Change image and share on social
I think that's something a scientist can do because a scientist works at a border, at the edge of science, at the edge of knowledge, and so there's a lot of fun of reaching out and thinking about things that other people didn't think about. And so it has a kind of exploratory notion, kind of adventurous part in it. Stefan Hell adventurousborderedge share on social
I love to be a scientist. I've always enjoyed being curious. Stefan Hell curiousenjoyhave Change image and share on social
Calling on each molecule one by one? No way. I just told all of them to be quiet - except for a selected few. Stefan Hell callmoleculequiet Change image and share on social
It's childish, but it still gives me great pleasure to see high-res pictures everyone told me would be impossible. Stefan Hell childishgreathigh Change image and share on social
There is still refinement needed - we are working on being able to do the same things at lower light levels and with a larger field of view. Stefan Hell fieldlargelevel Change image and share on social
When morning comes, you would better find yourself saying: 'I have so many choices of what to do or what to leave - every morning, every day. I better judge for myself, and - go ahead and do it.' Stefan Hell aheadchoiceday Change image and share on social