Water’s Amazing Chain-Like Structure

Can you grab a tiny amount of water made of thousands of molecules and stretch them out? When Byung Kim did such an experiment, the group of water molecules behaved like a bundle of chains. What if this chain-like water dictates the functions of biomolecules such as proteins and DNAs in the cells of our bodies?

Byung Kim, a physics professor at Boise State University (BSU), is a leading expert in atomic force microscopy (AFM), which he has focused on for more than 25 years. He recently developed a unique technique called COIFM, which makes it possible to grab and manipulate water molecules in order to understand their mechanical behaviors at the nanoscale level. COIFM overcomes the “snap-to-contact” problem associated with conventional AFM force measurements by using a technique called “force feedback” he learned at Sandia National Laboratories before joining BSU This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx