Inside the Mind-Bending World of Microscopic VR Science
From cells to pipelines, VR unlocks the secrets of atoms. Biophysics meets sci-fi as researchers use virtual reality to design custom medicine, tame icy gas giants, and revolutionize oil extraction.
Imagine shrinking yourself down to the scale of atoms, where the laws of physics morph into a bizarre quantum leaps and fleeting interactions. This is the realm Humberto Saint-Martin Posada and his team at the Institute of Physical Sciences (ICF) of UNAM explore, not with microscopes, but with the fantastical tools of virtual reality. Their playground? The Theoretical Studies of Aqueous Solutions and Coexistence of Phases project, a mind-bending fusion of virtual worlds and cutting-edge science with applications that could revolutionize medicine, oil extraction, and our understanding of the universe itself.
Saint-Martin, a biophysicist and materials scientist, delves into the complexities of this microscopic realm. He speaks of electronic transitions that take place in femtoseconds (a millionth of a millionth of a second!), and biological phenomena that unfold on the nanoscale, like the elusive formation of lipid rafts in cell membranes. These are the hidden gears that drive life and industry, and understanding them is key to unlocking new possibilities.
