DNA imaged with electron microscope for the first time

It’s the most famous corkscrew in history. Now an electron microscope has captured the famous Watson-Crick double helix in all its glory.

This is an image of six or seven molecules of DNA wrapped around a core, taken with TEM (transmission electron microscopy).  The team of scientists that published these images in Nanostructures this month used the hydrophobic nature of DNA molecules to suspend and stretch them between silicon pillars.

May I just say, gosh, helix, you’re beautiful!