Today’s 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to three pioneers in the area of super-resolution imaging:  Eric Betzig, Stefan Hell, and W. E. Moerner.  Super-resolution imaging is a set of techniques that allows light microscopes to detect incredibly small features within tissues and cells.  The resulting resolution is much more detailed than what’s achievable with conventional diffraction-limited microscopy.  Cell Press has some cool slide shows and background information on the topic.  And there’s a neat SnapShot on the various types of light microscopy.

image source: Cell press