How do we conquer the nanoworld?

The speaker starts with a short description of the properties which make the micro- and nano-objects so inspiring and exciting, particularly from an implementation point of view.  He focuses on the characteristics which have been observed since 600 BC and contributed to the beauty of artworks and the effectiveness of military products. Then, the lecture touches upon the discoveries of the modern times, especially of the 20th century, such as electron microscopes. The focus is also on the second half of the last century, known as the “golden age of nanotechnology.” After a brief history of quantumdots, the lecturer talks a little more broadly about the aspects of nanotechnology that are relevant to all of us, especially to computer users. He also makes remarks on the limitations of this technology arising from the Heisenberg's indeterminacy principle. This part of the meeting ends with a story of discoveries which will have impact on our life in the present century, especially in terms of medicine.

The presentation is devoted to an analysis of molecular weights in sciences. The speaker goes over the techniques of ‘weighing’ molecules from the earliest times, when the focus was on the masses of various substances, to the latest advances in science and technology that enable extremely accurate determination of the molecular masses of chemical compounds. We also learn about the possibilities and limitations of investigating the molecular masses of substances using mass spectrometry. Selected applications arising from hypotheses experimentally tested with this technique are discussed, along with alternative ways of obtaining results at the interface of different analytical strategies and techniques. Although mass spectrometry may raise concerns among young adepts of science, it is not, in fact, such a complicated and problematic research technique.