Fluorescence imaging

Imagine you have a toy that glows in the dark. You turn off the lights and it starts to shine. That's a little bit like fluorescence imaging.

Fluorescence happens when certain materials, like chemicals or cells or even toys, absorb light, and then give off a slightly different kind of light. This is called "fluorescence" and it usually happens in bright colors like green, blue, or red.

Scientists use this concept to help them see things that are too small to see with their eyes. They can use special microscopes and cameras to look at things like cells and molecules and even whole organs inside the body. They do this by adding special fluorescent materials to the things they want to see.

For example, if they want to look at a cell, they can add fluorescent chemicals that bind to that particular kind of cell. When they shine a special light on those cells, they glow bright green or red or whatever color the chemical is.

This helps scientists see things they might not be able to see otherwise. They can study how things move and interact in real-time, and even watch live processes like cell division or disease progression. It's like having a tiny camera that can see inside things that are normally invisible!