Scanning transmission electron microscopy

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is a method of looking at very small things called atoms and molecules. Think of atoms and molecules like tiny little balls that make up everything around us like rocks, people, and trees.

STEM works by shooting tiny particles called electrons at the atoms and molecules to see what they are made of and how they are arranged. Imagine a flashlight shining on a wall, but instead of light, it's shooting out tiny balls (electrons) at a wall of atoms and molecules.

STEM is really good at seeing very small things that regular microscopes can't see. It can show us pictures of things that are a billionth of a meter (one nanometer) in size, which is even smaller than the width of a human hair!

Scientists use STEM to study things like viruses, new materials for electronics or medicines, and even the building blocks of life like proteins and DNA. Overall, STEM is a very powerful tool that helps scientists see and understand the smallest things in our world.