• filcuk@lemmy.zip
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    2 months ago

    Err, I don’t think that’s right. That’s physically impossible. Only electrons are small enough to visualise molecules and atoms, which is why you need electron microscope to see those.

    • Eiri@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Whoa, my optometrist told me that’s what they are and now I’m really disappointed.

      Considering their shape and what you said about them being impossible to observe in visible light… I guess those branch-like pieces are cell organelle fragments instead?

      Dang, and here I was excited to be seeing molecules.

      • Flax@feddit.uk
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        2 months ago

        You can see cells with the naked eye as well. Notably, eggs. Chicken eggs are also one cell. The largest cell is an ostrich egg.

        • frezik@midwest.social
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          2 months ago

          There are amoebas that reach 5mm in length.

          IIRC, there are limits on how big they can get based on how far RNA can travel after copying DNA.

          • Flax@feddit.uk
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            2 months ago

            Eggs are still bigger. I think you can actually see human eggs with the naked eye, as they are the width of a hair. Would probably need to be placed on a contrasting surface, though, and appear as a tiny speck