Reasearch on synchrotrons - examples
Availability of synchrotron radiation has led for instance to the formation of significant diagnostic methods in medicine and easier research on the origin of artefacts in archaeology. What has become known when using synchrotron radiation was the content of ancient Egyptian cosmetics as well as the materials used by the ancient Romans to build the Aqueduct of Hadrian in Tunisia, which led to his better renovation.
Research on synchrotrons is also used by the food industry. The company Cadbury could be an example here. Several years ago it was commissioned by the company to do research on the production process of chocolate. With synchrotron research it has been discovered that by introducing changes in technology, you can improve the quality of this product and save a lot of energy.
Research on synchrotrons is also willingly used by pharmaceutical companies and forensic laboratories. Synchrotron is in fact a sensitive device and it can identify even the smallest particles of matter for example on the clothing of a suspect or traces of poison. One of the most interesting examples was an explanation of the cause of Ludwig van Beethoven`s death. Scientists from Argonne National Laboratory in the USA have studied six of Beethoven`s hair and they have found out that lead poisoning was the cause of his death. The concentration of this metal in hair samples was exceeded a hundredfold.
Access to synchrotron radiation has also contributed to discoveries for which the Nobel prize was awarded. One of them was in chemistry for the research on the structure and function of the ribosome. Scientists explained what ribosomes look like and how they function at the atomic level, which has a crucial meaning to understand scientific foundations of life.