X-Message-Number: 13742 Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 08:34:26 -0400 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: CryoNet #13726 - #13731 Hi Yvan (again): If I properly understand just what you're saying, it still won't work. Chemical compounds consist of atoms linked together; that linkage is by electrons. If you can use X-rays to identify atoms from carbon onward, you still need some way to work out which atom is chemically attached to which other atoms. Physical nearness isn't enough evidence. I will add that we may not need maps of each molecule (if we understand only a bit more biochemistry than we do now, such maps will be generated far earlier than any detailed brain scannin --- there's lots of work going on right now to do that. One feature of biochemistry is that molecules contain many atoms, sometimes bound tightly, but their proximity does not imply that they are chemically linked). Best and long long life, Thomas Donaldson PS: Yes, it would be nice to be able to see single atoms. And that would certainly HELP. But I'm saying that it won't answer all our questions. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=13742