First nanoscale direct observation of how glass transforms into liquid at increasing temperature

Researchers from the UAB and the ICN2 have developed a methodology that makes it possible for the first time to observe under the microscope, in real time, what happens when glass is heated and changes to a supercooled liquid phase, known as the "glass transition". The research, published in Nature Physics, is of great importance for the cryopreservation of proteins, cells and living tissues, for the manufacture of drugs and electronic devices, and for tissue engineering, where this glass-to-liquid transition plays a key role.