Throughout history, achievements in physical science have led to advances in medicine: the discovery of electricity leading to electrophysiology, of ionising radiation to X-rays, CT scans, and radiotherapy. Wave propagation equations give us ultrasound imaging, and the quantum mechanical spin of atoms leads to MRI. Without these physical discoveries, and the physicists behind them, medicine today would be unrecognisable. The same is true of scientific technology.
In this talk, part of a regular series of public lectures arranged by the IOP West Midlands branch, Dr Bugby explained the process behind one example – how sensors originally used to research how stars are born are now being put to use in cancer surgery.