Nevertheless, the major scientific payoff of this research, which certainly was not anticipated by those who carried out these early studies, was not in nuclear physics, but instead in chemistry, where, starting in the late 1950's, NMR has displaced many other forms of chemical analysis. Today, NMR is one of the fundamental tools that chemists employ to analyze molecules in solution and to determine connectivity in compounds Ð that is, what atoms are nearest neighbors to what others. Countless hours have been saved because chemists can make routine use of NMR to characterize new compounds they synthesize.
But the largest payoff to society may actually be elsewhere - in the realm of medical diagnosis. By using a magnetic field whose strength changes with distance, images can be prepared of the nuclei in a material, such as a whole human body. The technique is called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Currently, MRI is increasingly replacing x-rays as the method of choice in visualizing bone and tissue, particularly as a diagnostic tool for recognizing cancerous growths and other tumors.
Who would have thought that wondering about the structure of the nucleus would more than 50 years later be the basis for a new medical procedure (and a new industry) that is saving lives by the early detection of disease states? This example is just one of many such that reveal the surprising interconnections of science and technology. It also illustrates why the National Science Foundation must be willing to invest for the long term in areas of science where the immediate impact on society may not be obvious.