Discoveries: Nanomotors and Nanomachines

2009: Powering nano-sized machines – "Imagine producing vehicles so small they would be about the size of a molecule and powered by engines that run on sugar. To top it off, a penny would buy a million of them."

2009: New Material for Nanoscale Computer Chips – "Nanochemists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Nano-Science Center, Department of Chemistry have developed nanoscale electric contacts out of organic and inorganic nanowires. In the contact they have crossed the wires like Mikado sticks and coupled several contacts together in an electric circuit. In this way they have produced prototype computer electronics on the nanoscale."

 

 

 

 

2009: Controlled Movement of Molecules – "Overcoming a key challenge in nanotechnology, scientists have gotten molecules to move quickly in a desired direction without help from outside forces. Their achievement... could speed development of some long-awaited nanotech innovations. They include self-healing structures that naturally repair tears in their surface and devices that deliver medication to diseased while sparing healthy tissue."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nanotechnology at Work in the Real World

Scientific American Article, January, 2009
Nanomedicine—Revolutionizing the Fight against Cancer

Key Concepts:

• A “systems” approach to medicine views the body as a complex network of molecular interactions that can be measured and modeled, revealing causes of disease such as cancer.
• Extremely miniaturized tools can inexpensively measure and manipulate molecules for systems medicine.
• Nanoscale therapies deliver precisely targeted treatments to tumors while avoiding healthy tissues.