Nanoengineers at the University of California, San Diego say they have created a “nanosponge” that is capable of safely removing a broad class of dangerous substances from the bloodstream – including toxins produced by MRSA, E. coli, venomous snakes, and bees. In a study using the toxin from MRSA, inoculation with nanosponges enabled 89 percent […]
Scientists from Columbia University, Arizona State University, the University of Michigan, and Caltech have programmed an autonomous molecular “robot” made out of DNA to start, move, turn, and stop while following a DNA track. The development could ultimately lead to molecular systems that might one day be used for medical therapeutic devices and molecular-scale reconfigurable […]
University of Michigan researchers say that a new technique for vaccinating against a variety of infectious diseases – using an oil-based emulsion placed in the nose, rather than needles – has produced a strong immune response against smallpox and HIV in two sets of experiments. The so-called nanoemulsion vaccines are based on a mixture of […]
Nano-buffs may recall the work done by University of California Riverside’s Ludwig Bartels, in designing a molecule that can move in a straight line on a flat surface. Now, Bartels’ team, reporting in Science Express, say they have found a way to attach cargo: in this instance, two carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules, making the nano-walker […]
Humanity could squander the potential benefits of nanotechnology due to a lack of clear information about its risks, say a taskforce of international scientists writing in the journal Nature. Their report, “The Safe Handling of Nanotechnology,” identifies five challenges that must be addressed if the technology is to ever reach its full potential. “The specter […]
A novel molecule that “walks” like a human could be a key component in future molecular computers. The molecule, known as 9,10-dithioanthracene (DTA), has two linkers that the researchers say act as feet. It obtains energy from heat supplied to it and then moves in a way so that only one of the linkers is […]
Compared to the specialized chemistry that powers the muscles and cellular motors of the human body, the micro-machines built by scientists today look pretty crude. But that may be about to change thanks to a new theory outlining how molecular machines can be driven individually (using only one molecule) by applying an electric current that […]
Scientists from the University of Massachusetts have discovered a tiny biological structure that is electrically conductive, which could help clean up groundwater and produce electricity from renewable resources. Writing in Nature, microbiologist Derek R. Lovley’s research team found that the conductive structures, known as “microbial nanowires,” are produced by a microorganism known as Geobacter . […]
