Researchers have been able to attach gold nanoparticles to DNA tiles and, by varying the size of the nanoparticles and the presence of DNA stem loops on some tiles, have been able to control the formation from the DNA tiles of various three dimensional DNA nanotubes.
Scientists have now revealed the working mechanism of one of the most powerful molecular motors known to biology.
Christian Joachim (who shared the Foresight Nanotech Institute Feynman Prize in the Experimental category in 1997 and won in the Theoretical category in 2005) is heading a group of researchers working to bring about atomic-scale computing. ScienceDaily led us to this European Commission ICT Results feature “Computing in a molecule“, which describes their on-going efforts:… Continue reading Toward atomic-scale computing with nanotechnology
One of the main reasons that we are confident in the overall predictions of molecular manufacturing is that there are many pathways to it from current technology and using currently understood science. It is thus something of a milestone that we have arrived at a fork in the road about which there is room for… Continue reading Why the DMS debate is a good thing for nanotech
Dr. David Baker, who with Dr. Brian Kuhlman was awarded the 2004 Foresight Nanotech Institute Feynman Prize for Theory, will be one of three winners of the 2008 Raymond and Beverly Sackler International Prize in Biophysics. Dr. Baker has been featured on Nanodot posts this year for inviting online gamers to aid in protein design… Continue reading Nanotechnology researcher to receive Sackler Prize in Biophysics
Re-engineering a simple nanotech device to make it more functional, Chinese scientists have developed an improved DNA tweezers that is able to capture, hold, and release a target molecule in a controlled manner.
Robert A. Freitas Jr. brings to our attention a major step on the road to advanced nanotech, published a couple weeks ago in Science (abstract). He writes: This paper reports purely mechanical-based covalent bond-making and bond-breaking (true mechanosynthesis) involving atom by atom substitution of silicon (Si) atoms for tin (Sn) atoms in an Sn monolayer… Continue reading Mechanosynthesis with AFM as a step toward advanced nanotechnology
You might think that by now the definitions of terms like “nanotechnology” and “nanosystems” would be firmly established. In fact the process of arriving at an international consensus is more difficult than you might expect. Representing Foresight in the effort to define these and other terms is David R. Forrest, Ph.D., President of the Institute… Continue reading Defining international standards for nanotechnology
Organisms that live in extreme environments may provide building blocks for nanotech applications that need to withstand extreme environments.
On 5 June 2008, Robert Freitas and Ralph Merkle of the Institute for Molecular Manufacturing (IMM) submitted to IEEE Spectrum the following response to the article “Rupturing the Nanotech Rapture” by Richard A.L. Jones (IEEE Spectrum, June 2008 issue). Their brief letter is reproduced below because Spectrum has chosen to publish only one of the… Continue reading Research challenges for the diamondoid mechanosynthesis path to advanced nanotechnology
