The application is hydrophobic sand, which retains moisture near the roots of desert plants by virtue of a proprietary nanostructured coating on the grains of sand.
This the first essay in a series exploring if, when, and how the Singularity will happen, why (or why not) we should care, and what, if anything, we should do about it. Part I: The Singularity and its Discontents The concept of the Technological Singularity is so clearly part of the zeitgeist that it surely… Continue reading Singularity, part 1
Nanotech may soon provide a solution for one of the more vexing problems in tissue engineering—how to control the differentiation of pluripotent or multipotent precursor cells into the specific cells needed to fix a specific problem.
New computational results reveal how the proper hierarchical assembly of smaller protein domains optimizes mechanical properties.
A new nanocar that runs cool — at room temperature — has been demonstrated by the research group of Stephan Link, colleague of James Tour at Rice. Tour won Foresight’s Feynman Prize last year for his earlier nanocar work. This press release describes several novel features of the latest work. In particular, the new cars… Continue reading Cool new nanocars
Computer simulations have shown that graphene deposited on a silicon dioxide surface will be either a semiconductor or a metal depending on whether the underlying layer is terminated with oxygen atoms or passivated with hydrogen atoms.
Canadian scientists have discovered how chemical structure can elicit a quantum state that permits the ultrafast movement of energy along an organic polymer.
In new variation of ways to use nanotech to treat cancer, scientists have shown that using a scorpion toxin to target nanoparticles to brain cancer cells depletes the amount on the cancer cell surface of a protein required to make the cells invasive. From the National Cancer Institute’s Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer “Toxin-nanoparticle combo… Continue reading Targeting brain cancer cells with nanotechnology makes them less invasive
Now comes a method to prepare high-density arrays of perfectly aligned, 95%-pure semiconducting SWNTs.
Following up on recent posts about concern in the insurance industry and in Congress about risk management practices for (current and near-term) nanotechnology, David Forrest passes along this news of recent action at EPA: The EPA has published their Interim Report on the Nanomaterials Stewardship Program and continues to invite comment for the final version.… Continue reading EPA encourages input to develop risk management practices for nanotechnology
