Category: Research

from the read-fast-or-pay dept.
Stan Hutchings brings to our attention that the new journal Nano Letters is free of charge through June 30, 2001. The editor writes: "This convergence of the top-down and bottom-up approaches at the nanometer scale marks the first time in history when it appears within reach to design a macroscopic functional material by controlling the composition of matter on every length scale from the atom up. Many important properties of materials are controlled or limited by behavior on the nanometer scale, and so there is great opportunity in this area [excellent understatement –CP]…While there is great excitement about the possibilities opening up before us, it is also clear that we should be cautious and patient. Many of the great things we as a community want to accomplish are very hard to do and will take a great deal of effort and perhaps also a great deal of time." First issue looks good, including work by Seeman and Montemagno.

from the early-nanovisuals dept.
From a San Francisco Chronicle article on work published in Nature: 'Using some extraordinary camera tricks, scientists at the University of California at Davis have produced Lilliputian action shots of molecular "motors" unwinding strands of DNA…The images underscore recent dramatic advances in the field of nanotechnology, a discipline that scientists hope will allow precise control over the very fabric of matter.' The story links to the 2.4 Meg MPEG movie.

from the oops dept.
VAB writes "Australian GE researchers accidentally created a more virulent version of the mousepox virus which proved fatal in 100% of mouse infections by adding the IL-4 gene. BBC Article: "Professor John Oxford says he would not have expected this result. He adds though that while rare, it is inevitable that unpredictable events will occur which is why experiments are closely monitored and performed in isolated laboratories."

Researcher Ron Jackson: "It would be safe to assume that if some idiot did put human IL-4 into human smallpox they'd increase the lethality quite dramatically… Seeing the consequences of what happened in the mice, I wouldn't want to be the one who'd want to do the experiment".

The Australian Department of Defense was consulted before publication of the research because of its potential impact in the ability of terrorists and outlaw states to develop biological weapons. Precipitant Research"

from the physical-chemistry-like-tinker-toys dept.
Bryan Hall writes "According to an article on MSNBC.com physicists in North Carolina have a system that can be used rapidly create nano-level experiments. The equipment uses virtual reality technology and a microscopic probe that allow scientists to touch and feel tiny particles. The nanoManipulator team has learned many of the physical rules that govern the movement of nano-sized objects. For example, with small particles, gravity doesnít matter, but physics rules for full-sized objects about friction and stickiness make a great deal of difference. The physicists have also been studying nanotubes in detail. Sometimes they lay out the nanotubes like a game of pick up sticks and push them around with a probe to see how well they roll and bend. The group has learned that rows of atoms in the nanotubes can be made to work like gear teeth. Scientist Sean Washburn says, "The nanoManipulator reduces physical chemistry into a game of tinker toys.""

from the let's-copy-what-works dept.
Japan's Protonic NanoMachine Project has three groups: NanoAssembly, NanoSwitching, and NanoMechanics. A recent publication (in cooperation with other labs) is "The Bacterial Flagellar Cap as the Rotary Promoter of Flagellin Self-Assembly" in the 15 Dec 2000 Science. "Five leg-like anchor domains of the pentameric cap flexibly adjusted their conformation to keep just one flagellin binding site open, indicating a cap rotation mechanism to promote the flagellin self-assembly. This represents one of the most dynamic movements in protein structures."