Home > News > Making Something Out Of Nothing
July 1st, 2008
Making Something Out Of Nothing
Abstract:
But we don't operate at the atomic level. We make things by heating, boiling or hacking at huge hunks of a given material until it's the right shape--from tree to table, say, or iron ore to ear. Gradually, though, a new field of science is being born, based on the idea that individual atoms and molecules can be manipulated to create anything--any material, any food, any substance-more efficiently and more abundantly than even nature can. Most of the objects in this microverse are measured in nanometers-billionths of a meter-so the new science is called nanotechnology.
The idea isn't new. In 1959 the physicist Richard Feynman predicted atom-by-atom manipulation would revolutionize computing and material science. But it was an engineer named K. Eric Drexler who named nanotechnology. In 1981 he proposed "molecular machinery able to position reactive groups to atomic precision." In other words, build things from the atoms up.
The holy grail of nanotech is the universal assembler, a hypothetical submicroscopic robot with legs capable of putting molecules together like Legos. "It could be reprogrammed to build a wide range of useful products, and it would be able to make copies of itself," says Ralph Merkle, a researcher at Xerox PARC. Assemblers might float in a liquid that supplies fuel and raw molecules to build with. The result, saynanotechies, would be an unceasing stream of nearly free stuff. Diamond could become a building material. "Diamond has a strength-to-weight ratio over 50 times that of steel," Merkle says. "Imagine taking the space shuttle and reducing its structural weight by a factor of 50." How about nanites in the bloodstream, repairing cellular damage? Paints and dyes that change color? It's easy to see how nano guys can start to sound a little religious.
Source:
newsweek.com
Bookmark:
News and information
Competition in the Quantum World May 20th, 2013
Elsevier Business Intelligence (EBI) to Host 'IN3 Medical Device 360 Boston,' June 24-26, 2013 May 20th, 2013
Penn engineers' nanoantennas improve infrared sensing May 20th, 2013
Researchers Perform Fastest Measurements Ever Made of Ion Channel Proteins May 20th, 2013
Kinks and curves at the nanoscale: New research shows 'perfect twin boundaries' are not so perfect May 20th, 2013
Imaging
Penn engineers' nanoantennas improve infrared sensing May 20th, 2013
Kinks and curves at the nanoscale: New research shows 'perfect twin boundaries' are not so perfect May 20th, 2013
Possible Futures
Lifeboat publishes its first book: The Lifeboat Foundation has published its first book, "The Human Race to the Future: What Could Happen -- and What to Do" May 14th, 2013
UC Santa Barbara History Professor's Book Elucidates, Celebrates ‘Visioneers' May 14th, 2013
Conceptual Nanomedical Lipofuscin Removal Strategy April 29th, 2013
The Global Desalination Market 2013-2023 April 24th, 2013
Molecular Machines
Conceptual Nanomedical Lipofuscin Removal Strategy April 29th, 2013
A giant step toward miniaturization: Nanotechnology transforms molecular beams into functional nano-devices with controlled atomic architectures April 3rd, 2013
ASU Biodesign Institute scientists develop innovative twists to DNA nanotechnology March 21st, 2013
Reversible assembly leads to tiny encrypted messages March 11th, 2013
Molecular Nanotechnology
Graphene joins the race to redefine the ampere May 12th, 2013
Conceptual Nanomedical Lipofuscin Removal Strategy April 29th, 2013
A giant step toward miniaturization: Nanotechnology transforms molecular beams into functional nano-devices with controlled atomic architectures April 3rd, 2013
ASU Biodesign Institute scientists develop innovative twists to DNA nanotechnology March 21st, 2013
Chip Technology
Penn engineers' nanoantennas improve infrared sensing May 20th, 2013
UC Riverside scientists discovering new uses for tiny carbon nanotubes: Adding ionic liquid to nanotube films could build smaller gadgets, and create more cost effective 'Smart Windows' that darken in bright sun May 15th, 2013
Nanometrics Announces Upcoming Investor Events May 14th, 2013
HELIOS Program Develops Complete Supply Chain for Integrating Photonics with CMOS Circuit via IC Fabrication Processes May 14th, 2013
Self Assembly
Beautiful "flowers" self-assemble in a beaker: Elaborate nanostructures blossom from a chemical reaction perfected at Harvard May 17th, 2013
DNA-Guided Assembly Yields Novel Ribbon-Like Nanostructures: Approach could be useful in fabricating new kinds of materials with engineered properties May 16th, 2013
Production of Sensitive Hydrogen Peroxide Biosensor Using Silver Nanoparticles April 26th, 2013
Scientists see nanoparticles form larger structures in real time April 22nd, 2013
Nanomedicine
Microneedle-Delivered Nanoparticles Boost Antitumor Vaccines May 20th, 2013
New Nanopore Sensor Simplifies Analysis of Methylated DNA May 20th, 2013
Elsevier Business Intelligence (EBI) to Host 'IN3 Medical Device 360 Boston,' June 24-26, 2013 May 20th, 2013
Researchers Perform Fastest Measurements Ever Made of Ion Channel Proteins May 20th, 2013
Nanoelectronics
Imec and Renesas collaborate on ultra-low power short range radios: Collaboration will develop robust wireless solutions for future electronics May 16th, 2013
Piezoelectric 'taxel' arrays convert motion to electronic signals for tactile imaging April 25th, 2013
Battery and Memory Device in One April 25th, 2013
Secret of the Crystal's Corners: New Nanowire Structure Has Potential to Increase Semiconductor Applications: University of Cincinnati research describes discovery of a new structure that is a fundamental game changer in the physics of semiconductor nanowires April 23rd, 2013
Materials
Kinks and curves at the nanoscale: New research shows 'perfect twin boundaries' are not so perfect May 20th, 2013
Advancements and developments of solid-state nanopores sensors May 16th, 2013
Physicists discover a new kind of friction: Friction in the nano-world May 16th, 2013
Squishy hydrogels may be the ticket for studying biological effects of nanoparticles May 15th, 2013
Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals
Microneedle-Delivered Nanoparticles Boost Antitumor Vaccines May 20th, 2013
New Nanopore Sensor Simplifies Analysis of Methylated DNA May 20th, 2013
Moth-Inspired Nanostructures Take the Color Out of Thin Films May 17th, 2013
Add boron for better batteries: Rice University theorists say graphene-boron mix shows promise for lithium-ion batteries May 17th, 2013
Aerospace/Space
Moth-Inspired Nanostructures Take the Color Out of Thin Films May 17th, 2013
Lifeboat publishes its first book: The Lifeboat Foundation has published its first book, "The Human Race to the Future: What Could Happen -- and What to Do" May 14th, 2013
UC Santa Barbara History Professor's Book Elucidates, Celebrates ‘Visioneers' May 14th, 2013
Over 20 Exhibitors To Present At International Space Development Conference May 13th, 2013