Scientists at The Hebrew University, in partnership with researchers at UCLA, are working to develop tiny motors the size of molecules. A controllable, man-made device on such a small scale-about one billionth of a meter-would allow scientists to directly manipulate events within the delicate processes of a living cell and potentially create a new frontier for medical exploration.
In a recent article published in Science magazine, Hebrew University researcher Roi Baer of the Institute of Chemistry explained how his team was able to rotate a single molecule in a controlled fashion by using light and electrical stimulation-a hopeful precursor to more complicated operations in the future.
It would also be possible to design new materials and to control their properties with extreme precision.
The current experiment is the first to achieve motion that can be started and halted at will. The ability to stop or lock a molecular motor into position is essential if they are to be used effectively as machines, and though Baer admitted that applications of the technology are still "a long way down the road," his team has achieved a promising first step.
Scientists at The Hebrew University, in partnership with researchers at UCLA, are working to develop tiny motors the size of molecules. A controllable, man-made device on such a small scale-about one billionth of a meter-would allow scientists to directly manipulate events within the delicate processes of a living cell and potentially create a new frontier for medical exploration. 