Nanotechnology – Lifeboat News: The Blog

Sep 1
2016

Solid-State Nanopores Unravel Twisted DNA Mystery

Cancer thrives when mutated cells undergo frequent division. Most anti-cancer drugs work by inserting themselves in between the DNA base pairs that encode our genetic information. This process is known as intercalation, and it can result in subtle changes to the DNA molecule’s geometric shape or tertiary structure. These structural changes interfere with the DNA’s transcription and a cell’s replication process, ultimately resulting in cell death.

While intercalating agents used in chemotherapy drugs are highly effective in fighting cancer, they also may kill important cells in the body and lead to other complications such as heart failure. Therefore, researchers are always searching for faster, cheaper and more accurate tools to aid in the design of next-generation anti-cancer drugs with reduced side effects.

A paper published in ACS Nano, one of the top nanotechnology journals in the world, explores this topic. “Modeling and Analysis of Intercalant Effects on Circular DNA Conformation,” (LINK TO http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.6b04876) focuses on the effect of the intercalating agent ethidium bromide (a mimic for many chemotherapy drugs) on the tertiary structure of DNA.

Sep 1
2016

Carbon nanotube nonvolatile NRAM memory 1000 times faster than Flash will be commercially released by the end of 2018 by Nantero and Fujitsu

Nantero, Fujitsu Semiconductor and Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor today announced an agreement for Fujitsu and Mie Fujtisu to license that Nantero’s technology for NRAM, non-volatile RAM using carbon nanotubes, and to conduct joint development towards releasing a product based on 55-nm process technology.

Three companies are aiming to develop a product using NRAM non-volatile RAM that achieves several 1000 times faster rewrites and many thousands of times more rewrite cycles than embedded flash memory, making it potentially capable of replacing DRAM with non-volatile memory.

Fujitsu Semiconductor plans to develop an NRAM-embedded custom LSI product by the end of 2018, with the goal of expanding the product line-up into stand-alone NRAM product after that. Mie Fujitsu Semiconductor, which is a pure-play foundry, plans to offer NRAM-based technology to its foundry customers.

Aug 31
2016

A New Way to Create Synthetic Proteins Could Lead to More Flexible Designs

Nice advancement for the nanomaterials space particularly as we look at ways to improve machines, devices, BMI, living buildings or other living structures, etc. Definitely advances efforts around Singularity.

Proteins perform a myriad of functions essential for life. They also make up important and useful biological materials, for example spider silk, which is exceptionally strong but still flexible.

The ability to design completely new proteins would help scientists create nanomaterials that, like spider silk, have a specific microstructure that confers useful properties.

Aug 31
2016

Peter Diamandis Thinks Nanotech Will Interface With Human Minds

The entrepreneur also spoke about his goal to lengthen human lifespans.

Aug 30
2016

Nanostructured Device Purifies Water With Light

In many parts of the world, the only way to make germy water safe is by boiling, which consumes precious fuel, or by putting it out in the sun in a plastic bottle so ultraviolet rays will kill the microbes. But because UV rays carry only 4 percent of the sun’s total energy, the UV method takes six to 48 hours, limiting the amount of water people can disinfect this way.

Aug 30
2016

Injectable Nanowires Monitor Mouse Brains for Months

Implantable device could teach about brain development and disease.

Aug 27
2016

Nanobots May Use Mind Control to Release Drugs in Your Brain

If you want them to, that is.

Aug 26
2016

Mind-controlled nanobots could be used to treat depression or epilepsy

It echoes the nanite and nanobot technology seen in science fiction TV series like Star Trek and Red Dwarf, where swarms of microscopic robots can be used to repair damaged tissue.

Researchers at Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, and the Interdisciplinary Centre in Herzliya, built their nanobots using a form to DNA origami to create hollow shell-like structures.

Drugs could then be placed inside these before they were chemically locked shut with particles of iron oxide.

Aug 26
2016

First Direct Proof of Stable Carbyne, The World’s Strongest Material

Scientists have managed to develop a novel method to grow stable, ultra-long 1D carbon chains of a material that is twice as strong as carbon nanotubes and far stronger than diamonds.

Elemental carbon is extremely versatile, and scientists have long been able to create new carbon allotropes that make for super durable and multi-functioning materials—such as everyone’s favorite material, graphene.

The “carbon family” is one very resourceful family. But even with all these developments, carbyne remained elusive. In fact, it is the only form of carbon that has not been synthesized, even though researchers have been studying its properties for over 50 years.

Aug 25
2016

Carbon Nanotube-Based Sensor Detects Toxins With a Mobile Phone

Researchers have developed a chemical sensing material consisting of a group of carbon nanotubes individually wrapped with supramolecular polymers that can be used with a mobile phone to detect toxins.