Taking chemistry to a whole new level
Building the world’s smallest machines.
That’s the accomplishment of three scientists: Sauvage, Stoddart, and Feringa.
And this week they were awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
The reason for their win?
Their work in the field of nanotechnology: developing molecular machines.
How small are these machines?
You can fit thousands of them in the width of one human hair!!
Talking about a future where a whole new world of nanomachines will operate autonomously,
Dr. Feringa said, “we have to think about how we can handle these things safely. “
The nanomachine pioneer also added that this opens up a world of great opportunities.
One application can be the microrobots traveling through the bloodstream to deliver medicine to a certain spot in the body.
These tiny machines have the potential to revolutionize the field of medicine.
Fun fact: one of the scientists, Dr. Stoddart, said his molecular designs are inspired by Celtic art.
(An artistically inclined scientist.)
Nanotechnology — a field where governments have invested billions of dollars.
Yet, in many ways, the revolution is just beginning.
Thanks for visiting.
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