Near the South Pole, the United States Antarctic
Program has been trialling drones to map the
changing sea ice. The UAV that took this picture
was paired with an autonomous sub below the
ice. This allowed a team to produce a photo
mosaic of an ice field out of 500-1,000 images
carbon that can be made into sheets just one atom thick.
These sheets can be used to make tiny atom ic-scale shapes
such as hollow tubes and spheres, and metals with unusual
properties can be embedded within them. But scientists are
increasingly focusing efforts on ‘soft’ nanomedicines –
particles made from biological materials like proteins, fats
and DNA. This research takes its inspiration from the
complex molecules made within all cells, many of which
perform highly specific jobs and could therefore be
considered ‘natural nanomachines’ themselves.
“Nanobots made from shiny metal are actually pretty far
off still – I’m not sure that
route is really going
anywhere,” says Prof
Hendrik Dietz, head of
the Laboratory for
Biomolecular
Nanotechnology in
Munich. “We adapt or mimic the methods used to
assemble functional molecules in nature. We are looking to
do chemistry how our bodies do it, by building enzymes or
drug-delivery vehicles that are smarter than current
pharmaceutical methods.”
DNA, especially, has proven to be the perfect material
for scientists looking to build functional objects on a tiny
scale. Rather than trying to manufacture components,
scientists create a length of DNA with a particular genetic
sequence. The way the different subunits of the strand
interact with each other causes it to fold itself into high ly
predictable two- and three-dimensional shapes as it is
formed. The longer the lengths of DNA, the more complex
the shapes that can be formed.
Manipulating DNA in this way is known as ‘DNA origami’
and has been used to create objects such as tiny walk ing
machines, boxes that open and close, and self-destructing
drug-delivery vehicles. It may be some time before this
YOUR FUTURE DOCTOR
COULD THIS BE HOW NANOPARTICLES KEEP US HEALTHY IN 2050?
“Viruses can arguably
be seen as nature’s
nanomachines”
- Nanobots that
detect signs of
common diseases
are injected into
the blood soon
after birth. - Signs of cystic
fibrosis are
detected. A
modified virus
‘infects’ cells with
gene-editing
technology,
repairing the
genes that cause
the disease.
3. On developing
diabetes at 30,
light-sensitive,
insulin-producing
quantum dots are
injected into the
body. To top up
insulin levels
during the day, a
special torch is
shone onto the
blood vessels on
the wrist, where
the skin is thin.
4. At 60, a scan
reveals weak
fluorescent light
being emitted
from deep in the
lymph nodes.
Nanobots are
reacting with
molecules found
in cancer cells to
signal the
disease’s
presence.
- To combat the
cancer, more
nanobots are
injected into the
body. They
accumulate in the
tumour, making
the cancerous
tissue glow.
Surgeons can
then safely
remove the tissue
without the risk of
damaging healthy
flesh. Other
nanobots are then
released into the
body which send
powerful
anti-cancer drugs
directly into the
cancer cells.
- At age 90,
DNA-based
nanobots
constantly repair
the age-related
damage to brain
cells that can
lead to
degenerative
conditions.
Others scan the
DNA in each cell
to ensure it is
functioning just
as it used to
when the body
was younger.
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ALTH Y IN 20 50?
in the
king
us
an
tissue
risk of
ealthy
- At age 90,
DNA-based
nanobots
constantly repair
the age-related
damage to brain
cells that can
leadto
degenerative
PHOTOS: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY, GETTY X5, ISTOCK X3
Tennis ball
Optical microscope Unaided eye
Cancer cell Human hair 40,000 DNA nanobots Baked bean
would fit on this full stop
Cancercell
.
10,000nm 100,000nm 1,000,000nm 10,000,000nm 100,000,000nm