Does the recent discovery that quantum tunneling controls a chemical reaction of a carbene complicate theoretical studies of nanotechnology, especially of diamond mechanosynthesis?

Computational studies show that small diamond structures of the type that might serve as nanoparts in diamondoid molecular machinery are structurally stable.

A biochemical circuit built from 74 small DNA molecules demonstrates an approach that may enable embedded control of molecular devices.

We are proud to announce our final conference program for Foresight@Google‘s 25th Anniversary Conference Celebration, held June 25-26 in Mountain View, CA.  For $50 off registration use code: NANODOT This weekend – full of plenary talks, panels, and breakout sessions – is a unique opportunity to be stimulated, enlightened and inspired by direct interaction with [...]

A Monte-Carlo simulation shows that a simple self-replicating RNA-like molecule in a specific protective environment could evolve the ability to translate a genetic code to produce peptides.

Midnight tonight Pacific time is the deadline for the early registration rate on Foresight@Google, our 25th Anniversary Conference and Celebration. Check it out here: http://foresight.org/reunion Past participants have said: “This is mind candy for my soul. Having attended for two years now, this event stands alone in my mind as an opportunity to explore new horizons, [...]

A bacterial virus called M13 was genetically engineered to control the arrangement of carbon nanotubes, improving solar-cell efficiency by nearly one-third.

New software for scaffolded DNA origami makes it easier to predict what shape will result from a given DNA template.

Phage-assisted continuous evolution of proteins is roughly a hundred times faster than conventional laboratory evolution of proteins, perhaps speeding the development of components for molecular machine systems.

The capabilities of scaffolded DNA origami procedures have been expanded to construct arbitrary, two- and three-dimensional shapes.

Real-time monitoring of atomic-force-microscope probes to adjust for wear may speed up and improve the accuracy of measurements and manipulations done with AFMs.

A high-resolution crystal structure of a small square made by self-assembly of RNA molecules reveals each corner of the square to have a unique structure.

Engineering both the pore size and chemical functionality of nanoporous materials affects both the secondary structure and the catalytic activity of the enzymes confined in the nanopores.

UK scientists use mechanical force to manipulate silicon dimers on a silicon surface as a first step toward automated atomically precise manufacture of three-dimensional nanostructures.

Researchers in the UK and Japan use atomic force microscopy to visualize a DNA molecular robot moving along a 100-nm DNA track.

A step toward advanced nanotechnology has been achieved by using attachment to a surface and confinement by surrounding molecules to make two molecules react to form a product that would not form if they were free to react in solution.

Sputtering a pattern of zinc atoms on a graphene surface, followed by an acid rinse to remove the zinc, also removes exactly one atomic layer of graphene from where ever the graphene was covered with zinc atoms, forming a pattern on the graphene surface that is atomically precise in the vertical dimension. Resolution in the horizontal dimensions is determined by the mask used to sputter zinc.

Chinese scientists demonstrate that protein folding is a quantum transition between torsion states on a polypeptide chain.

In yet another in a long list of improvements to DNA based molecular machines, DNA molecular robots learn to walk in any direction along a branched track.

A new technique is reported to use templates to build synthetic molecules the size of proteins by precisely stringing together smaller molecules using an approach based upon the vernier scale.