Remember how graphene — the single-atom thick layer of carbon — was so slick it was going to change everything? Well it looks like silicene is here to steal the spotlight. Reachers have just made the first sheet of single-atom thick silicon.
Without changing its physical or functional properties, researchers at Italy’s Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia have created the superhero of papers that’s waterproof, antibacterial and magnetic. This will completely revolutionise how your kids can stick their artwork to the fridge.
Everyone can’t stop talking about how nanotechnology is the future of healthcare, but so far we’ve not seen many useful applications. Finally, here’s one: these nano-scale gold stars can kill cancer cells dead without ever entering them.
Stanford scientists have created designer electrons that behave as if they were exposed to a magnetic field of 60 Tesla — a force 30 per cent stronger than anything ever sustained on Earth. The work could lead to a revolution in the materials that make everything from video displays to aeroplanes to mobile phones.
If you generate a lot of excess body heat — and there’s no shame in it — then it would make sense to put it to good use. A new wearable fabric called Power Felt could be the answer; it can generate electrical current from temperature differences.
What if you could use your phone to test the air for toxins? What if you could monitor your health simply by blowing on it? Sounds amazing, right? Nanosensor technology developed by NASA Ames is going to make that a reality.
The Blue Morpho butterfly shines such a brilliant blue it almost seems electric. Its secret? Microscopic holes that play with light in an incredible way. And by using nanotechnology, we can replicate those same effects on printed objects, like money. Bling!
Some of the biggest breakthroughs in future tech revolve around some of the smallest materials on Earth. Even calling these technologies “micro” is magnitudes of measure larger than their actual tiny sizes. From the nano-scaled heat transfer of nanowick cooling down to the single atomic-level of graphene and quantum computing, our white papers will help you wrap your head around the maximum potential of these minuscule technologies.
