The first biologically produced Nanotubes

Semiconducting nanotubes produced by bacteria Shewanella .

More details at The Biotech weblog

Carbon Nanotubes exhibit Antibacterial properties

Nano Today (October 2007)features a research news that highly purified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) exhibit strong antibacterial activity [Kang et al., Langmuir (2007) 23, 8670]. The research on biotoxicity of SWNTs on E.Coli K12 was done at Yale University.

Health Hazards of Nanoparticles

Here comes a different view on Nanoparticles and their threat to health. It seems Silver nanoparticles are most toxic of all

Seeing heaven in a grain of sand -Mandalas and Nanotech

Image source :The Metropolitan museum of art.


Nature (13 september 2007)has an intersting article on Science in culture.It mentions the ongoing collaboration between a nanoscientist and tibetian monks to explore Chakrasamvara mandala.The article mentions that these tibetian mandalas are made of colored,tiny loose grains of sand.



The article says



The mandala, called the 'wheel of great bliss', encircles the palatial residence of the deity Heruka Chakrasamvara. It places particular emphasis on the female ideal of wisdom.


Gimzewski has used optical and scanning electron microscopy to delve into progressively smaller features of the sand mandala, right down to the molecular level. Microscopic images across this range were then blended with a sequence of zoomed photographs to produce a continuous visual journey from the whole mandala into ever-finer details of its physical composition. The result is a seamless 15-minute sequence that is projected onto a circular bed of flat, unpatterned sand.(http://nano.arts.ucla.edu/mandala/)

The original sand mandala was two-and-a-half metres in diameter and took four monks working for eight hours a day four weeks to complete in Gimzewski's laboratory. The final computer output comprised 30,000 individual frames containing 900 gigabytes of data. Thirty-six computers were pressed into service to render the images over the course of two days, and nine computers completed the recomposition of the continuous sequence



It is interesting.

Spiderman Suit from Nanotechnology

Carbon nanotube-based technology could be used to develop nano-molecular hooks and loops that would function like microscopic Velcro.

A physicist at Polytechnic of Turin, Italy, has formulated a hierarchy of adhesive forces that will be strong enough to suspend a person's full body weight against a wall or on a ceiling, while also being easy to detach.

Here are the details of the news Item.

The Calcium Bomb

Well ,the bomb is a tiny blood particle, a Nanobacteria that makes loads of calcium enough to cause heart disease and cancer. Scary,that it can be killed only when its protective calcium shells are unsheathed.A book is on this basic premise.

This article in PLos Pathogens examines the reality.

Are we experiencing an aggressive disease-mongering campaign ?

Hot 50 Innovations in Nanotechnology

Nanotech Briefs® ,a magazine of NASA tech breif has annouces its third annual nano 50 awards.The Nano 50 recognizes the top 50technologies, innovators, and products with the greatest potential to advance the commercialization of nanotechnology.
Have a look at the innovations around the world that make it to top 50.