Nano 50 Awards

NanoTech Briefs currently accepting nominations for Nano 50 Awards

"The winners of the Nano 50 awards are the best of the best -- the innovative people and technologies that will continue to move nanotechnology to key mainstream markets," said Linda L. Bell, publisher of Nanotech Briefs.

continue reading:
NanoTech Briefs currently accepting nominations for Nano 50 Awards

One step toward the nanofactory

This could be a big step in solid-state memory, and alternative CPU architectures, but the most promising applications can be molecular mechanics.

These approaches to DNA computing can already have the theoretical potential to make very simple and small scale molecular manufacturing, using the so called DNA Robots.
Manufacturing nanoscale objects with an already working method was something I believed would take 5 to 10 years to achieve. I guess that future is today!

(but still don't wait for a Star-trek based replicator in the near future)

Nanotech systems based on DNA may be on the verge of becoming very large and complex, if not immediately useful to medicine or manufacturing. Researchers have combined simple strands of DNA into the most elaborate logic circuits yet, with potential for even more growth, the creators say. Another group has turned DNA chains into a rudimentary robotic system, namely a grid containing dozens of flipperlike arms.

Check the full article at Scientific American:
DNA Strands Weaved into High-Complexity Logic Circuits and Multiple "Robot Arms"

Nanoparticles Designed for Dual-Mode Imaging

Nanoscale, inorganic fluorescent imaging agents such as quantum dots have become an important tool for researchers studying key biomolecules involved in cancer. At the same time, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are proving to be useful in detecting tumors and metastatic lesions thanks to their ability to act as powerful contrast agents for use with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Full article on nanotechnology.com

Nanotech vs S&P500

The PXN (nanotech ETF) and the $NNZ (Merrill Lynch nanotech index) are still lagging behind the S&P500, with the recent months not being kind to the nanotech sector.

With the general indexes going higher in this year end rally, there just isn't enough money going into these nanotech related companies to fuel a similar rise in stocks.
Is this an opportunity to get into an undervalued market sector, or a sign that things might not be so good for the next months?
Only in 2007 we will find that out:

Nanotech Index not so bullish ($NNZ)

While the market today got new highs for the S&P500, the Merrill Lynch Nanotech Index is still behind, making a lower move but probably reaching support near the 50 day moving average.

The next days could be important to determine if this moving average indicator will provide technical support for this uptrend.

More molecular cars

An interesting article / interview in The Future of Things news site

I still don't see many applications for these "nano-cars" except for a speculative molecule-based electromechanical memory for computers.
There are still more efficient ways to move molecules around, but this research does prove that molecular mechanics is presently feasible.

Future developments of this kind of engineering will only be practical in fifteen or twenty years.

Read the full article here:

A New Model Nanocar on the Showroom Floor

Nanotech in the news

Silica particle sparks life in protein

Interesting new at physorg.com showing one step further in building proteins and taking control of its reaction with inorganic materials. They are probably in the right direction, using biological methods to build larger molecular structures.

Tiny formless particles in water solution take on a well-ordered and functional structure as soon as they come into contact with nanoparticles of silica.

The team designed a peptide (a short protein) with a specific distribution of positive charges. The peptide was mixed into a solution of spherical silica particles, about 9 nanometers (billionths of a meter) across. When the peptide was free in the solution it had no structure whatsoever, but when it connected with the negatively charged silica ball it assumed the form of a helix. The result was a complex of a silica particle and a functional protein.

AMD is finally launching its delayed 65 nanometre products.
Since the die size fell below the 100nanometre scale, we can all stop naming these CPUs, microprocessors, and start calling them nanoprocessors!
By the way, Intel is still in the lead, in die sizes and performance from its recent Core 2 Launch.

AMD gets 65 nanochips